USA
NBC Sports Group and Turner seal long-term OTT partnership
The NBC Sports Group division of US media company NBCUniversal and cable-television broadcaster Turner have revealed plans to collaborate on sports-focused OTT streaming.
Courtside Ventures unveils initial investment portfolio
Courtside Ventures, the sports focused early-stage venture capital fund that invests in media and technology companies, has unveiled its portfolio of inaugural investments.
ESPN’s new streaming platform set for 2017 launch
Christine McCarthy, chief financial officer of the Walt Disney media company, has said US sports broadcaster ESPN’s new sport subscription streaming service will launch this year.
Hulu brokers CBS deal for new OTT platform
US subscription video-on-demand service Hulu has secured a carriage deal with the CBS network.
Turner launches sports marketing agency
US media company Turner has launched a sports marketing agency which aims to “change the paradigm” for sports and lifestyle marketers.
NFL records decline in US television viewership
The NFL American football league suffered an eight per cent year-on-year drop in US television viewership during its 2016 regular season, according to data obtained by ESPN.com.
FCC ruling paves way for increased Televisa stake in Univision
The US Federal Communications Commission has granted approval for increased foreign investment in Univision in a move that is set to allow Mexican media company Televisa to raise its stake in the Spanish-language broadcaster.
NextVR partners with Google Daydream, enhances NBA relationship
Virtual reality broadcast technology company NextVR has moved to widen its international reach by partnering with internet company Google and broadening its existing relationship with North American basketball league the NBA.
New PGA Tour chief outlines plans to widen reach
Golf’s PGA Tour will seek to secure partial ownership of a network as part of its next set of broadcast rights agreements, according to the organisation’s new commissioner Jay Monahan.
NBA TV nets Euroleague rights extension
NBA TV, the cable and satellite television broadcaster operated by the North American basketball league, has extended an agreement to broadcast the Euroleague continental club competition.
NBA teams up with FanDuel for innovative second-screen service
The NBA Digital division of the NBA basketball league has partnered with daily fantasy sports operator FanDuel to develop a mobile game that will seek to provide fans with a second-screen experience during television broadcasts of matches.
GolTV nets rights to Italy’s Supercoppa
US pay-television channel GolTV has acquired exclusive rights in the country for Italian club football competition, the Supercoppa Italiana.
Sporting Kansas City signs local rights deal
The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has agreed a local rights partnership with Major League Soccer’s Sporting Kansas City.
BAMTech confirms Riot Games esports deal for League of Legends
BAMTech, the video technology business of Major League Baseball’s Advanced Media division, will pay Riot Games a minimum of $300m (€287m) through to 2023 for the streaming rights for the company’s League of Legends esports tournaments.
WME|IMG wants more TV, less ppv, to guarantee UFC returns
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is preparing to ditch pay-per-view as its main media-rights revenue stream in the US, as owners WME|IMG seek to increase the guaranteed revenue of July’s $3.775bn (€3.522bn) acquisition.
AT&T, DirecTV to carry new Olympic channel in US
US telecommunications company AT&T and its DirecTV satellite service provider and broadcaster have agreed carriage deals for the new cable television channel that will be launched under a partnership between media company NBCUniversal, the International Olympic Committee and United States Olympic Committee.
Sky and 21st Century Fox agree terms on takeover deal
US media company 21st Century Fox and Sky have today (Thursday) confirmed they have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended pre-conditional cash offer by the former for the fully diluted share capital of the pan-European pay-television broadcaster, which Fox and its affiliates do not already own.
FuboTV to expand with additional sports channels
US over-the-top streaming service fuboTV is to add more sports channels to its offering as part of broader expansion plans.