Oceania

Australian telecommunications company Optus and internet company Google have expressed an interest in acquiring premium digital sports rights in the country, according to The Australian newspaper.

Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific, a division of media and entertainment company Discovery Communications, has struck a deal to acquire pay-television broadcaster Setanta Sports Asia.

Australian pay-television operator Foxtel has agreed a deal to acquire a 15-per-cent stake in commercial broadcaster Ten.

Australian commercial broadcaster Nine will make a “bold bid” for a package of rights to the Australian Football League Aussie rules competition, prompting a retaliatory move by rival Seven for the State of Origin rugby league series, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The beIN Media Group has agreed a deal for Champions League and Europa League rights in Australia, TV Sports Markets understands.

Australian commercial broadcaster Nine has confirmed its interest in acquiring rights for the Australian Football League (AFL) Aussie rules tournament, according to the Australian Financial Review newspaper.

Australian pay-television broadcaster Sky Racing will cease coverage of horseracing in Victoria on June 15, according to parent company Tabcorp, a gambling operator in the country.

Thailand-based multimedia company SMM has struck a deal to become the worldwide media and marketing rights distributor of the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC), the sport’s governing body in Asia and Oceania.

Australian commercial broadcaster Seven is set to acquire rights for horseracing events staged by Racing Victoria, according to the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has acquired rights in the country to this year’s inaugural edition of the European Games multi-sport event.

Australian commercial broadcaster Seven will broadcast the 2015 and 2017 World Championships run by Fina, the global governing body of aquatic sports. Fina, and its marketing agent Dentsu, had failed to agree a deal covering the 2013 event in the country.

The National Rugby League’s decision to accelerate its sales process means the two biggest sport properties in Australia will negotiate new deals simultaneously.

The Macquarie Capital investment bank has been hired by the Australian Football League to assist in negotiations for the next cycle of domestic media rights for the top division of Aussie rules.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky Sport has sealed a rights deal in New Zealand for events operated by Fifa, football’s global governing body.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky has acquired rights in New Zealand for the Netball World Cup national team tournament.

Australian horseracing organisation Racing Victoria has signed a 10-year partnership with telecommunications firm Telstra.