MENA

National Basketball Association media rights soared in value in Hong Kong by more than 500 per cent this week as LeSports displaced incumbent rights-holder PCCW.

A gentlemen’s agreement between media groups belonging to the governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai means the United Arab Emirates Pro League’s media-rights income will remain flat.

State-owned Abu Dhabi Media Company and Dubai Media Incorporated have agreed a three-season extension to their rights deal with the Pro League Committee, the organising body of the Arabian Gulf League – the top division of club football in the UAE.

The Sports Channel has renewed a host of rights in recent weeks as it seeks to solidify its position in the Israeli broadcast market.

BeIN Media Group has said it will “work closely” with the International Olympic Committee on its new Olympic Channel project after formally signing its rights deal with the organisation.

ESPN Player, the digital service operated by the international sports broadcaster, has launched a new channel called ESPN Select.

BeIN Media Group has agreed a deal for Vox Cinemas to screen live coverage of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of this year’s Uefa Euro 2016 national team football tournament in its outlets across the Middle East and North Africa.

BeIN Media Group has begun legal action against various platforms and channels in the Middle East and North Africa, notably telco Ooredoo, for infringement of its exclusive Uefa Euro 2016 rights in the region.

Fight Network, a multi-platform channel dedicated to combat sports, has acquired rights for events operated by New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Middle Eastern pay-television operator OSN has named Martin Stewart, the chief financial officer of the English Football Association national governing body, as its new chief executive.

Extreme Sports Channel, a pay-television service, has sealed a rights deal in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to show coverage of events operated by the International MMA Federation, which organises mixed martial arts contests.

Cellcom Israel has expanded its sports offering on its Cellcom TV pay-television platform in the country.

BeIN Media Group has acquired rights for the Wimbledon Championships in the Middle East and North Africa.

Pay-television channel Motorvision TV has expanded its global reach by launching on six additional platforms in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Fox Networks Group division of media company 21st Century Fox has acquired exclusive rights to broadcast all racing from sailing’s 35th America’s Cup in the Netherlands, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Israel.

The Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) division of international media company Discovery Communications has appointed Sascha Kojic, formerly of the MP & Silva agency, to the newly created role of vice-president of sports for the CEEMEA region.