American Football
NFL to launch customisable digital service
American football’s NFL is to launch a new online service called NFL Now that will allow fans to tailor content, including highlights of games, to focus on their favourite teams and players.
MEDIA RIGHTS: From January 16 to January 29
Media rights clips from January 16 to 29
Fox Sports and Facebook enhance Super Bowl presentation
The Fox Sports division of US network Fox has expanded its partnership with social media website Facebook for its live coverage of the NFL American football Super Bowl game on Sunday.
NBC Bay Area commits to 49ers coverage in broad deal
Regional US broadcaster NBC Bay Area, operated by the NBCUniversal media company, has agreed to show at least 400 hours of programming per year dedicated to the San Francisco 49ers as part of a broad agreement with the NFL American football franchise.
Bids submitted for NFL Thursday games
Pay-television broadcaster ESPN and the Fox and CBS networks have submitted bids for the rights to show as many as eight Thursday night NFL American football games, according to the Reuters news agency.
NFL seeking simulcast strategy for new rights package
American football league the NFL is seeking to adopt a simulcast strategy for its new package of Thursday night games, according to multiple US media reports.
Aereo case to head to US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case brought by several US networks against television streaming service Aereo.
NFL invites bids for Thursday night games
American football’s NFL has invited broadcasters to bid for a new package of rights comprising Thursday night games.
NFL teams sidestep risk of playoff blackouts
NFL American football teams the Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts and Cincinnati Bengals avoided local television blackouts of their weekend play-off games after businesses stepped in to purchase remaining blocks of tickets to ensure stadia were sold out.
Fox Sports to restrict live streaming of NFC play-offs
US pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports will stream live coverage of the Super Bowl NFL American football championship game on February 2 for free, but will restrict online coverage of the National Football Conference (NFC) post-season to subscribers of selected pay-television operators, according to media news publication Variety.
CBS to set streaming first with NFL postseason coverage
US network CBS has announced it will live stream its coverage of the NFL’s American Football Conference play-offs through its CBSSports.com website for the first time.
MEDIA RIGHTS: 5-18 December
Media rights clips from 5 to 18 December
NFL vows to challenge FCC’s bid to end ‘blackout’ rule
American football’s NFL “will strongly oppose” a proposal by US regulators to scrap the so-called ‘blackout’ rule that blocks sports events from being shown live on television in their local market if they fail to meet a specified level of ticket sales.
ESPN returns to Arena Football League
US sports broadcaster ESPN has agreed a multi-year deal, commencing in 2014, for the rights to indoor American football competition the Arena Football League.
DirecTV closing in on new NFL deal, report says
US satellite television provider DirecTV and American football league the NFL have agreed on a framework for negotiations to renew the company’s Sunday Ticket package of programming, according to the Reuters news agency.
Bell extends and expands NFL rights deal
Bell has extended and expanded a media rights deal for American football’s NFL that will allow the Canadian telecommunications company to show more games than ever before.
MEDIA RIGHTS: November 21 to December 4
Prosiebensat.1 touches down NFL rights extension
German commercial broadcaster Prosiebensat.1 has extended a rights deal for the NFL American football league’s Super Bowl and post-season playoffs.