USA

Soccer United Marketing, the media and marketing arm of North America’s Major League Soccer, has entered into a strategic partnership with London-based digital media company Copa90.

Video-sharing service YouTube, social media platform Twitter and e-commerce and media company Amazon are all in contention for the digital streaming rights package being marketed by American football league the NFL for its Thursday Night Football property, according to multiple reports.

Fox’s acquisition of broadcast rights to the NFL’s Thursday Night Football package is the first step in the US media group’s rebuilding project after many of its assets were sold to Disney.

US network CBS has said its new OTT sports service, CBS Sports HQ, will launch later this month.

Video-sharing company YouTube has bolstered the sports output of its US cable-free live television service, YouTube TV, through a new partnership with media company Turner.

US sports broadcaster ESPN has agreed a deal with Sky Sports to bring the UK pay-television broadcaster’s coverage of the Formula One motor-racing series to its audiences.

The Turner Sports division of US cable-television broadcaster Turner Broadcasting System and technology company Intel have launched a new platform that will result in extensive virtual reality coverage of North American basketball league the NBA.

Pay-television broadcaster Tennis Channel has extended an agreement for US rights to the men’s ATP World Tour.

North America’s Major League Soccer has said it will move its MLS Live out-of-market streaming package to ESPN Plus, the new OTT service being launched by US sports broadcaster ESPN.

Comcast is considering submitting a new offer for rival media company 21st Century Fox’s business assets, despite the latter having agreed a deal with Walt Disney in December, according to reports.

Professional Bull Riders has launched a new OTT digital streaming service that will offer content from the US series, along with wider western sports action.

The NBC Olympics division of US media company NBCUniversal has agreed partnerships with technology and media company Intersection and transportation network Uber to enhance its coverage of the 2018 winter Olympic Games, while parent company Comcast has said its model for Pyeongchang 2018 represents a potential game-changer for the television business.

US media company Walt Disney has said ESPN Plus, the new OTT service being launched by its sports broadcaster ESPN, will be priced at $4.99 (€4) per month.

Showtime has extended its association with unified heavyweight world boxing titleholder Anthony Joshua by securing the US rights to the Englishman’s forthcoming fight against Joseph Parker after reportedly seeing off another strong bid from pay-television rival HBO.

NBC’s television coverage of Super Bowl LII, the annual finale to the NFL American football league’s season, failed to ignite in the ratings stakes, but the US network has claimed Sunday’s game represented the biggest domestic sports streaming event to date.

US media groups CBS and Viacom have confirmed the resumption of merger talks, with similar efforts having previously been abandoned in December 2016.