Motorsport

Mike Kiernan reviews television audiences across the big five markets for the recently concluded Formula One World Championship

Will Partington, research analyst for SportBusiness Intelligence, examines television audiences for motorcycling’s MotoGP World Championship in selected European markets.

Jean-Luc Roy, founder of Motors TV, has said it will be “business as usual with benefits” for the pan-European motorsports channel after its recent acquisition by automotive digital technology business Motorsport Network.

The British Touring Car Championship motor racing series has agreed a two-season extension to its partnership with the Haymarket Consumer Media division of UK media company Haymarket Media Group.

Pan-European motorsports channel Motors TV has today (Friday) been acquired by automotive and motorsport digital technology business Motorsport Network in a move that is set to see it switch to become an over-the-top operation.

Motorsport’s Formula E secured its first rights fee from the UK market in a deal agreed earlier this month with commercial broadcaster Channel 5.

African telco Econet Wireless has completed a deal for World Rally Championship media rights in sub-Saharan Africa, further expanding its motorsport portfolio.

Hungarian broadcaster TV2 has made aggressive moves into the sports-rights market in recent weeks, acquiring English Premier League, National Hockey League and MotoGP rights.

The Sports Channel has renewed a host of rights in recent weeks as it seeks to solidify its position in the Israeli broadcast market.

The World Touring Car Championship has taken down the paywall for its WTCC Premium TV service for the remainder of the 2016 campaign.

Electric car-racing championship Formula E has secured a modest rights fee in sub-Saharan Africa from pay-television broadcaster Kwesé Sports.

The Pitch International agency this month acquired Formula One and LaLiga rights as part of a move to create a new in-flight offering, TV Sports Markets understands.

Pan-European motorsports channel Motors TV is refinancing its operations having been placed into a financial safeguard procedure in its home country of France.

German-based pay-television channel Motorvision TV has expanded its reach in France by agreeing a carriage deal with telecommunications company Bouygues Telecom.

The price of Formula One media rights has fallen and stayed flat in recent deals for Austria and Russia respectively, reflecting the lack of competition for the property in both markets.

French digital-terrestrial television channel L’Équipe 21 has acquired rights for the International Motorsport Federation (FIA) World Endurance Championship.