Europe
NC Plus saddles up with Polish equestrian series
Polish pay-television operator NC Plus has agreed a three-season deal for rights to Tour Cavaliada, an annual equestrian series held in the country.
BBL engages partners for live streaming initiative
Club basketball competition the British Basketball League will introduce live global streaming of its games next year through an initiative launched in partnership with sports technology company Hawk-Eye Innovations, sports broadcaster WebcastSport and pay-television broadcaster Sky.
EC proposals tabled for subscription services
Europeans will be able to access subscription media services based in their own country when they are “temporarily abroad,” according to proposals put forward as part of the European Commission’s digital single-market strategy.
C More confirms launch date for golf channel
Pan-Nordic pay-television broadcaster C More has confirmed it will launch a new golf channel in Sweden on January 1, 2016.
D8 to show Champions League final in France
D8, the digital-terrestrial television channel operated by pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus, has acquired rights in France for the next three editions of football’s Uefa Champions League final.
BBC loses live coverage of Australian Open
UK public-service broadcaster the BBC will no longer offer live coverage of tennis grand slam the Australian Open.
BeIN Media Group and W9 extend NFL rights deals
BeIN Media Group and digital-terrestrial television broadcaster W9 have agreed three-year extensions to their rights deals in France for American football league the NFL.
L’Équipe 21 extends World Rallycross rights deal
French digital-terrestrial television channel L'Équipe 21 has extended a rights deal for motor-racing’s World Rallycross Championship.
Kerry proposes return of GAA action to free-to-air TV
The Gaelic Athletic Association’s (GAA) Kerry County Board will propose a motion at the 2016 GAA Annual Convention to return live coverage of championship matches to free-to-air television in the Republic of Ireland.
SPFL strikes BT Sport deal, overhauls League Cup model
The Scottish Professional Football League, which operates the league system in Scotland, has agreed a four-season rights deal with UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport that will lead to a major revamp for its League Cup knockout competition.
IMG nets Premier League rights in 27 markets
The IMG agency has acquired broadcast and digital clips rights for the English Premier League, the top division of football in the country, across 27 markets in Central and Eastern Europe, and Central Asia.
Roma claims first with crowdsourced strategy for digital platform
Italian Serie A club AS Roma has partnered with digital consulting firm Omnigon to unveil what it claims to be the world’s first crowdsourced official football club website.
Movistar Plus scores Premier League rights in Spain
The Movistar Plus broadcast platform of Spanish telco Telefónica has acquired exclusive rights in Spain for football’s English Premier League.
RMG delays rights announcement as ITV challenges Channel 4
Racecourse Media Group, the holding company responsible for media and data rights involving 34 of the UK’s premier racecourses, is to delay the announcement of its next cycle of domestic rights until the New Year, with rival commercial broadcasters ITV and Channel 4 going head-to-head, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.
Eir seals Setanta Sports takeover
Irish telecommunications company Eir has made its first step in owning television content by agreeing a deal to acquire pay-television broadcaster Setanta Sports.
EBU calls for free-to-air protection for sports events
The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has adopted a declaration calling for “sporting events of major importance for society” to be available on a free-to-air basis.
Eleven broadens reach in Belgium, opens up to combat sports
International pay-television broadcaster Eleven Sports Network has secured nationwide distribution in Belgium and has opened up to combat sports for the first time.
Unexpected Altice bid outflanks rivals for Premier League, continuing telco trend
Telco Altice last week blindsided French broadcasters to acquire Premier League rights in the country with a knockout first-round bid.