Europe
BBC may give up F1 rights to ITV – report
UK public-service broadcaster BBC is considering ending its rights deal for the Formula One motor-racing championship three years early, with commercial broadcaster ITV poised to take over coverage of the series in the UK, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Liga ACB expands European footprint to Bulgaria
Nova Broadcasting Group, part of multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group, has agreed a three-season deal for rights in Bulgaria to Liga ACB, the top division of basketball in Spain.
MCS picks up Austrian FIS World Cup rights
French basic-tier sports broadcaster Ma Chaîne Sport has struck a rights deal for coverage of International Ski Federation (FIS) World Cup events that are held in Austria.
BT Sport secures BDO Worlds rights
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has acquired live rights to the 2016 edition of the British Darts Organisation’s World Professional Darts Championship.
LaLiga sets deadline for new offers for free-to-air rights
LaLiga, the organising body of the top division of Spanish football, along with the Segunda Division and Copa del Rey knockout competition, has set a deadline of December 22 for offers concerning four domestic rights packages, after opening a new bidding process.
France Télévisions takes back seat as Canal Plus secures Coupe de la Ligue rights
The Ligue de Football Professionnel, the French football league, has agreed a four-season deal with pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus and public-service broadcaster France Télévisions for rights to the Coupe de la Ligue knockout competition.
Euro 2016 rights deal secured in Russia – report
Russian free-to-air broadcasters Channel One and Russia-1 will share rights to the Uefa Euro 2016 national team football tournament with new sports television platform Match TV, according to Sovsport.ru.
OTE extends Premier League rights deal
Telecommunications company OTE has renewed a rights deal in Greece for football’s English Premier League.
NRK strengthens chess commitment with record FIDE deal
FIDE, the global governing body of chess, has secured its first long-term media rights deal through a new partnership with Norwegian public-service broadcaster NRK.
Kogel to replace Burgener as Constantin chief
Fred Kogel will replace Bernhard Burgener as the chairman of the management board at media company Constantin Medien, which operates German sports broadcaster Sport1.
ARC secures South African racing coverage deal
UK racecourse owner and operator Arena Racing Company has agreed a deal to distribute audio-visual coverage of South African horse racing to betting shops in the UK and Ireland.
BoxNation seals Freeview carriage deal
Pay-television boxing channel BoxNation has secured a carriage deal with UK digital-television service Freeview.
MP & Silva signs Deluxe deal for NFL coverage
The MP & Silva agency has agreed a content distribution deal for multi-platform digital media company Deluxe Entertainment Services to deliver live coverage of the NFL American football league in territories across Europe.
Telenet confirms Premier League rights renewal
Belgian pay-television broadcaster Telenet has confirmed it has extended a rights deal for football’s English Premier League.
Gazzetta TV could close, reports say
Gazzetta TV, the Italian sports channel operated by the RCS MediaGroup, could close down, according to multiple reports in the country.
Horse & Country acquires Horse1 subscription business
Specialist equestrian sports and lifestyle television channel Horse & Country has acquired the OTT subscription business of Swedish channel Horse1.
NOS targets other Primeira Liga clubs after Benfica deal
Portuguese telecommunications firm NOS has said it is keen to explore partnerships with other Primeira Liga football clubs in the wake of its deal with reigning champions Benfica.
Discovery pounces for Tippeligaen rights
The Discovery Networks Norway division of international media company Discovery Communications has acquired domestic rights for the Tippeligaen, the top division of Norwegian football.