Uefa

International broadcaster Eurosport agreed a spate of rights deals late last week as it continues to invest heavily in locally-relevant content.

The beIN Media Group has agreed a deal for Champions League and Europa League rights in Australia, TV Sports Markets understands.

Joseph Rivers, research analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence examines free-to-air television audiences in the big five European markets for the 2014-15 Uefa Europa League

Finnish telecommunications company Elisa has acquired rights for the Uefa European qualifiers rights and the governing body’s 2015 U-21 European Championships.

Eurosport’s acquisition of Champions League rights in Singapore is a message to rights-holders and platforms about the broadcaster’s growing ambitions, according to chief executive Peter Hutton.

Uefa last month secured a strong increase in the value of its Champions League rights in Portugal, while the value of its Europa League rights stayed steady.

Modern Times Group this month capitalised on a U-turn by MTV3 to pick up the pay-television rights to the Uefa Champions League in Finland.

The European Broadcasting Union is in advanced stages of negotiations with Uefa over a deal for Euro 2016 football rights in 27 territories, TV Sports Markets understands.

The aggressiveness of telco Telekom Srbija was a driving factor in increases in the value of the rights to the Uefa Champions League and Europa League in the Balkans.

Uefa is in difficult discussions over a deal for Champions League rights in Finland after an initial deal collapsed, TV Sports Markets understands

The Team Marketing agency has reached a long-term agreement with Uefa, European football’s governing body, under which it will continue as the exclusive agent for the global marketing of commercial rights relating to the Champions League, Europa League and Super Cup club competitions.

Weak competition for Europa League rights in Spain forced Uefa into lengthy negotiations with the beIN Media Group and the Mediapro agency, who were bidding jointly. A deal was eventually agreed last week.

Irish pay-television broadcaster Setanta is thought to be paying less in its deal, agreed last week, for the Uefa Champions League than it does in the current cycle. Overall, however, Uefa has finished with an increase on the current cycle in Ireland thanks to increases in the value of the free-to-air rights.

Uefa earned a decent increase in the value of its club tournaments in Japan this month despite the minimal level of competition in the market.

Uefa has agreed a raft of Champions League and Europa League rights deals, securing fee increases in each territory, TV Sports Markets understands.

Uefa is understood to be close to a breakthrough in Russia for the rights to its European Qualifiers but still faces big challenges in Germany, where third-party rights remain unsold, and Singapore, where it has not sold any rights.