South America

Swedish telecommunications and media company Millicom has launched its pay-television channel Tigo Sports in Bolivia.

The Rio 2016 summer Olympic Games will feature athletics finals during morning sessions following a request by the local organising committee and Olympic Broadcasting Services, which serves as host broadcaster for all editions of the Games, to the IAAF, the global governing body of athletics.

DeporTV, the sports channel operated by the Argentinian government, will launch on the country’s cable-television platforms next week.

The acquisition of the Champions League rights earlier this month paves the way for Brazilian commercial channel Esporte Interativo to enter the pay-television market, while simultaneously damaging its future rival ESPN.

Brazilian free-to-air sports broadcaster Esporte Interativo has struck a deal to acquire rights for the Uefa Champions League European club football tournament, according to reports.

The Fox International Channels Latin America broadcast subsidiary of media company 21st Century Fox has extended the reach of its Fox Sports 2 channel by agreeing carriage deals with Argentine cable television operator Cablevision and Brazilian pay-television operator Sky Brasil.

Lega Serie A, the governing body of the top division of Italian football, and its strategic media rights advisor, the Infront Sports & Media agency, have launched a tender for the international broadcast rights to Serie A.

French pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports has acquired exclusive rights for the Argentinian Primera Division, the top division of football in the country.

Growing anticipation for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro helped Fina, the global governing body of aquatic sports, to seal an increase in the value of its Brazilian rights in an eight-year deal with pay-television broadcaster Globosat.

Argentinian media conglomerate Grupo Clarin has confirmed a deal to sell seven pay-television channels, including TyC Sports, to US investment fund 34 South Media.

Pay-television broadcaster ESPN has extended its rights deal for the NFL in Brazil through the 2016 season of the American football league.

Fina, the global governing body of aquatic sports, has agreed an eight-year rights deal with Brazilian pay-television broadcaster Globosat.

The World Touring Car Championship has secured enhanced coverage of its next round in Argentina as local hero Jose Maria Lopez aims to build on his lead in the drivers’ championship, with four television channels signing deals to broadcast the event in the country.

New technology and fan-friendly scheduling is set to result in the 2014 World Cup generating a record global television audience, according to Fifa’s director of television Niclas Ericson.

The Game, the agency that markets media rights for the Bolivian Professional Football League, will pay $250,000 (€184,000) more per year following an expansion of the top division.

UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has acquired rights for the Uruguay v Northern Ireland international friendly football match on May 30.