IMG
WBD pays slight increase for Wimbledon in 11 European markets
Sports broadcaster Eurosport will continue to be the home of all four Grand Slams across much of Europe after media group Warner Bros. Discovery renewed its Wimbledon rights across 11 territories at a slight uplift.
NWSL achieves huge uplift, though cash rights fee short of ’40x’ increase
The US’s top-tier National Women’s Soccer League has achieved a substantial increase in its media rights fees, though the cash value of its agreements is understood to be short of the ‘40x’ total uplift that has been reported.
Bids invited for Fifa in-flight, in-ship rights
The IMG agency is once again the standout candidate to secure global in-flight and in-ship media rights to major Fifa tournaments after an invitation to tender (ITT) was issued
BeIN pays marginal increase to renew Wimbledon in France
BeIN Sports renewed its exclusive Wimbledon rights in France for a further five years after agreeing to pay a slight uplift.
FA Cup remains exclusive to ESPN+ in four-year US rights renewal
A total of 79 FA Cup matches each season will continue to be streamed exclusively on ESPN+ in the US market for four more seasons after the Disney-owned broadcaster reached a renewal agreement with IMG.
IMG Arena upheaval continues as Wright leaves amid OpenBet restructure
The merging of Endeavor’s OpenBet and IMG Arena has led to a high-profile casualty as Max Wright, who has been with IMG for 11 years, negotiating various betting rights deals with sports bodies, leaves the company.
Eredivisie invites agencies to bid for international media, betting rights
Dutch football’s Eredivisie is looking for an agency or agencies to represent its international broadcast and betting video rights, a property held for 24 years by IMG.
LNB termination brings Skweek’s OTT future into sharp focus
Ongoing payment delays at Skweek threaten to erode rights-holders’ confidence despite its insistence that it merely requires more time, yet there are signs of it working through its issues with Euroleague Basketball, certainly until the end of the season at least.
European Championship remains in Sport 24’s Uefa rights portfolio
The Euro 2024 deal comes with rights on the market for in-flight and in-ship broadcast rights to Uefa club competitions from 2024-25 to 2026-27
IMG to deliver improved EFL production on back of new Sky deal
A new, five-year deal between IMG and the English Football League will facilitate a sizeable jump in broadcast production specification for matches that currently go out on the iFollow streaming service
Shapiro’s Endeavor salary hits $7m, Whitesell to launch media company with $250m funding
Mark Shapiro, president and chief operating officer of Endeavor, has secured a salary increase to $7m (€6.4m) on the back of the agreement struck to take the sports and entertainment giant private.
New R&A TV provides dark market solution, could add more golf rights
The OTT platform launched by the R&A using Endeavor Streaming technology has been set up to gather consumer data and provide a vehicle to stream the Open in markets devoid of competition.
TNT’s one-year WWE deal keeps UK fee flat
WWE’s one-year extension in the UK with TNT Sports kept both sides happy as the promotion prepares for a near-global media rights deal with Netflix.
PTO sticks with IMG for media rights sales to new-look World Tour
IMG has been handed a new remit to manage the sale of media rights to the Professional Triathletes Organisation's (PTO) rebranded T100 Triathlon World Tour until 2026
Caf finances back on track after New World TV deal and beIN renewal
The Confederation of African Football completed a series of deals before Christmas which have put its precarious finances back on an even keel after several difficult years following the cancellation of its $1bn, 12-year contract with the Lagardère Sports agency.
IMG to make production redundancies, PLP and ETP unaffected
The IMG agency is undertaking a consultation process with staff with a view to making up to 35 layoffs at its studios business
World Table Tennis eyes post-pandemic bounce as key market China opens up
With China out of its post-pandemic lull and media rights deals expiring in all major markets this year, World Table Tennis is ready to roll out version 2.0 of its annual tour.
RLC claims record global broadcast footprint for Super League
English rugby league's top-tier Super League is to receive its largest ever international exposure for the forthcoming 2024 season through the addition of six broadcast agreements.