Europe

The IMG agency has agreed a deal with UK public-service broadcaster the BBC to produce its live and highlights television coverage of golf for 2016.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of free-to-air broadcasters has confirmed strong participation from its members in covering the inaugural European Championships multi-sport event in 2018.

Communications technology and services company Ericsson has launched a new software system that aims to give broadcasters the ability to enhance sports programming and create more immersive viewing experiences.

Turkish pay-television operator Digiturk has acquired rights to the Uefa Euro 2016 national team tournament under a sublicensing deal with state broadcaster TRT.

The ADAC GT Masters has entered into a partnership with smart television services provider NetRange that will grant global exposure to the German-based motor racing series.

The Ligue Nationale de Rugby, the operator of the Top 14, has opened a new tender for domestic rights to the top division of French rugby union.

The MP & Silva agency has renewed its media rights partnership with the Italian Volleyball League.

Dutch public-service broadcaster NOS has agreed a deal to cover the 2016 edition of cycling’s Giro d’Italia, which commences in the Netherlands on May 6.

Eurosport Events, promoter of the World Touring Car Championship, has agreed broadcast rights deals in host markets for its forthcoming races in Hungary and Morocco, along with launching a new second screen service to enhance coverage of the motor racing series.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports Network has broadened its reach in Poland by agreeing a carriage deal with media and telecommunications group Cyfrowy Polsat.

The BBC has criticised “unhelpful” comments from Scottish Professional Football League chairman Ralph Topping, who has questioned the UK public-service broadcaster’s commitment to the domestic game amid talks over a new rights deal.

Paolo Vasile, the chief executive of Spanish commercial broadcaster Mediaset, has hit out at the sales process for rights in the country covering the Uefa Euro 2016 national team football tournament.

The Swiss Football League is set to open a tendering process for the media rights to the Super League and Challenge League, the top two divisions of the domestic game.

Russian sports media platform Match TV has acquired rights to the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, the concluding part of the season for North American ice hockey league the NHL.

Fiba, basketball’s global governing body, has confirmed a media rights distribution partnership with digital sports media company Perform and the TAF Sports Marketing agency.

French digital-terrestrial television channel L’Équipe 21 has acquired rights for the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) World Endurance Championship.