France

French pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has announced an extension of its rights deal for the Bundesliga, the top division of club football in Germany.

Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has allocated rights to the Süper Lig, the top division of club football in Turkey, to its own pay-television channel in France

The European Broadcasting Union consortium of public-service broadcasters has agreed a four-year extension to its rights deal for the Tour de France under an agreement that also includes the other leading cycling events organised by Amaury Sport Organisation.

France Télévisions prised prestigious free-to-air tennis rights from M6 late last month, despite paying no increase for the rights.

French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus has been buoyed by a decision by France’s competition authority, Autorité de la Concurrence, to ease rules that had sought to limit its market share.

European Professional Club Rugby increased the value of its media rights in France by about 50 per cent late last month from deals with beIN Sports and France Télévisions.

Media and entertainment company Discovery Communications, an Olympic Games rights-holder in Europe, has taken the unusual step of publicly expressing its support for Paris’ bid for the 2024 summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Chinese internet company Tencent has signed an exclusive digital media partnership with the French Tennis Federation (FFT) for coverage of the French Open grand slam tournament at Roland-Garros.

French media group Vivendi has secured European Union antitrust approval for its plan to gain control of Telecom Italia after the European Commission said it has agreed to sell the Italian telecommunications company’s majority stake in broadcasting services group Persidera.

Public-service broadcaster France Télévisions has bolstered its tennis coverage by acquiring rights to men’s ATP events the Paris Masters and World Tour Finals.

The Euroleague will face a litmus test for its new product this summer as it takes its media rights to market in France and Italy – two markets from which the competition is desperate to earn greater revenue.

European Professional Club Rugby, the organising body of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup rugby union competitions, has extended its rights deals with French pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports and public-service broadcaster France Télévisions.

French public-service broadcaster France Télévisions has renewed a rights deal for the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance motor-racing event.

The International Surfing Association (ISA) has launched a new mobile application that will allow fans to stream coverage of the upcoming World Surfing Games.

Canal Plus’ loss of Champions League rights – announced late this week – is a blow to the broadcaster, softened slightly by its recent extension of Formula One rights.

French pay-television broadcaster SFR Sport has secured exclusive rights to the Uefa Champions League and Europa League club football competitions from the 2018-19 season, ousting rival operators beIN Sports and Canal Plus as the rights-holder.