Russia
Russian broadcasters in talks over Pyeongchang 2018 rights deal
The Telesport agency is in talks with a host of Russian broadcasters, including state broadcaster VGTRK, for rights to the 2018 winter Olympic Games.
VGTRK to refrain from Pyeongchang 2018 coverage after IOC verdict
Russian state broadcaster VGTRK has said it will not televise the 2018 winter Olympic Games after the International Olympic Committee’s decision to ban Team Russia from next year’s event in Pyeongchang.
Mutko targets World Cup rights deal before New Year
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Vitaly Mutko, has said he is confident that a rights deal will be struck for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in its host nation before the end of the year.
Eastern European results justify Uefa selling market-by-market
Uefa has earned a significant increase in the value of its national team rights across Eastern Europe, justifying its decision to sell market-by-market in the region.
Social media platforms set to stream Russia friendlies
Russian state-controlled commercial broadcaster Channel One has acquired rights to the national football team’s forthcoming friendly games, which will also be live streamed by social media platforms VKontakte and Odnoklassnik.
Russian Olympic Committee set to form online channel
The Russian Olympic Committee has said it will launch an online streaming channel in December.
Channel One chief laments lack of progress in World Cup rights talks
Alexander Fayfman, general producer of state-controlled commercial broadcaster Channel One, has said no progress has been made on securing a rights deal for the 2018 Fifa World Cup in host nation Russia, adding that the negotiating parties are still seeking a compromise.
Russian league deal delay likely but rights will stay with Match TV
Any new deal for domestic Russian Football Premier League rights will likely be completed next March at the earliest, far later than the November estimate of league president Sergey Pryadkin, TV Sports Markets understands.
Eurosport Gold to offer NHL on Rostelecom
Eurosport Gold, a new channel containing programming from the international sports broadcaster’s Eurosport 2 channel, has launched on telecommunications platform Rostelecom in Russia.
Russian Premier League in talks over Match TV rights extension
Russian Premier League president Sergey Pryadkin has said talks are being held with privately-held broadcaster Match TV over a three-season extension to its rights deal for the top division of domestic football.
Russia’s VKontakte builds football rights portfolio
Russian social media and video-hosting platform VKontakte has acquired rights to the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch club football, and the Championship, the second tier of the English game.
World Boxing Super Series seals raft of rights deals
The MP & Silva agency has agreed rights deals in a host of territories for the inaugural season of the World Boxing Super Series.
Telesport’s OTT plans could reshape Russian rights market
The Telesport agency is aiming to take advantage of Match TV’s weakened financial position and become the main buyer of sports rights in Russia, wresting control of the market from the Gazprom Media-owned broadcaster.
Telesport picks up LaLiga rights
The Telesport agency has acquired exclusive rights in Russia to LaLiga, the top football division in Spain, according to Kommersant.
Match TV claims deal close for Pyeongchang 2018 rights
Russian state-owned sports broadcaster Match TV has rejected reports that it will not broadcast the 2018 winter Olympic Games, stating that it expects to complete a rights deal in the autumn.
FC Rostov becomes latest Premier League club to net local rights deal
FC Rostov has become the latest Russian Premier League football club to secure a local broadcast rights deal for the 2017-18 season.
KHL extends Lagardère Sports partnership
The Lagardère Sports agency has renewed an agreement with the Kontinental Hockey League to continue distributing the international media rights for the ice hockey competition.
Russian Premier League sets out target for new rights contract, clubs strike deals
The Russian Premier League, the top division of domestic football, is targeting a 50 per cent increase in the value of its next broadcast contract as it emerged that two clubs have agreed rights deals with local broadcasters ahead of the start of the 2017-18 season.