Finance & Law
Eleven to house global studio business as NEO and Whistle combine
Sports production company NEO Studios has announced a merger with US-based Whistle Studios to create a global studio business, which will be housed under international broadcaster Eleven
Nine talks up sports rights ambitions on back of strong financial results
The chief executive of Australian media group Nine Entertainment, Mike Sneesby, suggested the company is interested in acquiring domestic cricket rights as well as renewing its Australian Open tennis rights,…
Sky NZ mulls price hike as six-month profit falls; secures PFL rights
Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand is considering increasing the price of its sports content after its latest financial report showed profit for the six months to December fell more than a quarter
UK Serious Fraud Office launches probe into collapse of Arena Television
The UK’s Serious Fraud Office has opened a criminal investigation into the business practices of individuals associated with outside broadcast company Arena Television and its linked entities.
DAZN Group reported $1.3bn loss in 2020 despite reduced rights costs
DAZN Group, the global sports subscription service and media company that last week announced $4.3bn (€3.8bn) worth of financial backing from its owner Access Industries, reported a loss of $1.3
Access Industries eliminates DAZN borrowings with $4.3bn recapitalisation
Access Industries, the multinational industrial group headed by billionaire Len Blavatnik, has moved to wipe out borrowings at DAZN Group, the global sports subscription service and media company, by subscribing…
Croatian FA rips up 10-year Endorphin Magine rights contract
The Croatian Football Federation (HNS) has decided to terminate its 10-year broadcast rights contract with Endorphin Magine Ltd, blaming the UK-based company for failing to pay the first fee instalment
NZ Rugby and players’ union finalise Silver Lake deal worth initial NZ$200m
New Zealand Rugby and the New Zealand players’ union have agreed to an initial NZ$200m ($134.1m/€177.9m) investment in NZR’s commercial rights by US-based private equity company Silver Lake Partners.
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Disney sells Fox Sports channels to Mediapro in Argentina
The Walt Disney Company has agreed to sell its Fox Sports channels in Argentina to the Mediapro agency in compliance with requirements outlined by the Comisión Nacional de Defensa de la Competencia (CNDC), …
Seven secures 30-per-cent revenue increase, aims to retake Australian Open rights
Australian commercial broadcaster Seven will attempt to win back domestic broadcast rights to the Australian Open when negotiations over the tennis grand slam's next rights cycle begin later this year
SROC takes aim at Kenya’s proposed copyright law reform
The Sports Rights Owner Coalition, an alliance of more than 50 leading international and national sports rights-holders, has called on the Kenyan Government to refrain from enacting changes to copyright…
Canal Plus, beIN secure French injunctions to protect Champions League coverage
Canal Plus and beIN Sports France, the pay-television broadcasters and Uefa Champions League rights-holders in France, have obtained injunctions to protect themselves against illegal streaming of European…
CME breaks into new market with RTL Croatia takeover
Media group Central European Media Enterprises has grown its presence in southern Europe and broken into a new Balkan market with an agreement to acquire RTL Croatia
Premier League international rights revenue outstrips domestic for first time
The Premier League, the top division of English club football, is set to drive more revenue from international, rather than domestic, broadcast rights for the first time in its history, teams have been…
Date set for ruling in Canal Plus Ligue 1 rights appeal
Canal Plus is set to discover next month whether its appeal is successful against a court ruling concerning its sublicensing contract with fellow French pay-television broadcaster beIN Sports for coverage…
Two Circles to meld data with content in LiveWire Sport acquisition
Sports data marketing agency Two Circles has acquired LiveWire Sport, the digital sports content company whose clients include the Premier League, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, World Rugby…
Nent passes 4m Viaplay subscribers, up 33 per cent year-on-year
The Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group has reported reaching just over four million paying subscribers to its Viaplay streaming service after adding 397,000 new customers in the fourth quarter of last year…
RDA wins ‘force majeure’ legal case against EPCR, awarded six-figure sum
RDA has been awarded a net sum of €205,662 (£174,000/$235,000) following a legal dispute with European Professional Club Rugby over the UK-based media rights agency’s use of a ‘force majeure’ clause t…