MENA
United expands STC deal to offer MUTV throughout Middle East
Saudi telecommunications company STC has expanded its partnership with MUTV to broadcast the in-house television channel of English Premier League football club Manchester United throughout the Middle East.
Lega Serie A launches international rights tender
Lega Serie A, the governing body of the top division of Italian football, and its strategic media rights advisor, the Infront Sports & Media agency, have launched a tender for the international broadcast rights to Serie A.
Bundesliga on course to smash fee target after big beIN Sports deal
Qatari pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports is in advanced negotiations to secure the rights to the German Bundesliga in the Middle East and North Africa, TV Sports Markets understands.
Discovery and Eurosport to merge distribution teams
The Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) division of US media and entertainment company Discovery Communications is to merge its distribution team with that of pan-regional sports broadcaster Eurosport.
BeIN Sports scores Bundesliga rights in MENA region
Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has agreed a sublicence deal with state-owned broadcaster Dubai Sports Channels to broadcast the 2014-15 season of football’s German Bundesliga on an exclusive basis in the Middle East and North Africa region.
ADM and OSN strike channel carriage deal
The Abu Dhabi Media Company has agreed a deal for pay-television broadcaster OSN to carry its four subscription-based sports channels on an exclusive basis.
BeIN Sports restricts EPL coverage amid piracy concerns
Pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports opened its coverage of football’s English Premier League with a restricted service in the United Arab Emirates at the weekend as it continues to battle against piracy issues.
Saudi Professional League scores bumper rights deal
Middle Eastern broadcaster MBC Group has agreed a 10-year rights deal for the Saudi Professional League, the top division of football in Saudi Arabia.
Canal Plus snaps up Euro Qualifiers to boost Sport Plus
Pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus beat competition from main rival beIN Sports to pick up third-party European Qualifier football rights in France earlier this month.
WWE secures rights partner in MENA region
OSN has acquired the exclusive pay-television broadcast rights in the Middle East and North Africa region to events organised by the WWE wrestling organisation.
Kelly promoted at IMG Media
The IMG Media agency has promoted Adam Kelly to head of sales for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
Lebanese court refuses to consider World Cup coverage lawsuit
Lebanon's Court of Urgent Matters has said that it has no jurisdiction to consider a lawsuit filed by pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports against state broadcaster Tele Liban over coverage of football’s Fifa World Cup.
Lebanese government brokers World Cup rights deal
The Lebanese government has brokered a deal with cable-television provider Sama to show coverage of football’s 2014 Fifa World Cup in the country for free.
MP & Silva extends Kuwait football partnership
The MP & Silva agency has extended a worldwide rights distribution deal with the Kuwait Football Association.
Tele Liban close to Lebanese World Cup rights deal
Lebanese state broadcaster Tele Liban is close to agreeing a deal for rights to the 2014 Fifa World Cup national team football tournament, according to the Daily Star newspaper.
Fifa moves to deny World Cup rights reports
World football’s governing body Fifa has denied reports that German public-service broadcaster ZDF’s coverage of the 2014 World Cup will be available to viewers in the Middle East and Northern Africa.
Al Jazeera America closes sports unit
The Al Jazeera America division of Qatari pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera has disbanded its sports unit.
Small Uefa increase in Israel
Uefa secures small increase in Israel