Multi-sport

The parent company of beIN Sports has injected €600m ($646m) into supporting the company’s pay-television operation in France, according to daily newspaper Libération.

The UK’s Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport, Karen Bradley, has today (Thursday) confirmed that US media company 21st Century Fox’s proposed takeover of pan-European pay-television broadcast group Sky will be investigated by UK media watchdog Ofcom.

The Brazilian Confederation of University Sports (CBDU) has agreed a rights deal with Esporte Interativo under which the pay-television broadcaster will cover the 2017 summer Universiade multi-sport event.

International sports broadcaster Eleven Sports Network is close to agreeing a takeover deal for troubled North American sports broadcaster One World Sports, according to multiple reports.

Social video production company Grabyo has appointed sports and entertainment executive Mike Kelley as its new president of the Americas to lead a new office in New York that will focus on new projects in North and South America.

Venture capital funds Access Industries, Advent International and Pamplona Capital Management are the three finalists in contention to acquire a controlling stake in Imagina, the operator of Spanish agency Mediapro, according to El Confidencial.
USA

US media company NBCUniversal acquired a $500m (€470.8m) stake in the initial public offering of Snap Inc, the parent company of social media platform Snapchat, according to NBCU chief executive Steve Burke.

German sports broadcaster Sport1 has acquired rights to the 2017 World Games multi-sport event in a deal the International World Games Association hopes will provide a template for other European markets.

Swiss pay-television broadcaster Teleclub has said it will launch a free-to-air sports channel in July.

Gavin Patterson, chief executive of UK telco BT, has hit out at the “rampant inflation” in the prices being paid for sports rights, with the firm’s pay-television broadcaster, BT Sport, currently seeking to retain one of its prized assets.

Snap Inc, parent company of social media platform Snapchat, priced its initial public offering above its target range yesterday (Wednesday) as it today prepares to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

Middle Eastern pay-television operator OSN has launched a range of new sports channels as part of a wider move to expand its offering in the region.
USA

The Turner Sports division of US cable-television broadcaster Turner Broadcasting System has promoted Matt Hong to the newly formed position of chief operating officer.

The International Olympic Committee’s Olympic Channel has agreed content partnerships with a further eight sports governing bodies.
USA

Video-sharing website YouTube has announced plans to launch a new service that will deliver a range of major television channels to subscribers via the internet.

German media company Constantin Medien has extended the contract of its chief executive, Fred Kogel, until December 31, 2018.

Indian pay-television operator Zee Entertainment Enterprises has today (Tuesday) said the first phase of the sale of its sports business, Ten Sports, to media group Sony Pictures Networks India has been completed.

Telecommunications company Portugal Telecom has confirmed the acquisition of a 25-per-cent stake in domestic pay-television broadcaster Sport TV.