United Kingdom
Features
LaLiga FTA constraints in UK, Ireland may stymie tender interest
Match-choice restrictions placed by Spain’s LaLiga on the free-to-air package in its UK and Ireland rights tenders for the 2019-22 cycle may limit interest from broadcasters, according to industry experts spoken to by SportBusiness Media.
BT benefits from incumbent Sky’s OTT concerns in WWE grab
Pay-television broadcaster BT Sport took advantage of Sky’s long-running concerns over wrestling body WWE’s OTT service to grab WWE rights in the UK and Ireland from its rival at a steep discount, SportBusiness Media understands.
English FA spurns higher pay-TV revenue for free-to-air Cup reach
The Football Association rejected a higher bid for domestic FA Cup rights for the 2021-25 cycle from incumbent pay-television broadcaster BT Sport in favour of commercial broadcaster ITV, SportBusiness Media understands, in a move that took the competition exclusively free to air in the UK.
Amazon seeks UK tennis dominance with WTA rights play
Amazon secured Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour rights in the UK for the 2020-23 cycle with a bid nearly 60 per cent higher than incumbent pay-television broadcaster BT Sport's current fee, SportBusiness Media understands, as the tech and ecommerce giant moves to establish a dominant position in UK tennis broadcasting.
Women’s motorsport series goes for ‘reach over reward’ in inaugural season
W Series, the all-female motorsport competition, is prioritising exposure over revenue in its media-rights strategy for the series’ inaugural year, it has told SportBusiness Media, although it would be difficult for the series to adopt any other approach, according to industry experts.
Speedway GP maintains UK income despite lack of competition in BT renewal
The value of FIM Speedway World Championship rights in the UK held up in a new three-year deal, from 2019 to 2021, despite incumbent rights-holder BT Sport facing no serious competition.
FA Cup ‘non-linear’ rights package opens door to Amazon
The FA has opened the market for FA Cup domestic rights to new competition with the inclusion of a ‘non-linear package’ – expected to attract interest from internet giant Amazon – in the tender for the 2021-22 to 2024-25 cycle, SportBusiness Media understands.
Star India’s OTT strategy in UK drives Sky IPL rights loss
Media company Star India’s plans to use the Indian Premier League to develop its Hotstar OTT platform in the UK drove pay-television broadcaster Sky’s loss of the property, SportBusiness Media understands.
Sky’s reunion with US PGA Championship to stretch to 2023
UK pay-television broadcaster Sky Sports’ new rights deal for the US PGA Championship is for the five-year period from 2019 to 2023, SportBusiness Media understands. This marks a rebuilding of the long-term partnership between rights-holder and broadcaster that ended in 2016 when Sky refused to meet rights distributor IMG’s valuation of the property.
Bellator MMA given a fighting chance in the UK with Sky, Channel 5 deals
Bellator MMA has been waiting years for a consistent broadcast deal in the UK and Ireland. Now two have arrived at once
Eleven’s difficulties in the UK hit IMG, MMA promotions
The expected collapse of Eleven Sports’ UK business has pushed IMG back to square one in its bid to stir up competition in the country and ruined the best-laid plans of multiple mixed martial arts promotions.
Sky’s dominance of domestic football rights will help with customer retention
Sky’s renewal of the exclusive live rights to the English Football League and the stronger grip it has taken on the rights to the Scottish Professional Football League – to add to its dominance of Pre…
Low value of Premier League short-form content raises questions for league and clubs
The value of the English Premier League’s short-form content has rallied a little since the last sales cycle but still remains well down on its peak value over a decade ago.
NBA more than doubles its money via Sky deal in the UK and Ireland
Pay-television broadcaster Sky has paid an increase of more than 130 per cent to claim NBA rights in the UK and Ireland.
Sky has struck a four-season deal, from 2018-19 to 2021-22, worth about $3
European Tour strikes new Sky deals as wide-ranging Discovery agreement draws near
The European Tour agreed new deals with Sky in the UK and Ireland as well as in Germany, Austria and Switzerland last month, as a multi-territory agreement with Discovery nears completion.
Eleven Sports’ ‘3pm blackout’ challenge could see rule scrapped
Eleven Sports’ decision to break one of the golden rules of UK sports broadcasting – the ‘3pm blackout’ – has created a legal quandary that could result in it being scrapped altogether.
Eleve
Andrea Radrizzani, owner, Eleven Sports
Interview with Andrea Radrizzani, owner of Eleven Sports, on the reasons behind the broadcaster's decision to break the UK's '3pm' blackout rule
IMG-backed Eleven takes UFC rights in UK and Ireland
Eleven Sports has acquired exclusive rights to the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the UK and Ireland for the next three years, paying a lower minimum guarantee than its predecessor BT
SPFL strikes stop-gap international rights deal with Infront
The Scottish Professional Football League’s international rights deal with Infront is to act as a stop-gap ahead of a global media rights tender set to be issued next month.
IMG helps create competitor for UK rights with Eleven venture
The success of Eleven Sports’ soon-to-launch UK and Ireland operation – in partnership with the IMG agency – will depend on the broadcaster’s ability to negotiate fruitful carriage deals with operators that did not bid aggressively for the properties Eleven will base its channels upon.