North America
Formula One returns to ESPN and ABC
Sports broadcaster ESPN has struck a multi-year deal to replace the NBC Sports division of media group NBCUniversal as the US rights-holder to the Formula One motor racing championship.
UFC set to take US rights to open market
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to take its US broadcast rights to the open market after an exclusive negotiating period expired with current partner, pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports.
World Boxing Super Series seals US rights deal
US telecommunications company AT&T has agreed a deal to broadcast coverage of the inaugural edition of the World Boxing Super Series annual elimination tournament across a number of its platforms.
Fox Sports acquires NCAA rights in Italy
Pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has widened its coverage of US sports in Italy by acquiring rights to National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball and American football.
DirecTV offers Sunday Ticket refunds in wake of NFL protests
US satellite-television provider DirecTV is offering refunds for its NFL Sunday Ticket package to fans that are unhappy with the wave of protests that are sweeping through the American football league, according to multiple reports.
US sports broadcasters unite for disaster relief campaign
Sports broadcaster ESPN has joined forces with a number of rival operators in the US to simulcast coverage of the Liga MX, the top division of football in Mexico, as part of a fund-raising initiative designed to support people affected by a series of natural disasters in the Americas.
NFL signs Facebook content partnership
Social media platform Facebook has furthered its move into sports content by agreeing a multi-year global partnership with American football league the NFL.
NBC to shun NHL during Pyeongchang 2018
The NBC network, rights-holder to the Olympic Games in the United States, has confirmed it won’t broadcast any games from North American ice hockey league the NHL during the 2018 winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
HBO rebuffed as Showtime lands Joshua-Pulev
Showtime has secured the US rights to unified heavyweight world boxing titleholder Anthony Joshua’s mandatory defence against Kubrat Pulev after reportedly seeing off a strong bid for the fight from pay-television rival HBO.
Western Athletic Conference partners with Van Wagner
Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment has signed a multi-year rights partnership with North American college sports organisation the Western Athletic Conference.
New OTT sports platform to launch in US
US media company Entertainment Studios has unveiled a new, direct-to-consumer global streaming OTT subscription platform.
NFL partners up with 15 Seconds of Fame
Technology and social media platform 15 Seconds of Fame (15SOF) has further strengthened its presence in the US sports market through a multi-year agreement with the NFL American football league.
PGA Tour steps up VR coverage with enhanced Intel deal
US technology company Intel has expanded its partnership with golf’s PGA Tour to provide virtual reality coverage of a range of events in 2017 and 2018.
DAZN provides assurances over NFL coverage in Canada
DAZN, the OTT service operated by digital sports media company Perform, has said problems surrounding its coverage of the NFL American football league in Canada have been mostly resolved.
Van Wagner signs rights deal with Towson University
Sports marketing and media firm Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment has agreed a long-term rights partnership with Towson University in the US.
CBC extends show jumping rights deal
The CBC Sports division of Canadian public-service broadcaster CBC has agreed a deal to continue showing live coverage of major show jumping events at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada.
NFL to discuss DAZN coverage issues in Canada
The NFL has said it is in close contact with DAZN after the OTT platform endured technical problems during its coverage in Canada of the opening of the 2017-18 season of the American football league.
Showtime targets UFC rights
Showtime Sports executive vice-president and general manager, Stephen Espinoza, has said the pay-television broadcaster is interested in acquiring US rights to the Ultimate Fighting Championship once the mixed martial arts promotion’s current deal with pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports expires.