Tennis

UK public-service broadcaster the BBC has renewed a rights deal for the Wimbledon Championships to keep the tennis grand slam tournament on free-to-air television.

The Sina Sports division of Chinese internet operator Sina has agreed a deal to become the exclusive online broadcaster of new Women’s Tennis Association tournament the Elite Trophy, which will debut in the country later this year.

The Fox International Channels broadcast division of media company 21st Century Fox has joined forces with South Korean media company JTBC to launch a new sports channel in the Asian country.

Media rights clips from July 9 to 22

Pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus has launched four dedicated sports channels in the African market.

LeTV Sports, a sports-rights venture operated by Chinese IPTV operator LeTV, has agreed a three-year deal for rights to the Wimbledon tennis championships.

All England Lawn Tennis Club chief executive Richard Lewis has indicated that UK public-service broadcaster the BBC is likely to retain the rights to the Wimbledon championships when its current contract expires.

The Wimbledon tennis championships may be steeped in tradition, but the All England Lawn Tennis Club has adopted a forward-thinking and pragmatic sales approach which is reaping dividends.

Media rights clips from June 25 to July 8

Interview with Mick Desmond, commercial director of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, on its global rights strategy and the Wimbledon 'brand’.

French commercial broadcaster TF1 has agreed a late sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster beIN Media Group to broadcast the semi-final clash between Richard Gasquet and Novak Djokovic at the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

International sports broadcaster Eurosport has revealed plans to offer Spanish-language content for its Eurosport 2 television channel, while its new local channel in Denmark has launched.

Russian pay-television broadcaster NTV Plus has confirmed a rights deal to show the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Media rights clips from June 11 to 24

Pay-television broadcaster ESPN Brasil has acquired rights to Wimbledon, the UK’s grand slam tennis tournament, under a sublicensing deal with the event’s rights-holder in Brazil, pay-television broadcaster Globosat.

The Saran Media agency has expanded its multi-year partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club to take in rights to the Wimbledon Championships in a further nine markets.

The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) has banned spectators attending this year’s Wimbledon tennis championships from using mobile devices to stream live video coverage of the London tournament.

International broadcaster Eurosport agreed a spate of rights deals late last week as it continues to invest heavily in locally-relevant content.