Uefa

Uefa has earned an increase of about 40 per cent in the value of its Europa League rights in Israel following a renewal with Charlton.

Polish commercial and pay-television broadcaster Polsat has confirmed the acquisition of exclusive rights for the Uefa Champions League and Europa League club football competitions.

German public-service broadcasters ARD and ZDF are set to conclude a deal for rights to the Uefa Nations League, the national team competition launched by football’s European governing body.

Uefa turned down a strong bid from incumbent free-to-air Champions League rights-holder ZDF for its next cycle in Germany, instead accepting an offer from pay-television broadcaster Sky Deutschland for exclusive rights.

Pay-television platform Sky Italia is thought to have agreed to pay just over €300m ($336m) per season for exclusive rights to the Uefa Champions League and Europa League from 2018-19 to 2020-21.

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.

Lega Serie A’s invitation to tender for its media rights could allow Sky Italia to secure a monopoly of Serie A rights in the next cycle, dealing a potentially fatal blow to its main rival Mediaset Premium. Bids are due tomorrow, June 10.

Hungarian public-service broadcaster MTVA has bucked the Champions League’s recent trend of selling to pay-television broadcasters, paying a huge increase to retain its rights in the country.

Modern Times Group paid an increase of about 16 per cent to maintain its grip on Uefa Champions League rights across Scandinavia earlier this month.

Canal Plus’ loss of Champions League rights – announced late this week – is a blow to the broadcaster, softened slightly by its recent extension of Formula One rights.

Strong competition is expected between France’s main pay-television broadcasters for Uefa Champions League, Formula One and European rugby rights, with all three properties currently on the market.

Polsat has shocked the Polish sports-rights market by acquiring Uefa Champions League rights, paying a huge premium to wrest them from long-term incumbent NC Plus.

Uefa was the beneficiary this month as Israel’s Sports Channel paid a fee increase of about 440 per cent to renew its Champions League rights.

UK telco BT told TV Sports Markets this week it is “well-placed” to monetise its huge investment in rights to Uefa’s Champions League and Europa League.

Pay-television broadcaster BT Sport has maintained its hold on rights to Uefa club football competitions in the UK by extending its contract for the Champions League and Europa League.

Uefa will imminently finalise club competition deals for the 2018-19 to 2020-21 cycle in China, Japan and the US.