France Télévisions pounces for France national team basketball coverage

French public-service broadcaster France Télévisions has struck a rights deal for coverage of the national basketball team at major events operated by Fiba, the international basketball federation, according to French newspaper L’Equipe.

Starting with the EuroBasket women’s tournament, which is currently taking place in France, the broadcaster will show live coverage of the semi-finals and final of all major Fiba tournaments that feature the France national team.

The agreement covers the 2013 EuroBasket men’s tournament as well as the men’s and women’s editions of the 2014 Fiba World Cup and the 2015 Fiba World Championships.

The report said that the broadcaster had reached the deal with Fiba and pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus, which has rights in France to the tournaments.

If France beats Sweden in the EuroBasket Women quarter-finals tonight, France Télévisions’ free-to-air channel France 4 will show the team’s semi-final. If the team reaches the final, free-to-air channel France 3 will broadcast the game.