Switzerland

The Infront Sports & Media agency has agreed a three-year deal to become the international media rights partner of annual invitational ice hockey competition the Spengler Cup.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland has extended a rights deal for golf’s US PGA Tour in Germany, Austria and Switzerland while sister channel Sky Sport Austria has struck a deal to show coverage of the Austrian Basketball Bundesliga top division.

German commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 has agreed a multi-year distribution deal for the IMG agency’s action sports and lifestyle channel Edgesport.

The National Basketball Association has finalised a string of deals outside its domestic US market in recent weeks, securing large increases in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and India, and a modest uplift in Poland.

German sports broadcaster Sport1 has extended its media rights deal with US sports broadcaster ESPN through to the end of the 2017-18 season.

InfrontRingier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland, the Infront Sports & Media agency’s 50-per-cent joint venture with Swiss media company Ringier, has appointed Gian Gilli as its new managing director.

North American basketball league the NBA has agreed a multi-year expansion to its rights partnership with digital sports media company Perform in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Swiss pay-television broadcaster Teleclub has extended and expanded its content partnership with German pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland, with the new agreement set to include access to the latter’s European football coverage.

The Perform Group will next year launch two OTT subscription services – one in Japan and one across Germany, Austria and Switzerland – as part of a move which could transform how live sport is delivered to consumers.

Armin Meier is to step down as managing director of InfrontRingier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland, the Infront Sports & Media agency’s 50-per-cent joint venture with Swiss media company Ringier.

Pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland and commercial broadcaster RTL have acquired rights in Germany for the Formula One motor-racing world championship for two years, from 2016 to 2017.

Swiss telco Swisscom has said it will fight a CHF143m (€137m/$151m) fine that Switzerland’s Competition Commission (ComCo) is seeking to impose for alleged prohibited marketing of sports content via pay-television.

Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG SSR has renewed a rights deal for the Tour de Suisse cycling race.

Pan-European broadcaster Eurosport has secured television and digital rights for the new ATP Geneva Open men’s tennis event.

Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda has formally submitted a bid to acquire the Infront Sports & Media agency, according to Swiss public-service broadcaster RTS.