Global

Motorsport

Jean-Luc Roy, founder of Motors TV, has said it will be “business as usual with benefits” for the pan-European motorsports channel after its recent acquisition by automotive digital technology business Motorsport Network.
Skiing

Public-service broadcaster Czech TV has extended an agreement for rights to the Ski Classics long-distance skiing championship, while public-service operator Sport TV has signed on as the series’ media partner in Slovenia.

The International Floorball Federation has become the latest global governing body to sign a content agreement with the International Olympic Committee’s recently-launched Olympic Channel.
Rugby Union

World Rugby has said the International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Channel and international digital terrestrial television and pay-television broadcaster CNN have signed up as new rights partners for the upcoming 2016-17 Sevens Series.
Luge

The International Luge Federation (FIL) has announced that it is to stream live coverage of its 2016-17 World Cup and World Championship events.
Multi-sport

E-commerce and media company Amazon has held talks with the US major leagues over the possibility of streaming live coverage of sport, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Rugby Union

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has bought rights to the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, while deals have also been struck in Japan and sub-Saharan Africa, TV Sports Markets understands.

Motorsport

Pan-European motorsports channel Motors TV has today (Friday) been acquired by automotive and motorsport digital technology business Motorsport Network in a move that is set to see it switch to become an over-the-top operation.

The IMG agency has renewed a media rights distribution partnership with Australian motor racing series V8 Supercars.

Organisers of the World Chess Championship have lost out in their bid to block websites from broadcasting moves from the sport’s showpiece event after a US judge ruled they did not make a sufficient case.

American Football

The NFL American football league has continued its virtual reality drive by partnering with VR broadcast technology company NextVR.

Multi-sport

Global media company Turner has promoted Aksel van der Wal to oversee a new division which will seek to lead its digital innovation internationally.

Multi-sport

Social media platform Twitter has said chief operating officer Adam Bain will leave the company, with chief financial officer Anthony Noto set to replace him in the role.

Liberty Media chief executive Greg Maffei has said the US media company may seek to develop an over-the-top platform for Formula One once its takeover deal for the motor racing series is completed.

Multi-sport

Social media website Twitter is considering selling Vine rather than shutting down the video-sharing application, according to the TechCrunch news website.

Minor Sports

Organisers of the World Chess Championship have filed lawsuits against three websites over potential piracy of the sport’s showpiece event, which gets underway later this week.

Football

England’s Football Association told TV Sports Markets this week that its strategy of opening up FA Cup international rights by running a single tender was vindicated by its deals with the IMG and Pitch International agencies.

Rugby Union

Scottish Rugby earned an increase of more than 70 per cent by selling international rights to its autumn Test matches directly to the Pitch International agency, without offering them to the market.