North America
RSE Ventures says it will turn a profit on friendly competition
US friendly football tournament set to turn a profit this year
Minor League Baseball strikes deal with CBS Sports Network
US cable-television channel the CBS Sports Network, which is operated by the CBS network, has entered into a partnership with Minor League Baseball (MiLB) to broadcast the MLB affiliate league’s game of the week throughout the 2014 season.
Ivy League engages Lagardere to assist rights talks
US college sports conference the Ivy League has appointed the Lagardere Unlimited agency to aid its search for a new broadcast rights deal.
Arne Rees, chief operating officer, RSE Ventures
Interview with Arne Rees, chief operating officer of RSE Ventures, on the International Champions Cup friendly tournament
Breeders’ Cup seals international distribution deal
Media consultancy Henry Birtles Associates has struck a deal to distribute international television rights for the Breeders’ Cup US horseracing event.
Fantasy Sports Network partners up with Bloomberg Sports
Online television channel Fantasy Sports Television Network (FNTSY) has entered into a content partnership with the Bloomberg Sports division of the Bloomberg news agency.
Fox Sports enhances golf content ahead of USGA deal
The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has bolstered its golf content by agreeing a multi-year, multi-platform rights deal for the Franklin Templeton Shootout event.
NBL Canada enhances exposure with beIN Sports deal
The Canadian arm of pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has acquired rights to the National Basketball League of Canada club competition.
ESPN to broadcast first NFL Wild Card game
US sports broadcaster ESPN will televise its first NFL Wild Card Playoff game during the American football league’s 2014 season.
Sochi Olympics boost Comcast financials
US media company Comcast has said the Sochi winter Olympics generated over $1.1bn (€797.1m) in revenue, with its NBCUniversal division’s broadcasts of the 2014 Games making a significant contribution to a first quarter net income rise of 30 per cent.
ESPN lands Klitschko bout
Sports broadcaster ESPN is set to acquire the US rights for world heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko’s defence of his WBA, WBO and IBF titles against Alex Leapai on April 26.
Raft of broadcasters sign up for 2014 International Champions Cup
International Champions Cup organiser Relevent Sports has agreed broadcast deals across a host of territories for the 2014 edition of the annual US-based club football competition.
NBCU to simulcast Premier League finale for first time
US media company NBCUniversal will broadcast live all 10 matches of the final day of the 2013-14 English Premier League football season – the first time the season-ending games will be aired on network television in the US at the same time.
Blinkx partners with GrindMedia to offer extreme sports content
US internet media company Blinkx has partnered with action/adventure sports media company GrindMedia to offer users video content from TransWorld’s new extreme sports channels.
NFL committed to free-to-air model – Rolapp
The NFL has no intention of shifting to a pay-television only model in the future, according to Brian Rolapp, chief operating officer of the American football league’s NFL Media division.
Al Jazeera America closes sports unit
The Al Jazeera America division of Qatari pay-television broadcaster Al Jazeera has disbanded its sports unit.
ICC looks to double its money to cement contested overhaul
The ICC’s ambitious income target for its next cycle of media rights sales
All change in rugby, cricket and football
If there is a common thread running through our stories this issue it is change. It is a process that all sports go through, usually to secure increased media exposure and revenue, and occasionally due to power struggles about how that revenue is divided.