Europe

The Fotball Media agency, which distributes the rights for the Tippeligaen on behalf of the Norwegian Football Federation, has opened a tender process for the rights to the top division of the domestic game, along with the second-tier 1. Divisjon.

The Ligue Européenne de Natation, the governing body for swimming in Europe, has agreed a four-year extension to its rights deal with the European Broadcasting Union, the consortium of public-service broadcasters.

The BBC Northern Ireland division of UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has acquired live rights to the national football team’s home friendly games ahead of its participation at the Uefa Euro 2016 tournament.

A new television channel dedicated to African sport is set to commence broadcasting in the continent and Europe in January.

The European Broadcasting Union’s chances of winning the rights to the Olympic Games from 2018 to 2024 were undermined by two internal splits, TV Sports Markets understands.

Uefa is the latest rights-holder to feel the pinch from the new-look Russian sports rights market, as the income from its club competitions in the territory has plummeted well below previous cycles.

Finnish commercial and pay-television broadcaster Nelonen is set to reduce its investment in sports rights, experts say, following its move to cut jobs and dismantle its sport department.

UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has agreed a three-season deal for exclusive rights to the International Motorcycling Federation’s (FIM) Speedway World Championship series.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky has extended a rights deal for near-live extended highlights of football’s English Premier League.

LaLiga, the governing body of the top division of Spanish football, has entered into a strategic partnership with social video production company Grabyo in a bid to enhance video content provided by the organisation and its clubs.

French digital-terrestrial television channel L’Équipe 21 will branch out into eSports by broadcasting the final of the ESWC Fifa 16 competition on Sunday.

Swedish public-service broadcaster SVT has acquired rights for motor-racing’s World Rallycross Championship.

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of free-to-air broadcasters has extended its exclusive media rights and services partnership with the European Union of Gymnastics (UEG) governing body.

LaLiga is set to wrap up its domestic sales process for the next cycle of centralised rights for Spanish football’s top division and Copa del Rey knockout tournament by early December, according to the Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y La Competencia.

A group of five Spanish consumer organisations have registered a complaint with the country’s industry ministry relating to the performance of the Mediapro agency’s TotalChannel OTT platform, which provides coverage of club football competition the Uefa Champions League.

The BBC’s contract with the SPFL is currently in its final year and SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said last month that the consensus among its board was that the corporation was selling the Scottish game short when it comes to the deal.