Oceania

Sky New Zealand is expected to lose rights to the Rugby World Cup after the pay-television broadcaster today (Wednesday) announced that it is not the preferred bidder for the contract to the 2019 tournament in Japan.

Reduced exclusivity has not affected the value of Fox Sports’ new deal for French Open rights in Australia, agreed this month.

Cricket Australia, the sport’s governing body in the country, has reportedly requested a second round of bids for its domestic broadcast rights.

Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports has forged a strategic partnership with athlete-generated media platform PlayersVoice.com.au.

OTT operator YuppTV has acquired exclusive digital and television rights in a host of markets to the 2018 season of Twenty20 cricket competition the Indian Premier League.

The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has agreed rights deals in Australia for the French Open grand slam with pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports and public-service broadcaster SBS, while Tennis Australia has launched a domestic tender for rights to the Australian Open and other tournaments.

Cricket Australia has stepped in to provide full live coverage in New Zealand of its national team’s ongoing tour of South Africa after a television deal was not secured in the country.

Social media company Facebook has signed on as an official supporter and content partner of the 2018 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in Gold Coast, Australia.

Media group News Corp and telco Telstra have signed definitive agreements to merge Australian pay-television operator Foxtel and pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports into a new company.

The World Surf League is set to almost double the value of its media rights in Australia via a new deal with pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports, TV Sports Markets has learned

Māori Television, a free-to-air broadcaster in New Zealand, has agreed a rights deal with US wrestling organisation WWE.

Patrick Delany, chief executive of Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports, has been appointed as the new chief executive of pay-television operator Foxtel, which is soon to merge with his current employer.

US Masters media rights in Australia will remain at a similar value in new free-to-air and pay-television deals with Nine and Fox Sports respectively.

US golf major The Masters will have a new broadcast line-up in Australia after commercial broadcaster Nine agreed a rights deal.

LaLiga, the organisation which oversees the top two divisions of Spanish club football, has launched a second tender process for its media rights outside of Spain.

International sports broadcaster ESPN has acquired rights in a number of territories to the upcoming edition of the Florida Cup, a friendly football tournament featuring clubs from around the world.

Australian commercial broadcaster Seven has acquired rights to the upcoming winter Paralympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Viacom International Media Networks has acquired rights across multiple markets in Asia to the Bellator mixed martial arts promotion.