Multiple Sports
ESPN’s D2C product set for August 2025 launch, ESPN+ subs dip in Q4
ESPN's flagship direct-to-consumer service is set to be in place by the start of the 2025 National Football League season, making the full suite of ESPN's channels available in a standalone service
Study: UK viewing time for women’s sports up 16 per cent
The average UK viewing time for women’s sport across free-to-air and pay-television rose by 16 per cent in 2023, driven in large part by the bumper audiences for the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup.
Schibsted exits ‘risky’ Viaplay investment
Norwegian media group Schibsted has withdrawn its short-lived investment in Viaplay, the embattled pay-television broadcaster refocusing its core business on the Nordic region
ESPN-Fox-WBD to form US sports streaming behemoth
ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced plans to launch a joint venture streaming service later this year in a major consolidation of the US market
EXCLUSIVE: SportyTV secures Paris 2024 rights in Ghana, Nigeria
SportyTV has acquired free-to-air Paris 2024 broadcast rights in Ghana and Nigeria in a deal with the Infront agency expected to be announced later today (Tuesday)
EBU’s OTT platform ‘to complement, not compete with’ member offerings
The European Broadcasting Union’s OTT sports platform unveiled today (Monday) has been positioned as non-competitive to members’ existing digital platforms and will rely heavily on Europe’s free-to-air broad…
MultiChoice rejects Canal Plus takeover approach
Pan-African media group MultiChoice, owner of pay-television broadcaster SuperSport and pay-television operator DStv, has rejected a full takeover offer from Canal Plus, the France-based pay-television broadcaster, stating it “significantly undervalues” the group and its future prospects.
Betting rights aggregator ALT Sports Data closes $2.5m funding round
California-based sports data and analytics company ALT Sports Data has announced the closing of a $2.5m series seed funding round, co-led by Eberg Capital and Relay Ventures, with participation from others including Trinity West Ventures NuFund Venture Group.
Multiple hurdles for Diamond before Amazon’s ‘brilliant, brilliant deal’ can begin
Amazon’s proposed agreement with Diamond Sports Group to secure local streaming rights to US sports leagues has been hailed as a “brilliant, brilliant deal”, though approval of the plan is far from certain.
IMG Arena head Longe exits as division merged with OpenBet
IMG Arena president Freddie Longe is leaving his position as owner Endeavor opts to combine the sports data and betting rights division with OpenBet and bring it under sole leadership
Viaplay sells full Baltic rights portfolio to TV3
Viaplay has finalised its exit strategy in the Baltic region after agreeing to sell on all of its sports rights to media company TV3 Group
Canal Plus launches MultiChoice takeover offer amid proposed Vivendi split
Canal Plus, the France-based pay-television broadcaster, has submitted a full takeover offer for pan-African media group MultiChoice, owner of pay-television broadcaster SuperSport and pay-television operator DStv.
EXCLUSIVE: IMG senior APAC media executive Broom to exit
Tom Broom, one of the agency sector's most experienced media executives in the Asia-Pacific region, is to leave IMG after more than two decades at the Endeavor-owned company, SportBusiness has learned
Ascending Cazé TV won’t rival established broadcasters for rights buyouts
Agency LiveMode has no plans to compete directly against Brazil’s established media companies for all-encompassing exclusive rights deals despite racking up a powerful audience base on streamer Cazé TV.
Peacock subscribers grow by 3m, Q4 revenue rises 57 per cent
Peacock, the NBC streaming service, added three million net subscribers to reach 31 million as its revenue increased by 57 per cent to surpass $1bn (€923m) in quarterly revenue for the first time, the company's parent company Comcast revealed in its 2023 Q4 earnings.
Former Amazon, ESPN exec Donoghue joins DraftKings
Daily fantasy and sports betting company DraftKings has appointed Marie Donoghue as its new chief business and growth officer after she left her role as vice-president of Amazon’s US sports content and partnerships.
Strategy chief Harmuth exits as Sportradar ‘streamlines’ structure
Sportradar's chief strategy officer Ulrich Harmuth has become a high-profile exit from the sports data and betting services company, which cut 10-per-cent of its global workforce late last year
Telia ‘exploring sale’ of TV4 Media
Telia is said to be exploring a sale of TV4 Media in a deal expected to value the broadcast group at much less than the Swedish telco paid five years ago.