Ireland
EPCR targets new Champions Cup rights model in Ireland
European Professional Club Rugby, the organising body of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup competitions, has said it will seek to strike a free-to-air rights deal in Ireland after conceding that the current broadcast model is not “working very well”.
Eir Sport secures rights to Ireland-New Zealand clash in Chicago
Irish pay-television broadcaster Eir Sport has acquired rights to next month’s rugby union Test match between Ireland and New Zealand, which will be staged in the US city of Chicago.
Sky sets new financial records
Pan-European pay-television broadcast group Sky has today (Thursday) reported a record full-year operating profit of £1.558bn (€1.86bn/$2.05bn), breaking the £8bn revenue barrier in the UK and Ireland for the first time and setting its first-ever operating profit in Germany and Austria.
Twitter and Sky partner up for Premier League game coverage
Social media platform Twitter has agreed a deal with UK pay-television broadcaster Sky to show content from the English Premier League and Football League club competitions from the forthcoming 2016-17 season.
BT Sport pins down UFC extension
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has today (Wednesday) confirmed that it has extended its exclusive rights deal with mixed martial arts promotion the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
EC makes ruling in geoblocking case
The European Commission has accepted and legally ratified proposals suggested by Paramount relating to the film studio’s insistence on geoblocking measures for certain services offered by UK pay-television broadcaster Sky - a move that could have repercussions for the sports media-rights industry.
Virgin Media Ireland extends Sky deal, drops Eir Sports
Pay-television operator Virgin Media Ireland has signed a multi-year extension to a carriage deal with pay-television broadcaster Sky after opting to drop rival platform Eir Sports.
Virgin Media bolsters Irish interest with UTV deal
Pay-television operator Virgin Media has furthered its investment in the Irish media sector by agreeing a deal to acquire commercial broadcaster UTV Ireland.
Competition drives up Rugby World Cup revenue in Ireland
Strong competition drove up the value of rights to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Ireland this week, despite a much worse time zone than in 2015.
Killane appointed as new head of Eir sports operations
Irish telecommunications company Eir has appointed Glen Killane as its first managing director of Eir television and sport.
Eir extends F1 rights, rebrands Setanta Sports
Irish telecommunications company Eir has extended a rights deal for the Formula One motor-racing world championship and rebranded pay-television service Setanta Sports as Eir Sport.
Eir Sport swoops for Rugby World Cup rights in record deal
Irish pay-television broadcaster Eir Sport has acquired rights in the country to a host of World Rugby tournaments, including the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
BT Sport renews Bundesliga rights
UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has extended a rights deal for the German Bundesliga, the top division of football in the country.
At The Races remains in the saddle with Breeders’ Cup
UK pay-television channel At The Races has extended and expanded its rights deal for US horseracing event the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
Free-to-air sports channel considered by Eir after Setanta takeover
Irish telecommunications company Eir is considering launching a new free-to-air sports channel.
Watching Brief (Vol.121) Special Focus: Rugby Union – Six Nations Championship
John Manning, research analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence, examines television audiences for this year’s Six Nations Championship
Sky to become exclusive UK F1 rights-holder
Pay-television broadcaster Sky has struck a deal to become the exclusive rights-holder in the UK and Ireland for the Formula One motor-racing world championship from 2019.
Sky to launch new channel for non-sports subscribers
UK pay-television broadcaster Sky will this summer launch a new sports channel, which will be made available to its non-sports subscribers at no extra cost.