Sub-Saharan Africa

The United Cricket Board, South Africa’s governing body for the sport, is to sign long-term deals with public-service broadcaster SABC and pay-television operator Supersport for international cricket played in the country.

Cycling: Italian public-service broadcaster Rai agreed a four-year deal with the European Broadcasting Union, from 2005 to 2008, for coverage of the Tour de France. 

South African public-service broadcaster SABC, which has been sharing the television rights for Formula 1, withdrew from the bidding for the next round of rights because it could no longer afford the cash

Pan-Scandinavian pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus Nordic is planning to bid for the exclusive television rights across the region for Formula 1

The revival of the India-Pakistan hockey test series after an interval of five years has attracted high television interest.

South African cricket faces an uphill struggle next month when it starts talks with public-service broadcaster SABC

SIC takes Uefa to task over lack of Euro 2008 access

Football: UK commercial broadcaster ITV acquired the rights for the first-choice Champions League match on Wednesdays in a three-year deal with the Team Marketing agency

Football: African broadcasters acquired the rights for the African Cup of Nations in a series of last-minute deals with the LC2 agency.  In Ghana, state broadcaster GTV acquired the rights for €1m (£686,000).

Football: Pay-operator Setanta Sports agreed a four-year extension deal with the Scottish Premier League.

Rugby League: UK pay-broadcaster BSkyB and public-service broadcaster the BBC acquired the rights for the top-tier Super League, the second-tier National League, international matches and the Challenge…

Olympics: Italian pay-operator Sky Italia acquired the exclusive media rights for all platforms for the 2010 Winter Olympics and the 2012 Olympic Games in a deal worth €112m ($168m), with the International O…

Olympics: New Zealand pay-broadcaster Sky Television and its free-to-air arm Prime acquired the rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics in a $10.5m (£5.1m/€7.2m) deal with the International Olympic Committee.

Football: Dutch commercial broadcaster Talpa acquired the rights to domestic knockout competition the KNVB Cup in a four-year deal with the Dutch football Association, KNVB.

Motorsport: German pay-broad-caster Premiere acquired the exclusive live rights for US motor racing’s Nascar and Indycar series for the 2006 season.

Football: The Dentsu and Infront agencies acquired the Rest of Asia rights to the 2010 and 2014 World Cups in a deal with Fifa, football’s world governing body.