North America
EXCLUSIVE: EFL shortlists Pitch, Relevent for international rights talks
The English Football League is entering into detailed talks with incumbent Pitch International and the US-based Relevent Sports Group as it nears its award of international broadcast rights, SportBusiness…
Super Bowl domestic audience exceeds 123m to net all-time record
Domestic Super Bowl coverage drew the most-watched broadcast in NFL history with an average audience of 123.4 million viewers across all platforms
The bundle is dead. Long live the bundle
The streaming platform that Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery will jointly launch later this year is, experts say, effectively a part-migration of the bundle from cable to streaming.
Fox’s Murdoch: Streaming bundle focused on ‘cord-nevers’
Fox's new sports streaming service with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery that shocked the US media market this week will not affect its lucrative pay-TV business, executive chair and CEO Lachlan Murdoch has insisted.
ESPN’s D2C product set for August 2025 launch, ESPN+ subs dip in Q4
ESPN's flagship direct-to-consumer service is set to be in place by the start of the 2025 National Football League season, making the full suite of ESPN's channels available in a standalone service
Netflix to take swing at MLB with two Red Sox docuseries
Netflix is getting into professional baseball for the first time, with the entertainment streaming giant today (Wednesday) revealing plans for two projects with Major League Baseball surrounding the Boston…
ESPN-Fox-WBD to form US sports streaming behemoth
ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced plans to launch a joint venture streaming service later this year in a major consolidation of the US market
Mediapro mired in C$250m Canadian football litigation as CPL future uncertain
Mediapro faces a legal claim from Canadian Soccer Business amounting to C$250m ($186m/€172m) over the premature end to the agency’s 10-year contract for the production, broadcast and distribution of Canadian football.
Diamond Sports agrees contracts with Guardians, Rangers and Twins
Diamond Sports Group, the regional sports network (RSN) owner and operator of Bally Sports, has motioned for new broadcast agreements with the Cleveland Guardians, Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins of…
Betting rights aggregator ALT Sports Data closes $2.5m funding round
California-based sports data and analytics company ALT Sports Data has announced the closing of a $2.5m series seed funding round, co-led by Eberg Capital and Relay Ventures, with participation from others including Trinity West Ventures NuFund Venture Group.
Multiple hurdles for Diamond before Amazon’s ‘brilliant, brilliant deal’ can begin
Amazon’s proposed agreement with Diamond Sports Group to secure local streaming rights to US sports leagues has been hailed as a “brilliant, brilliant deal”, though approval of the plan is far from certain.
PGA Tour reaches deal over FSG-led $3bn injection, door open to PIF ‘co-investment’
The PGA Tour has reached agreement to secure a $3bn (€2.75bn) investment in a new commercial entity from a US consortium led by Liverpool FC owner Fenway Sports Group (FSG), but has left the door open to 'co-investment' from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
MLB puts in place production plans for Rockies broadcasts
Major League Baseball has started to establish production plans for Colorado Rockies' broadcasts and is likely to air the games on MLB.TV during the 2024 season, SportBusiness understands
CSB launches Mediapro legal battle, OneSoccer rights back on market
Canadian Soccer Business (CSB) and the Mediapro Canada agency are locked in a legal dispute that will result in rights to the domestic Canadian Premier League (CPL) and the men's and women's national teams…
Peacock subscribers grow by 3m, Q4 revenue rises 57 per cent
Peacock, the NBC streaming service, added three million net subscribers to reach 31 million as its revenue increased by 57 per cent to surpass $1bn (€923m) in quarterly revenue for the first time, the company's parent company Comcast revealed in its 2023 Q4 earnings.
Former Amazon, ESPN exec Donoghue joins DraftKings
Daily fantasy and sports betting company DraftKings has appointed Marie Donoghue as its new chief business and growth officer after she left her role as vice-president of Amazon’s US sports content and partnerships.
World Surf League adds ESPN in US, slew of new sponsors for 2024
The World Surf League (WSL) has announced a broadcast deal with ESPN that will put all 10 of the Championship Tour events in 2024 on ESPN+, as well as several new sponsors
NBA seeks ‘sweet spot’ in rapidly evolving US media landscape
The National Basketball Association’s next round of domestic rights deals seems certain to look very different to those of the last two decades, as streaming technology and changing user behaviour drive change in the US media market at an unprecedented pace.