Kwesé Sports (Econet)

StarTimes has acquired exclusive English- and Portuguese-language rights to the Uefa Europa League in sub-Saharan Africa, filling out its football portfolio for the next three seasons

The South African Broadcasting Corporation last week completed a surprise deal for rights to England’s Premier League despite the broadcaster being almost ZAR 700m (€41m/$47.5m) in debt.

Pan-African pay-television broadcaster Kwesé Sports has agreed a strategic partnership with media relations consultancy APO Group that is designed to raise the profile of rugby union throughout the continent.

Gauging the success of IMG’s Serie A international rights acquisition won’t be possible until the end of the cycle given the agency has launched direct-to-consumer offerings in more than 20 markets.

Pan-African pay-television operator Kwesé TV says it is “committed to honouring its financial obligations to all rights-holders, production companies and suppliers” after TV Sports Markets learned of missed payments to several rights-holders.

BeIN Media Group has recouped just under 44 per cent of its total fee for Ligue 1 international rights from sublicensing deals in sub-Saharan Africa this month.

Pay-television broadcasters Canal Plus Afrique and Kwesé Sports have been awarded media rights to Ligue 1, the top division of French club football, in sub-Saharan Africa, TV Sports Markets understands.

African pay-television broadcaster Kwesé TV has launched its sports service in Nigeria.

Sports and betting-related services company Sportradar has agreed deals to deliver coverage of the European Volleyball Confederation’s (CEV) Champions League in more than 60 territories across Asia and Africa.

African pay-television broadcaster Kwesé TV has returned to Zimbabwean screens following the latest court ruling over the legality of the service.

The Zimbabwe government and the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) have banned African pay-television broadcaster Kwesé TV from operating in the country.

The International Olympic Committee has agreed rights deals with a number of broadcasters in sub-Saharan Africa for the Olympic Games schedule covering the 2018 and 2022 winter Games and the 2020 and 2024 summer Games.

SuperSport and Kwesé Sports will once again share the spoils of a major national-team football property in sub-Saharan Africa, this time via a simulcast deal on an unprecedented scale.

The International Olympic Committee will earn about 40 per cent more from sub-Saharan Africa compared to the previous two-Games cycle, taking advantage of Kwesé Sports’ strong desire for Olympic association, TV Sports Markets understands.

Kwesé Sports is understood to be close to a deal for English Football League rights with Pitch International, but has not met the agency’s original asking price.

SuperSport’s termination of its Nigeria Professional Football League deal due to a breach of contract may not be as final as the broadcaster’s withdrawal in Kenya, TV Sports Markets understands.