ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has secured the exclusive broadcast rights in South Asia including India for all Football Association (FA) Cup matches, the FA Community Shield and all Senior and Under-21 England team home matches for the next six years until 2018. 

The multimedia platform deal, which allows the content to be made available across television, internet and mobile, was made with international media rights company MP & Silva.

Starting from November 3, ESS will begin broadcast of the first round of matches all the way up to the Final in May next year. Chelsea are currently the holders of the FA Cup but are likely to be challenged for the prestigious title by the other Premier League teams including Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City, among others.

This latest agreement further strengthens ESS’ network as truly being the ‘Home of Football’ for the South Asia region including India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal, with an unbeatable list of the biggest football properties including the Barclays Premier League, the Spanish Liga BBVA as well as the Italian Serie A, whose exclusive broadcast rights were recently secured from MP & Silva. 

“Having a season round offering of football is at the heart of our dominance of the Indian sports market, and the unique stories that the FA Cup creates every year is a very welcome part of our line-up. The FA Cup was seen in India long before the Premier League and the other European leagues, and we’re very proud to be able to continue the tradition,” said Peter Hutton, Managing Director, ESPN STAR Sports.

“ESPN STAR Sports has a stellar track record for growing the popularity of English football in Asia and we look forward to extending this strong relationship in the coming years,” said Stuart Turner, The FA’s Group Commercial Director.

Andrea Radrizzani, Group CEO, MP & Silva, added, “The FA Cup is another eagerly awaited football event on every football fan’s calendar, and we’re glad to see that it’s being broadcast by ESPN STAR Sports, as part of the network’s comprehensive stable of key football properties.”

Scottish soccer champions Rangers FC went into administration on Tuesday after running into financial problems and will incur a 10-point penalty which will effectively surrender the league title to Glasgow rivals Celtic as they fight for their future.

Rangers, one of the best supported clubs in Britain, are in dispute with Britain’s tax authorities and could face a bill of more than £50 million ($79 million).

Corporate restructuring specialists Duff & Phelps have been appointed by the club to run its affairs, and cost-cutting to try to balance the books is now inevitable.

Rangers will be docked 10 points by the Scottish Premier League, leaving them 14 adrift of Celtic.

The crisis facing such a big club, champions a world record 54 times, has sent shockwaves through British soccer where many smaller teams face a precarious existence.

The Scottish club had warned on Monday that it was likely to go into administration over the next few days but the tax authorities hastened the move when they took court action on Tuesday.

The focus for the tax authorities is believed to be unpaid payroll taxes, rather than the larger dispute which is due to be settled by a tribunal.

The “Old Firm” of Rangers and Celtic dominate the game in Scotland, with one of them having claimed the title every year since Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen won it in 1985.

However, the 12-team Scottish Premier League is a poor relation of its English counterpart in terms of television revenue and sponsorship.

Rangers chairman Craig Whyte, who bought the club for a nominal one pound last year, vowed on Monday that they would emerge as a “stronger and financially fitter organisation”.

Rangers sold Croatian international striker Nikica Jelavic to English Premier League club Everton last month and a prolonged period of turbulence would add to the root problem of Scottish soccer — a lack of genuine competition.

by Ismail Uddin

Global Smart TV provider NetRange, cheao ed in cooperation with sports rights agency Sportfive, denture has secured the exclusive global rights to broadcast qualifying matches for the 2014 football World Cup live on Smart TV.

Effective immediately, for sale over 140 meetings between the European national teams will be broadcast via the “Qualifiers 2014” app. All matches will subsequently be available on-demand. In total, fifty percent of European qualifying matches will be broadcast via Smart TV.

These include matches involving Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales, as well as those involving the current European and World Champions, Spain.

The “Qualifiers 2014” app is available on the Smart TV portals from the manufacturers Loewe, Sharp, Thomson and Ikea, as well as on all other connected TV devices equipped with NetRange portals.

“By offering this completely new form of football broadcasting, we are breaking new ground in the exploitation of media and sports rights, and may even be making television history” comments Jan Wendt, managing director of NetRange. “We are delighted to be able to offer users of our Smart TV portals world class sport with the highest image quality – live and on-demand.”

PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart has offered his support to Rangers owner Craig Whyte to help the club through their financial crisis.

Wishart is on standby to help players at Ibrox after the club lodged notice of their intention to go into administration.

Such a move would likely lead to redundancies on the playing staff and Wishart is keen to help minimise the impact on his members but also the club itself.

The former Rangers full-back told Sky Sports News: “There has been all sorts of finger-pointing and ramifications. For me it’s about working with the players and the club.

“I’m hoping to meet with the owner and we can possibly work with the club and ensure there’s a good enough team on the football park.”

Whyte has revealed Rangers are facing a tax bill of up to £75 million following a tribunal into staff payments before he took control in May last year.

Rangers said on Monday a final decision on whether to enter administration would be made within ten working days.

Wishart said: “I’m not party to the intimate details. Our role is to look after our members. But at the same time we also aim to help clubs survive. We have worked with many clubs and players are flexible.

“They all love Scottish football and love playing for Rangers. They are all aware they need to be professional at this time and I’m sure they will.”

by Ismail Uddin

The Eurosport Group and Infront Sports & Media have announced they have been extended their long-term partnership of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship for the 2013, capsule 2014 and 2015 seasons, impotent with new exclusivities in four markets.

Eurosport has renewed the TV and digital rights to the eni FIM Superbike World Championship (SBK), including support classes FIM Supersport World Championship and FIM Superstock 1000cc Cup. In a change to the previous deal Eurosport is now exclusive LIVE broadcaster on air, online and on mobile in UK, Ireland, Germany and France.

This pan-European agreement includes all 59 territories covered by Eurosport. All rounds of the three championships will be shown live or delayed in high definition on either Eurosport or Eurosport 2 channels.

Digital rights will see all races, including the Superpole qualifying, broadcast on internet and mobile on the Eurosport Player online streaming service.

Julien Bergeaud, Director of Broadcasting and Programmes, Eurosport Group said: “Eurosport has been a long-term partner of World Superbike since 1998. We are delighted to extend this partnership for three additional years. With extensive coverage on TV, internet and mobile of the three FIM championships, plus exclusivities in key markets such as UK, Germany and France, Eurosport brings unrivalled broadcast to superbike fans in Europe and consolidates its motorsports offer.”

Stephan Herth, Executive Director Summer Sports, Infront Sports & Media, added: “With the extension of the Eurosport agreement Infront has secured the most comprehensive coverage for World Superbike across Europe for the upcoming three seasons for the benefit of fans, manufacturers, teams and all commercial partners. Eurosport has a strong commitment to continue to serve motorcycling enthusiasts across the continent with top quality programming. This will help in further raising the profile of the world’s leading production-based motorcycle racing series.”

English Championship side Portsmouth have confirmed that they are to enter administration for the second time in two years.

Pompey face a winding-up hearing next week over an unpaid tax bill and have not been able to pay their players and staff for January. They could face the prospect of a ten-point penalty in the league.

A club statement said: “Portsmouth Football Club today made an application to the High Court to go into administration. The club will not enter administration until the court endorses the application and appoints an administrator.”

Portsmouth chief executive David Lampitt said the fresh blow to the club was difficult to accept.

Lampitt told BBC Radio Five Live: ”It does beggar belief, for everyone associated with the club: the supporters in particular who have been through so much, my staff who have been through so much and have fought so hard since the club emerged from administration in 2010, and it’s a very, very hard pill to swallow.

”It wasn’t me personally, it was the board of directors, who today made an application to put the club into administration. The date for that hearing is going to be this Friday, February 17, so we’ll find out on Friday.”

Describing events as ”an incredibly sad state of affairs”, Lampitt added: ”The best outcome for all sides is there is a clean break and the club goes into new ownership and puts all of that behind us.”

Peter Kubik, of the club’s financial advisors UHY Hacker Young, said: ”They are in the process of seeking an administration order – an application to court seeking administration is due to go in any day.

”The club’s bank accounts have been frozen due to the winding up hearing and they are finding it very difficult to trade. Once the administration order is in place the bank accounts will be made accessible again. We are aware that administration carries an automatic 10-point deduction by the Football League.”

Pompey were plunged into another financial crisis after their parent company, Convers Sports Initiatives (CSI), went into administration in November. UHY Hacker Young are the administrators for CSI.

The tax bill is for between £1.2 million and £900,000 but Kubik said there were many other outstanding bills to pay. Among these, the club needs to pay their electricity supplier in order to avoid being cut off.

”There are lots of bills they need to pay,” added Kubik.

In February 2010, Portsmouth became the first Premier League club to enter administration and were deducted nine points, condemning them to relegation.

A ten-point deduction from the Football League would put Pompey on 25 points, outside the relegation places on goal difference alone.

This follows Rangers decision to enter administration.

by Ismail Uddin

EuroleagueBasketball and the Eurosport Group have announced Eurosport 2 will remain the official broadcasting partner of the Eurocup for a further three seasons until 2015.

As in previous seasons, Eurosport 2 will cover several games live each week for the duration of the deal. The channel will also produce and broadcast in HD the showpiece EurocupFinal, which becomes an exciting standalone match for the 2012/2013 season. Finally, Eurosport 2 has developed a new on-air look for its Euroleaguemagazine show which will be broadcast on Tuesdays in the build-up to live action.

Eurosport 2 is one of the fastest-growing TV channels in Europe, reaching 61 million households in 18 languages across 47 countries. Its coverage of the Eurocupsince 2005 has accompanied the growth of the competition into a brand that is followed closely by millions of fans throughout Europe and the rest of the world. This season the Eurocupwill feature 32 clubs from 17 countries.

The deal also includes broadcast of the Eurocupand Euroleaguemagazine in the 17 countries covered by Eurosport in the Asia Pacific region.

EuroleagueBasketball Director of Televison& New Media Rights AndreaBassan isaid: “It is a significant achievement to reach a new deal with Eurosport that will bring our partnership to 10 full seasons. We appreciate all that Eurosport has done for us and will do for us and are thrilled that theEurocupcontinues to grow and to give Eurosport an excellent product to broadcast.”

Julien Bergeaud, Director of Broadcasting and Programmes, Eurosport Group said:”We are delighted to extend our long-term partnership with Euroleague Basketball, with whom we have a particularly strong relationship. Since its launch in 2005, Eurosport 2 has grown together with the Eurocupand our coverage of the competitions is a major part of the channel’s identity, consolidating the strategy of broadcasting team sports. We look forward to another successful season working hand-in-hand withEuroleagueBasketball.”

Historic Scottish club Glasgow Rangers, champions of Scotland on 54 occasions, have lodged a notice to go into administration according to reports.

STV and BBC Scotland both report that the Court of Session in Edinburgh has confirmed the club’s solicitors have given notice of Rangers’ intention to appoint administrators.

That means the Glasgow club now have 10 days to formally announce that the running of the club has been taken over by administrators.

At present Rangers are awaiting a verdict in a tax tribunal with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that could land the club with a bill of £49 million.

If they lose their case then it is feared the historic club could enter liquidation, a development which would have huge repercussions for the Scottish game.

Rangers will be hit with a 10-point penalty if they do enter administration. They are currently four points behind great rivals Celtic in the table.

by Ismail Uddin

MLB Network have been announced as the exclusive English-language telecast partner for the World Baseball Classic.

The league-owned network’s rights are for the next two tournaments in 2013 and 2017.

The 2013 version will take place from March 2-19, 2013, and will feature an expanded 28-team field. The WBC was created in 2005 in response to the International Olympic Committee’s decision to remove baseball from the list of Summer Olympic events. It is sanctioned by International Baseball Federation and is organized partly by the MLB and MLBPA. The first tournament was held in 2006.

MLB Network will premiere a World Baseball Classic promotional spot during its World Series coverage, which begin Wednesday.

MLB Network president and CEO Tony Petitt, said: “The World Baseball Classic is the premier international baseball competition and acquiring the exclusive rights to the 2013 and 2017 tournaments continues MLB Network’s goal of acquiring premium exclusive content to help grow the network and serve baseball fans.”

Liverpool’s major shirt sponsors Standard Chartered are unhappy with the actions on Saturday from the club and player Luis Suarez and have wrote to the U.S. owners regarding their dissatisfaction.

Standard Chartered, cheap pills a bank, pay £20 million per year to have their name emblazoned across Liverpool’s shirts but the racial abuse row that led into the handshake shenanigans on Saturday at Old Trafford have left them concerned about having their name associated with the club.

“We were very disappointed by Saturday’s incident and have discussed our concerns with the club,” the bank said in a statement.

It is believed the letter Standard Chartered sent to Liverpool’s U.S. owners over the weekend helped defuse the race row and led to the club, manager and player’s apology that came yesterday to help repair the reputation of one of England’s most successful teams.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez apologised for not shaking Patrice Evra’s hand before the 2-1 defeat at Manchester United and manager Kenny Dalglish also said sorry about his heated post-match reaction and failing to condemn his player.

Liverpool have denied to comment about pressure being put on them and their staff to apologise.

Meanwhile the English Football Association, the body who imposed the eight-match ban on Suarez in the first place, have said today they will take no action over Suarez’s refusal to shake hands as it is not a disciplinary issue.

by Ismail Uddin