USA
NFL goes it alone as leagues push out short-form content
Two services due to launch soon show the increasing strategic and commercial importance of short-form content to the big US sports leagues and underline the degree to which US sport is leading the way in exploiting digital media.
Vikings step up MLS franchise bid with Relevent Sports tie-up
NFL American football franchise the Minnesota Vikings have stepped up their efforts to secure a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion team for their new stadium by agreeing a partnership with the Relevent Sports agency.
BSkyB extends and expands US Open rights deal
UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB has extended its exclusive rights deal for the US Open golf tournament as part of a new agreement that also includes coverage of other women’s, senior and amateur golf events in the US.
NC Plus pounces for golf major rights
Polish pay-television broadcaster NC Plus has acquired exclusive rights for the US Open and PGA Championship golf tournaments.
RDA and IEC to market rights for showpiece USA Rugby games
The RDA Television and IEC in Sports agencies have secured a deal with USA Rugby to jointly market the global media rights for the US national team’s matches against New Zealand and Scotland.
NESN to utilise fans’ video content during Red Sox broadcasts
US regional cable-television broadcaster NESN has linked up with mobile video technology company Burst to introduce fan-generated mobile video content into its live coverage of Boston Red Sox MLB baseball games.
NBC seeking record figure for Super Bowl ads – report
US network NBC is seeking a record sum of around $4.5m (€3.3m) for a 30-second advertisement during its coverage of the 2015 Super Bowl American football game, according to the Variety magazine.
Turf TV bolsters US racing content
Turf TV, the horseracing channel for betting shops in the UK and Ireland, is to add a third US fixture to its existing broadcast package.
NWSL secures ESPN exposure
US pay-television broadcaster ESPN has sealed a one-year rights deal for the National Women’s Soccer League, the top division of women’s football in North America.
NFL Now adds new partners
American football league the NFL has sealed carriage deals with the Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Kindle Fire digital platforms for NFL Now, a new online service that will launch in August ahead of the 2014-15 season.
Chivas USA signs up Spanish-language rights partner
Cable-television operator Time Warner Cable Sports has become the official Spanish-language local rights-holder of California-based Major League Soccer club Chivas USA.
Tennis Channel launches new digital service
US pay-television broadcaster Tennis Channel has launched a digital subscription service, Tennis Channel Plus.
Universal Sports Network to show women’s Tour de France race
US sports broadcaster Universal Sports Network, a subsidiary of the NBC network, has acquired rights for the inaugural La Course by Le Tour de France cycling race on July 27.
ESPN considering MLS for new online rights model
US sports broadcaster ESPN is considering selling online access to live Major League Soccer games to consumers without pay-television subscriptions, according to Reuters.
ACC secures Louisville rights deals
Regional US broadcasters Wave-TV and WHAS-TV have acquired exclusive local rights in Louisville to show the Atlantic Coast Conference college sports competition.
AT&T will not intervene in DirecTV’s Sunday Ticket talks
AT&T will not intervene in satellite-television provider DirecTV’s talks over a new rights deal for the NFL American football Sunday Ticket package of programming, according to the US telecommunications company’s chief financial officer, John Stephens.
Tennis Channel expands presence of TV Everywhere service
US pay-television broadcaster the Tennis Channel is to open up its TV Everywhere service to customers of distribution partner and pay-television operator Cox Communications.
Sunday Ticket deal crucial to AT&T’s DirecTV takeover
US telecommunications company AT&T will be able to cancel its takeover of satellite-television provider DirectTV if the latter is unable to renew an exclusive rights deal for the NFL American football Sunday Ticket package of programming.