Middle East
FIC appoints Sportfive’s Choe to aid Asian development plans
The Fox International Channels broadcast subsidiary of media company 21st Century Fox has announced the appointment of Helena Choe in a newly created position designed to aid the firm’s drive into the Asian sports broadcast market.
European qualifiers tender opened in MENA region
The CAA Eleven agency has launched invitations to tender for the media rights in the Middle East, North Africa and Northern Sub-Saharan Africa region to European qualifiers for the Uefa Euro 2016 and 2018 Fifa World Cup national team football tournaments.
MUTV secures further exposure through STC deal
Manchester United has agreed a deal with Saudi telecommunications company STC for the English Premier League football club’s in-house MUTV channel to be shown in three Gulf territories.
MP & Silva teams up with Kuwaiti FA
The MP & Silva agency has agreed a worldwide rights distribution deal with the Kuwait Football Association.
Sport 24 seals Etihad Airways deal
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has agreed a deal to carry Sport 24, the live sports channel produced and distributed by the IMG Media agency exclusively for the in-flight and in-ship markets.
Iran set to receive new sports channels under IRIB plan
Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the country’s state broadcaster, has announced it will launch three new satellite television channels dedicated to sport.
UCI Road World Championships ride into new markets
The International Cycling Union (UCI) and marketing partner the Infront Sports & Media agency have said the forthcoming Road World Championships will receive an “unprecedented level” of television coverage, including exposure for the first time in Middle Eastern, South American and Israeli markets.
Arabian Gulf League moves two games per week to PPV
The Arabian Gulf League football competition’s organising body has announced that two games per week during the 2013-14 season will be shown on a pay-per-view basis, according to the National newspaper.
Uefa starts with small increase in Middle East
Uefa agrees deal with Al Jazeera in Middle East for Champions League
Al Jazeera seals MENA Champions League, Europa League rights
Pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera has acquired exclusive media rights in the Middle East and North Africa for the Uefa Champions League and Europa League club football competitions.
IEC broadens coverage of fishing championship
The IEC in Sports agency has announced rights deals for the 2013 World Fly Fishing Championship with pay-television broadcasters in Croatia, Israel and Chile.
ESPN and OSN convert World Club 7s deals
Premiership Rugby, the commercial rights-holder and organiser of the World Club 7s rugby union tournament, has agreed two new broadcast deals for the inaugural edition of the event.
ADM criticises “extremely unrealistic” Premier League rights price
Pay-television broadcaster Abu Dhabi Media has blamed an “extremely unrealistic” price demand for its failure to extend its broadcast rights deal for English Premier League football, according to the Sport 360 newspaper.
Al Jazeera swoops for Premier League and other football rights in MENA
Qatari pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera has acquired the exclusive rights in the Middle East and North Africa to English Premier League football in a three-year deal with the MP & Silva agency.
ESPN exit strategy questioned despite good German deal
In its haste to exit the UK, ESPN may have missed an opportunity with its ESPN America channel
ABU secures 2014 Commonwealth Games rights
Glasgow’s organising committee for the 2014 edition of multi-sport event the Commonwealth Games has appointed the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union as its latest broadcast rights holder.
Two deals being watched by all rights-holders
As Uefa and the Premier League bring their rights to the market in the Middle East experts say the bubble has burst in the region
Uefa launches rights sales process in MENA region
Uefa, football’s European governing body, has opened the sales process in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the next cycle of rights to the Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup club competitions.