Middle East

Abu Dhabi Sports, the sports channel of state-run media group Abu Dhabi Media, and Egyptian sports broadcaster ON Sport have acquired rights to the Arab Club Championship football tournament, which is set to relaunch later this year.

The Infront Sports & Media agency has secured a series of rights deals for upcoming seasons of the Champions Hockey League pan-European ice hockey club competition.

The RDA agency has agreed a three-year deal to distribute global media rights to Twenty20 cricket tournament the Emirates Airline T20.

The International Table Tennis Federation has teamed up with sports marketing company Seca to deliver virtual reality coverage of this weekend’s World Tour Grand Finals event in Doha, Qatar.

Israeli pay-television broadcaster Charlton has renewed its deal for German Bundesliga media rights, TV Sports Markets understands.

International pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has extended rights agreements in Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Malta and Turkey for the Ski Classics long-distance skiing championship and also agreed a new deal for the series in the Netherlands.

Middle Eastern pay-television operator OSN has acquired rights to the World Touring Car Championship motor racing series.

The Sports Channel, the Israeli pay-television broadcaster, has extended a rights deal for the Euroleague Basketball club competition.

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 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.

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.