Europe

Modern Times Group, the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster, has switched coverage of the 2016 European Handball Championship to TV3, its main commercial channel in Norway.

Spanish public-service broadcaster TVE has agreed a rights deal for coverage of this summer’s Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

UK free-to-air entertainment channel Dave has made its first major move into the sports market by landing rights to British heavyweight boxer David Haye’s comeback fight later this month.

International sports broadcaster Eurosport has acquired rights in France to the Coppa Italia club football knockout tournament.

Portuguese telco Nos has sealed long-term rights deals with eight additional clubs in the country’s top-tier football Primeira Liga.

French horse racing rights-holders France Galop and LeTrot have opted against renewing rights deals with public-service broadcaster France Télévisions and digital-terrestrial-television channel L’Équipe 21.

The 2016 edition of the NBA Global Games in London will be screened live in 31 cinemas across the UK after the Odeon group agreed a deal with the National Basketball Association.

UK commercial broadcaster ITV’s exclusive rights deal for British horse racing will provide the sport with an even greater audience reach according to Simon Bazalgette, chief executive of the Jockey Club.

Portuguese Primeira Liga football clubs Porto and Sporting Lisbon have agreed new deals with telcos Portugal Telecom and Nos respectively.

The German Handball Association (DHB) has said it will hold a meeting with key powerbrokers of the sport next year in a bid to ensure its hosting of the 2017 Women’s World Championship receives coverage on free-to-air television in Germany.

Russian pay-television broadcaster NTV Plus has said it will stop operating six channels, including Fight Club and its dedicated 3D service.

Commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group has acquired rights in Denmark for the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts series.

Polish commercial and pay-television broadcaster Polsat has secured licences for the launch of two new sports channels in the country.

Markus Waldner, the men’s alpine race director at the International Ski Federation (FIS), has said that the governing body will ban the use of drones at events until further notice after a machine carrying a camera nearly hit an athlete during a World Cup event in Italy.

The Saran Media agency has agreed a three-season deal for the global television rights to the Turkish Women’s Super Basketball League and Turkish Men’s First Division Basketball League.

The Infront Sports & Media agency has agreed a three-year deal to become the international media rights partner of annual invitational ice hockey competition the Spengler Cup.