Basketball’s United League close to Match TV deal

Pan-European basketball competition the United League has reached an agreement in principle on a broadcast rights deal with Russian sports media platform Match TV, according to the tournament’s deputy chief executive Ilona Korstin.

Writing in a column for Russian newspaper Sport Express, Korstin said she had held talks with Match TV officials regarding a three-year contract.

“As we promised, and has repeatedly been asked during the season, our championship matches will be shown in at least the same volume on the new federal sports channel,” Korstin wrote.

“The other day in the office of the league we held a meeting with representatives of Match TV, during which we secured preliminary agreements. They relate not only to the number of games in the season, but also in working together for the promotion and popularisation of basketball.”

The United League is a Russian-organised competition, but six of its 16 teams are from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Latvia.