Europe
BSkyB set for tour to Pakistan, with India to follow
Pay-television operator British Sky Broadcasting is set to sign a deal for the England cricket team’s tour to Pakistan
MTG doubles F1 fees despite lack of competition
Pan-Scandinavian broadcaster Modern Times Group doubled Formula One’s present television fees in the region
Danish channels make peace with big handball swap
Danish state-owned broadcasters Danmarks Radio and TV2 this week completed an extensive swap of handball rights
ITV, BSkyB pay only little extra to renew rights
UK broadcasters ITV and British Sky Broadcasting will pay only a small increase in fees in renewing their contract for football’s Champions League
Uefa’s Irish award prompts channel protest to Brussels
The European Commission has received an official complaint over the acquisition of Champions League rights by Ireland’s public-service broadcaster RTE
Agencies will face hard task to win Bundesliga rights
Four agencies are thought likely to bid for Bundesliga television rights
German clubs say Champions award will hit sponsors
German pay-broadcaster Premiere’s exclusive deal for Champions League pay-television and free-to-air live rights has angered the beaten free-channels, which were taken by surprise, and the clubs, which are worried about losing sponsorship money.
Turkish channel wins two big deals for sports debut
Turkish commercial broadcaster ATV has surprised the country’s television sports industry by spending $21 million (£11.4 million/€16.7 million) in five days on two major football properties
Premiere goes for wonder double to boost free channel
Premiere, the German pay-television operator which is soon to launch a free-to-air channel, will fight hard to bring off a remarkable double this autumn
TV RIGHTS CLIPS 1: Football, cricket, tennis, motorcycling and more
Football: Italian commercial broadcaster Mediaset acquired Serie A highlights rights in a three-year deal
Lega Calcio set for 56% increase in TV rights fees
Adriano Galliani vindicated by 56-per-cent increase on the value of last season’s rights
Denmark’s TV2 likely to launch sports channel
Denmark’s state-owned commercial broadcaster TV2 is thought likely to launch a dedicated sports channel next year
New channel will be threat to Viasat and Canal Plus
New sports channel to be launched in Norway next year by commercial broadcaster TV2 and telecoms company Telenor
Slow start for TV phone services
The Dutch and Belgian domestic football leagues, whose pioneering television-rights deals with telecom companies started this month, have begun their seasons with the bulk of live matches accessible to only a handful of intrepid subscribers
Big-cash strategic bids become a thing of the past
The big-money strategic bids of German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 for top sports rights are a thing of the past
Germany unlikely to pay big fees
Uefa and the Team agency may struggle to achieve big increases in rights fees for the Champions League in Germany
FRANCE PAYS 20% MORE FOR EURO CUP
The Team agency secured rights-fee increases of an overall 20 per cent or so for the Champions League rights in France
TPS looks for new audience as it quits fight for top sports
French pay-broadcaster Télévision Par Satellite has decided against taking on pay-rival Canal Plus for France’s top sports rights