Uefa

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.

MP & Silva has paid a significant increase for the rights in Japan to Euro 2016 in a deal finalised last month. The agency now faces a challenge to turn a profit on the deal.

The Team Marketing and CAA Eleven agencies have launched a host of tenders for the Uefa Champions League, Super Cup and 2015 European Under-21 Championship football competitions.

The MP & Silva agency has secured the exclusive rights to distribute the Uefa Euro 2016 national team football tournament in Japan.

Uefa almost doubled the value of its Champions League and Europa League rights in Turkey in a deal with telco Türk Telekom for 2015-16 onwards.

Uefa has extended the remit of its exclusive marketing agency for the sale of certain media and commercial rights relating to its national team football competitions, CAA Eleven, to include its new Nations League tournament.

ESPN’s desire for football content after losing out on the Champions League has helped Uefa achieve a significant rise in the value of the Europa League in Brazil.