Ireland

Racecourse Media Group’s betting rights deal with Satellite Information Services will provide UK racecourses with a significant uplift in rights fees, while also ensuring more of its revenues will be distributed directly to the racecourses.

Irish pay-television broadcaster Setanta Sports has agreed a two-season deal for highlights of the Premiership, the top tier of English club rugby union.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky has agreed a five-year extension to its rights contract with Sanzar, the umbrella body for the Australian, New Zealand and South African rugby unions.

UK commercial broadcaster ITV has struck a deal to acquire 100 per cent of Irish commercial broadcaster UTV, which owns the television assets of UTV Media, for a total cash consideration of £100m (€136.7m/$154.8m).

Gaelic Athletic Association president Aogán Ó Fearghail has labelled coverage from Irish public-service broadcaster RTÉ as “tiresome” and “consistent in its negativity”, adding it could be a factor when it comes to negotiating a new rights deal.

Irish public-service broadcaster RTÉ has acquired rights for three boxing tournaments operated by AIBA, the sport’s global governing body.

UK pay-television broadcaster Sky has extended its rights agreement for LaLiga, the top division of Spanish football.

Golf’s PGA Tour has said its new PGA Tour Live digital over-the-top subscription service will launch tomorrow (Thursday) with the United States, Canada, Ireland, Australia and the UK serving as initial customer markets.

Telecommunications firm UPC Ireland, a wholly-owned subsidiary of media company Liberty Global, has entered into an agreement with British private equity fund manager Doughty Hanson to acquire Irish commercial broadcaster TV3.

Belfast fighter Carl Frampton’s International Boxing Federation world super bantamweight title defence against Alejandro Gonzalez Jr. will be shown by commercial broadcasters ITV and UTV in the UK and Ireland, respectively.

UK sports production and media company Sunset+Vine has secured the host broadcaster contract for the International Cricket Council’s 2015 World Twenty20 Qualifier.

The coming months will be critical to the fortunes of UK horse racing. Racecourse Media Group, which distributes media rights on behalf of 34 UK racecourses, will agree two major deals, while in the background proposed legislation looks set to shake up the finances of the sport.

Boxing promoter Matchroom Sport is thought to have secured a small increase in the value of its rights in last week’s renewal with UK pay-television broadcaster Sky.

Irish pay-television broadcaster Setanta Sports has secured the rights to the Wimbledon Championships tennis grand slam among a number of deals for major sporting properties.

Irish commercial broadcaster TV3 has acquired rights for the final of the FA Cup, English football’s top club knockout competition.

UK pay-television broadcaster BT Sport and public-service broadcaster the BBC have acquired rights to all sailing events under the banner of the 35th America’s Cup.