USA
New OTT sports platform to launch in US
US media company Entertainment Studios has unveiled a new, direct-to-consumer global streaming OTT subscription platform.
NFL partners up with 15 Seconds of Fame
Technology and social media platform 15 Seconds of Fame (15SOF) has further strengthened its presence in the US sports market through a multi-year agreement with the NFL American football league.
PGA Tour steps up VR coverage with enhanced Intel deal
US technology company Intel has expanded its partnership with golf’s PGA Tour to provide virtual reality coverage of a range of events in 2017 and 2018.
Van Wagner signs rights deal with Towson University
Sports marketing and media firm Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment has agreed a long-term rights partnership with Towson University in the US.
Showtime targets UFC rights
Showtime Sports executive vice-president and general manager, Stephen Espinoza, has said the pay-television broadcaster is interested in acquiring US rights to the Ultimate Fighting Championship once the mixed martial arts promotion’s current deal with pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports expires.
Disney chief cites iTunes as inspiration for new ESPN service
Walt Disney Company chief executive Bob Iger has said ESPN’s new OTT service is set to utilise a business model similar to that of Apple’s music service, iTunes, as further plans were revealed concerning the platform.
FuboTV adds NFL programming
FuboTV, the live-streaming platform, has struck a new carriage deal to offer the NFL Network and NFL RedZone American football programming services.
University of Hawaii changes strategy with IMG partnership
The IMG agency has entered into a 10-year multimedia rights partnership with the University of Hawaii’s athletics department.
Rice promoted to new president position at 21st Century Fox
US media company 21st Century Fox (21CF) has elevated Peter Rice to the newly formed position of president.
IndyCar strikes VR partnership
North American motor-racing series IndyCar has entered into a partnership with augmented and virtual reality production company Mandt VR to enhance its race coverage.
PGA Tour to stick with NBC, CBS
Golf’s PGA Tour will retain its media-rights partnerships with the NBC and CBS networks in the US through to 2021 after a September 1 deadline to opt out of the agreements passed.
Fox and Turner reject talk of free-to-air Superliga deal
US media companies Fox and Turner have rejected reports that the Argentinian Superliga, the top division of domestic football, will continue to be broadcast on a free-to-air basis by Televisión Digital Abierta.
NFL’s Patriots extend with local rights partner
WBZ-TV, a regional affiliate of US network CBS, has extended a local rights deal with the New England Patriots NFL American football franchise.
UFC expands US coverage with Fite TV deal
The Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts organisation has signed a digital partnership with combat sports network Fite TV, through which it will stream pay-per-view events in the United States.
Big Ten bucks trend by agreeing shorter-term deals than its rivals
The Big Ten collegiate athletic conference has agreed a set of new domestic media-rights deals, increasing the value of the existing package by almost 300 per cent.
Pac-12 Networks links up with FuboTV
Pac-12 Networks, the content and multi-platform media company for the Pac-12 US college sports conference, has signed a multi-year partnership with US OTT streaming service FuboTV.
Golf Channel extends NCAA contract
The NBC Sports Group division of media company NBCUniversal has extended a deal between its Golf Channel platform and the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the US.
Eleven Sports picks up World Judo Championships rights
International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports Network has acquired rights in Belgium, Luxembourg and the United States to the 2017 and 2018 editions of the World Judo Championships.