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The LPGA was hoping to secure a large time-buy or revenue-share deal with one of the national networks, with sponsors of LPGA tournaments contributing to the cost.

The two broadcasters have also agreed a joint-deal for the ATP Tennis Masters, also for the three-year period from 2009 to 2011, that includes the 500 and 250 series events.

Under current UK listed events legislation, the Six Nations is a category B event, guaranteeing free-to-air highlights for matches involving the home nations. This legislation, according to Feehan, causes a lack of competition as it is not possible for a pay-television broadcaster to have exclusive rights to the event which impacts the rights fee.

TVP will show live and highlights coverage of all 31 matches across its free-to-air and pay channels TVP 1, TVP 2, TVP SPORT and TVP HD, on its website www.tvp.pl and on mobile. TVP will also broadcast programming to promote the tournament in the run-up to its kick-off.

The funds are being raised following a review of its business model after the broadcaster failed to retain both its English Premier League rights packages from the 2010-11 season onwards, having lost one of its current live rights packages to BSkyB earlier this year.

Canal Plus events currently holds the domestic broadcast rights for the league until the end of the 2010-11 season. Pan-European broadcaster Eurosport holds the international rights for the Top 14 and second-tier Pro D2 league until the end of this season.

Under the terms of the deal, Taj Television will sublicense its entire portfolio of international cricket rights for the territory of Australia, including all international matches in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the West Indies, and Zimbabwe, as well as the Hong Kong Sixes to Fox Sports.

The multi-year deal includes the rights to sell free-to-air, satellite, and cable television rights, as well as internet, mobile and IPTV rights in all territories except Japan. It is the first international rights deal for the competition.

It is the third deal for the MP & Silva Tokyo office, which opened four months ago.

The court endorsed the tribunal’s view that Orange was acting against the consumer interest in obliging subscribers that wanted to subscribe to the channel to also sign on to its triple-play offer. Rival telecoms operators SFR and Free brought the case against Orange.

Irish public-service broadcaster RTÉ drew an average audience of 427,000 viewers across the tournament, its highest for at least 13 years and almost certainly its highest ever.

In the UK, public-service broadcaster the BBC’s coverage was watched by an average 4.63 million viewers share, pipping the previous record set in 2007.