Caribbean football fans will have a chance to watch one of the world’s most important football competitions as ESPN International has secured the rights to distribute the UEFA European Football Championship for 2012 & 2016 in the region. 

The rights are part of ESPN’s broad multimedia rights agreement with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for the UEFA European Football Championships until 2017. 

The UEFA European Football Championship 2012 will air on the ESPN Caribbean and ESPN2 Caribbean networks, symptoms and on ESPNPlay, no rx the recently launched broadband player servicing the region. 

Coverage will include all 31 UEFA EURO 2012 matches from Poland and Ukraine, from Friday, June 8 to Sunday, July 1, featuring the top 16 European national teams, including England, Spain, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. 

Additional coverage will include pre-match, half-time and post-match programming, news and highlights shows on match days, unlimited re-air rights across all networks and media platforms, magazine programs, and more.  

Four years later, the field will expand to 24 teams and ESPN International will present in the Caribbean all 51 matches of the 2016 UEFA European Football Championship in from France.  

The distribution agreement extends ESPN’s relationship in the Caribbean with UEFA, the governing body for football in Europe, and includes airing on cruise ships sailing in the region; ESPN announced the extension of its agreement with UEFA for rights in the United States recently.  

ESPN, the sports media company, served as the U.S. and Caribbean television and U.S. digital home of the UEFA EURO 2008 and earned much praise for its coverage. 

“The continuation of ESPN’s relationship with UEFA confirms ESPN’s place as the home of highest quality soccer programming,” said Michael Walters, vice president, international programming. 

“UEFA is part of ESPN’s line-up of premier soccer properties from around the world presented to our viewers in the Caribbean, including the Premier League in England, La Liga in Spain, German Bundesliga, and Brazil’s National and Paulista championships.”

by Ismail Uddin

Viasat Broadcasting has retained on to its exclusive Baltic broadcasting rights for the FIA Formula One motor racing World Championship through to the end of the 2014 season.

The rights, sale acquired from Formula One Management Limited, include broadcast coverage on free TV, pay TV, mobile devices and the Internet. Premium pay-TV channel Viasat Sport Baltic will air coverage in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania of every race weekend live, including the practice and qualifying sessions. Free-TV viewers in all countries will be able to see recorded coverage of the races on their local TV6 channel, following the race.

Viasat has had continuous broadcasting rights to Formula One in Estonia and Lithuania since 2002, and in Latvia since 2009. The 2012 Formula One World Championship season begins the weekend of March 16 to 18 with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and ends with the Brazilian Grand Prix in São Paulo on the weekend of November 23 to 25.

Karolis Dapkevicius, the head of Viasat Sport Baltic, said: “The Formula One World Championship is one of the sporting world’s most attractive properties and F1 has a huge fan base worldwide. We are delighted to extend our rights for another three years and be able to continue to bring viewers extensive coverage of each race weekend.

“This adds to what is already the strongest and most varied sports broadcast coverage in the Baltics, with English Premier League and UEFA Champions League football, the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship, Euroleague Basketball and the FIBA Basketball World Cup already available on our channels.”

by Ismail Uddin

Epson has signed a global sponsorship agreement to become Official Office Equipment Partner to Manchester United, one of the world’s most famous soccer clubs.

The agreement, worth a reported £3 million (US $4.7m)  which starts immediately, sees Epson, one of the leading manufacturers of printers, projectors and scanners worldwide, supply Manchester United with its equipment throughout Old Trafford. The deal will see Epson align its brand with the world-class club and raise its profile in Europe and globally where the club is followed.

The partnership is launched at Old Trafford today, ahead of Saturday’s game against Blackburn Rovers, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson, chief executive David Gill and the entire first team squad in attendance.

Speaking at the launch event Epson’s Global President, Mr Minoru Usui, said: “The partnership with Manchester United aligns Epson with an exciting and globally recognised brand, bringing us closer to our customers worldwide. Leading the way through constant creativity and innovation both brands share a commitment to achieving the highest standards. Our vision to excite and inspire customers is represented by Manchester United’s success on the pitch and the unique printer and projector technologies for which Epson is renowned.”

Manchester United’s chief executive David Gill said: “We are obviously delighted to have Epson as one of our commercial partners with immediate effect and are looking forward to developing an exciting communications programme that helps us both achieve our business goals. Epson is a superb global brand, that sits perfectly alongside our existing partners.”

The agreement will be announced to fans at half time during the game against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday 27 November.

Selected territories in the Balkans have been awarded certain media rights for the 2012–15 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.

Public broadcaster RTS has been awarded rights in Serbia for the best-pick UEFA Champions League match every Wednesday and the best-pick UEFA Europa League match every matchweek. RTS will broadcast both live matches as well as a highlights programme for either competition each matchweek.

Telekom Srbija has been awarded the rights for all remaining matches in both competitions. Tuesday’s best-pick UEFA Champions League game will be shown on basic tier channel Arena Sport 1, followed by a highlights programme. A comprehensive selection of matches for both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League will be screened live across the Arena Sport family of channels.

The semi-finals and the final of each competition, as well as the UEFA Super Cup, will be broadcast on a co-exclusive basis by RTS and Telekom Srbija.

In Montenegro public broadcaster RTCG has been awarded rights for the best-pick UEFA Champions League match every Wednesday and the best-pick UEFA Europa League match every matchweek in Montenegro. Both the live coverage as well as a highlights programme for either competition each matchweek will be shown on RTCG.

Telekom Srbija has been awarded the rights for all remaining matches in both competitions. The best-pick UEFA Champions League game on Tuesday will be shown on basic tier channel Arena Sport 1, followed by a highlights programme. A comprehensive selection of matches for both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League will be screened live across the Arena Sport family of channels.

The semi-finals and the final of each competition, as well as the UEFA Super Cup, will be broadcast on a co-exclusive basis by RTCG and Telekom Srbija.

Makedonski Telekom has been awarded all rights in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia for the UEFA Champions League – except for the best-pick match on Wednesday – as well as all rights for the UEFA Europa League, except for the best-pick match each matchweek. As a minimum, three UEFA Champions League games and six UEFA Europa League games will be shown live each matchnight, followed by a highlights programme.

Croatia Telekom has been awarded all rights in Croatia for the UEFA Champions League, except for the best-pick match on Wednesday. As a minimum, three UEFA Champions League games will be screened live each matchnight, followed by a highlights programme.

Die Übertragungen von der Biathlon-WM in Ruhpolding haben sich im Fernsehen als großer Erfolg erwiesen: Im Durchschnitt schalteten 4, ampoule 63 Millionen Zuschauer die Live-Berichterstattung im Ersten ein, ambulance was einem Marktanteil von 31, medical 5% bei den Übertragungen von Dienstag bis Sonntag, 6. bis 11. März 2012, entspricht. Das ZDF verbuchte mit insgesamt 4,59 Millionen Zuschauern und einem Marktanteil von 31,4% ähnlich hohe Werte. Das furiose Finale mit dem letzten WM-Rennen von Deutschlands Vorzeigebiathletin Magdalena Neuner ließen sich am Sonntag, 11. März, 6,34 Millionen Zuschauer nicht entgehen, so dass mit dem Massenstartrennen der Damen ein Marktanteil von 31,6% erreicht wurde. Bereits zuvor verfolgten durchschnittlich 5,60 Millionen Fernsehzuschauer (31,9% MA) den Massenstart der Herren.

Die höchsten Einzelmarktanteile der gesamten elftägigen Berichterstattung von ARD und ZDF erzielte Das Erste mit den Übertragungen der Staffelrennen: Dabei stießen der Sieg des deutschen Damenquartetts am Samstag (33,4% MA) und der dritte Rang der DSV-Herrenstaffel (33,3% MA) am Tag darauf auf gleich großes Interesse.

„Es ist nicht selbstverständlich, dass eine sechstätige Berichterstattung jeweils von durchgehend einem Drittel des Fernsehpublikums am Bildschirm verfolgt wird”, sagt ARD-Sportkoordinator Axel Balkausky. „Das Publikum konnte die spannenden Rennen und die einmalige Stimmung bei dieser hervorragend organisierten WM dank unserer umfassenden Berichterstattung hautnah am Fernseher miterleben und hat die große Qualität der Übertragungen entsprechend honoriert.”

Auch der Zuspruch für das ARD-Onlineangebot war immens: Auf die WM-Seiten unter www.sportschau.de wurden 5,92 Millionen Zugriffe registriert. Besonders gefragt waren dabei die Livestreams der Rennen. Auch die Möglichkeit zum Chatten mit ARD-Expertin Kati Wilhelm wurde ausgiebig genutzt. 

The Super Fight League has signed a deal with Viacom 18’s channel Colors to telecast its matches. 

The Super Fight League, India’s first professionally organised Mixed Martial Arts event, kicked off on Sunday. 

“We pride ourselves on being able to break this cricket dominated market with a new form of sport and entertainment for the audiences of India. I am happy with the Colors deal. It shows they are interested in this. It is a very, very interesting deal for us. The eyeball and the reach they have make our brand a huge potential for advertisers,” Kundra said. 

“Mixed Martial Arts is currently a craze in the US on television and we are excited to partner with the Super Fight League in India,” Colors chief executive Raj Nayak said in a statement. 

The Super Fight League tournament will happen around the year in different cities, with the first in Mumbai, followed by Chandigarh (April 7) and New Delhi (May 6). 

When asked if the television ratings of SFL could drop because of the Indian Premier League (IPL) that commences on April 4, Kundra, who also owns the IPLteam Rajasthan Royals, said the telecast of the mixed martial art event will be delayed to ensure that the viewers enjoyed both. 

“We want both the tournaments to get good viewership,” he said. 

Kundra also pointed out there were no IPL matches scheduled same day at Chandigarh or New Delhi, so the ticket sales should not be affected.

by Ismail Uddin

kabel eins und der ADAC setzen ihre Zusammenarbeit fort. Der private TV-Sender überträgt auch in diesem Jahr alle Rennen des ADAC GT Masters live. Der Rennkalender 2012 umfasst insgesamt 16 Rennen an acht Wochenenden. Der Saisonauftakt in der “Liga der Supersportwagen” steigt vom 31. März bis 1. April in der Motorsport Arena in Oschersleben.

Karl König, Geschäftsführer kabel eins: „Mit der Fortführung der erfolgreichen Partnerschaft mit dem ADAC stärken wir unsere jahrelange Auto-Kompetenz. Die Motorsport-Fans können sich erneut auf die Live-Übertragungen der ‘Liga der Supersportwagen’ freuen. kabel eins gibt weiter Vollgas.”

„Ich freue mich sehr über die weitere Zusammenarbeit mit kabel eins”, sagt ADAC Sportpräsident Hermann Tomczyk. “Gemeinsam mit kabel eins haben wir in den letzten Jahren intensiv am Erfolg und am Bekanntheitsgrad des ADAC GT Masters gearbeitet. Wir werden die in den letzten beiden Saisons gemachten Erfahrungen nutzen, um die TV-Liveübertragungen weiter zu optimieren und für den Zuschauer noch attraktiver zu gestalten. Zusammen mit kabel eins als TV-Live-Exklusivpartner wird ADAC GT Masters so beispielsweise auch im Rahmen von verschiedenen Cross-Promotion-Aktionen innerhalb der ProSiebenSat.1-Gruppe noch stärker vermarktet.”

Alle 16 Rennen des ADAC GT Masters 2012 starten samstags wie sonntags einheitlich um 12.30 Uhr. “ran Racing” berichtet immer ab 12.15 Uhr live von der jeweiligen Rennstrecke. 

MP & Silva, cialis a leading international sports media company, rx has announced their partnership with Ligue de Football Professionel (LFP) and Al Jazeera Sport (AJS) for the distribution of French Ligue 1 rights in Europe for the seasons 2012/13 to 2014/15.

The sales process will be managed and supported by the seven European offices of MP & Silva.

Also regarding French Ligue 1, anesthetist | MP & Silva will manage the international distribution of the internet betting rights for a six-year period.

In May 2011, the LFP signed a six-years agreement with Al Jazeera Sports for the distribution of its international rights, and the two companies have established together a very ambitious plan of development for Ligue 1 internationally, for the next two cycles of sales (2012/15 and 2015/18).

“The turnover generated from Ligue 1 international sales has been multiplied by almost four in last five seasons. With the best quality production in Europe, with brand new stadia (at least 10 before 2015) and the arrival of international investors in our Clubs, we can be very ambitious. We are very proud of the partnership in place with Al Jazeera Sports and consider together that the commercial power of MP&Silva will allow us to transform our projections into contracts with the most accurate broadcasters in Europe. The international coverage of Ligue 1 in the world is growing ever faster than we thought. We are confident in the future”, said Redha Chibani, International Development of the LFP.

Since 2004 MP & Silva has established itself as one of the international leaders in the management of sports betting rights, and the company now successfully manages the betting rights of more than 3,000 events annually.

by Ismail Uddin

TVG, America’s Horseracing Network, will televise the four-day 2012 Cheltenham Festival, jump racing’s most prestigious event, live from scenic Cheltenham Racecourse in England’s idyllic Cotswold region, beginning next Tuesday.

The Festival includes 28 events that feature the sport’s leading horses, jockeys and trainers.

“The Cheltenham Festival is the Super Bowl of jump racing played out over four days,” said Tony Allevato, TVG Executive Vice President. “We are excited to present all the action and drama of this unique equestrian event for our audience, many of whom might be experiencing it for the first time.”

Highlighting the Cheltenham Festival is the Cheltenham Gold Cup, scheduled for Friday at 10:20 a.m. ET. Contested at a distance of 3 5/16 miles over a course that includes 22 fences, the race is expected to feature a matchup between defending champion Long Runand two-time (2007, ’09) winner Kauto Star. Long Run, a 7-year-old, is ridden by Ruby Walsh, while Kauto Star, a 12-year-old, is guided by Sam Waley-Cohen, two of jump racing’s most popular jockeys.

by Ismail Uddin

The FIA has secured an agreement with the European Broadcast Union for the distribution of television coverage of this week’s Rally Mexico.

Both parties are discussing extending the agreement beyond the third round of the WRC.

A statement from the WRC said: “The FIA is pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached with the European Broadcast Union and its production house EPC for the distribution of the 2012 WRC Rally Guanajuato Mexico.

“Relying on a strong relationship with its members in rally’s territories and on an efficient international distribution network, the EBU has been retained for the next round of the FIA World Rally Championship and further discussions are planned to ensure consistent distribution and production for the remainder of the 2012 season.”

“In parallel, the FIA is currently assessing the numerous proposals received after the call for expression of interest it has launched to identify the best possible partner(s) to build a strong platform for the growth of the Championship from 2013 onwards.”

A decision on the outcome of the expressions of interest will be made on March 30. It is reported that close to 30 individuals and companies have made contact with the FIA to work in the WRC.

by Ismail Uddin