MENA

BeIN Media Group has strengthened its cricket portfolio in the Middle East and North Africa after agreeing a five-season deal for rights to Twenty20 competition the Indian Premier League.

The Pro League Committee, organising body of the Arabian Gulf League, the top tier of club football in the United Arab Emirates, has partnered with telco Etisalat and the Mediapro agency to deliver live virtual reality coverage of matches.

Kan, the Israeli public-service broadcaster, has tendered rights to 17 Fifa World Cup matches in order to recoup some of its financial outlay on the tournament.

The Players’ Tribune, a digital content platform developed by athletes for athletes, has today (Thursday) announced plans to expand into Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

BeIN Media Group has said it will “pursue all legal means” to challenge a ruling from Egyptian authorities handing down a $22.7m (€18.4m) fine to the broadcaster for alleged anti-competitive practices in the North African market.

The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, otherwise known as Kan, will broadcast the Fifa World Cup for the first time in Arabic on a free-to-air basis.

BeIN Media Group has acquired rights to Serie A, the top division of Italian club football, in the Middle East and North Africa, according to La Repubblica.

The Asian Football Confederation’s media and marketing rights tenders – sent out earlier this month – do not cover the Middle East and North Africa, TV Sports Markets has learned.

Tennis Australia has increased the value of Australian Open rights in the Middle East and North Africa by about 40 per cent following a renewal with beIN Sports.

Saudi telco STC has acquired exclusive rights for the country’s professional football competitions and the national football team.

BeIN Media Group has struck a multi-year extension to its rights deal with Tennis Australia incorporating coverage of the Australian Open grand slam tournament in the Middle East and North Africa.

BeIN Media Group said it was “shocked and appalled” after an Egyptian court imposed a fine of $22m (€17.7m) on the broadcaster’s chief executive, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, for alleged violations of anti-trust rules.

The International Bank of Qatar has denied reports linking it to the ongoing domestic rights-sales process in Italy for Serie A, the top division of football in the country.

Clubs from Serie A, the top division of Italian football, have reportedly rejected a lucrative proposal from the International Bank of Qatar related to the league’s broadcast rights.

The Ski Classics series of long-distance skiing events has agreed new broadcast deals in France, the UK and the Middle East and North Africa region for the remainder of its 2017-18 season.

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) roughly doubled the value of its media rights in the Middle East and North Africa last month after carving them out from a future Asian deal.