Three fights will air exclusively on DAZN in a variety of territories. DAZN will show live boxing once more, from 24 July, with three US cards in five weeks from Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Boxing USA. On Friday, 24 July it will air Vergil Ortiz Jr. against Samuel Vargas from Fantasy Springs Resort Casino […]
Category archives: Broadcast
Eleven Sports signs five year deal to show Belgian Pro League football
The OTT service has picked up exclusive media rights to the football league. Belgian’s Pro League has reached an agreement with Eleven Sports on a media contract for the coming five years. Under the agreement, Eleven Sports will show all Pro League football competitions – 1A, 1B, Women Super League, the Cup league, the Super […]
Today’s Battle of the Brits tennis tournament (Amazon Prime Video) schedule
Today’s games are listed below. The first behind-closed-doors tennis tournament, Battle of the Brits, is being held this week, with Amazon Prime Video streaming the event in the UK and Ireland. The competition sees Andy Murray making his return to the court. He won yesterday to reach the semi-finals. The tournament runs from Tuesday 23 […]
Japanese cable TV companies to offer DAZN subscriptions
DAZN has partnered with Japan Cable and Telecommunications Association (JCTA) to bring the sports streamer to cable TV households in Japan. Subscribers of participating cable TV companies will be able to add a DAZN subscription to their monthly cable TV bill. The service will be available on 10 cable TV providers in the Hokkaido, Tohoku, […]
Free-to-air triumphs with return of the Premier League
(This article first appeared in Broadcast. Words by Stephen Price) BBC1 Premier League match well ahead of Sky, BT and Amazon Premier League Football returned this week and the process of cramming 92 games in over a little over a month began on Wednesday. Most matches are on Sky Sports (64 live games), while BT […]
F1 and AWS create six real-time stats providing insight during races
The six on-screen graphics utilise Machine Learning to analyse real-time data gathered from F1 cars. Formula One is adding six real-time racing stats to its 2020 season. The on-screen graphics have been created using a range of Amazon Web Services (AWS) services, including machine learning. The first of the stats – Car Performance Scores – […]
COMMENT: Understanding why sports fans break the rules
Simon Brydon, senior director, sports rights anti-piracy, Synamedia, on why piracy of sports broadcasts remains a problem and what can be done about it. From spying on an opponent’s training session ahead of a crunch fixture to sandpapering the cricket ball, the dubious ways rules have been bent and broken to give sports teams an […]
DAZN triples Bundesliga coverage in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
The streamer wins four-year deal to extend its coverage of the German football league. DAZN is to triple its Bundesliga coverage in Germany, Austria and Switzerland from 2021, after picking up rights to show every Friday and Sunday Bundesliga football match. The streaming service will broadcast 106 matches per season in a four-year rights deal, […]
The return of sports brings with it the return of streaming pirates
Carlos Rocha Gonçalves at Jscrambler on what’s being done to try to keep the pirates at bay. At last, sport is slowly but surely returning — albeit looking very different to what we all remembered. The global lockdown has seen OTT streaming services soar in popularity and usage, and the return of the sports we […]
30 million views for F1 Esports – Virtual Grand Prix Series
Esports events bring in sizeable global audience. The F1 Esports – Virtual Grand Prix Series pulled in a total of 30 million views across TV and digital platforms during the lockdown period. The Virtual Grand Prix races attracted 21.8 million views on digital platforms alone. It was streamed on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch […]
BBC1’s Premier League debut peaks with 4.1m
Match was the second most-watched non-news offering of the day. The first ever Premier League match to play live on BBC1 peaked at 4.1m (26.1%) around the 30-minute mark on Saturday night. Across its 150-minute run it averaged 3.3m (20.4%) – behind the 4m (23.3%) slot average but the second most-watched non-news offering of the […]
Dugout to live stream behind-the-scenes football and esports content
The content provider’s live streams will include pre- and post-match interviews, action from the training ground and off-field activities. Football content specialist Dugout is launching its first live streaming service. The company, which is co-owned by a long list of many of the world’s biggest football clubs, is best known for providing ‘club-safe’ archive, behind-the-scenes […]
Premier League’s Return – The Broadcast Schedule For 4-13 July
Which broadcaster is showing which Premier League matches, 4-13 July. The schedule for Premier League matches for the next batch of games taking place from 4-13 July has now been revealed. This follows the schedule for the initial first three match rounds, which we unveiled earlier this month. The Premier League returned last night, with […]
LiveScore to live stream Serie A and Primeira Liga matches for free
LiveScore to integrate free live streams of Serie A and Primeira Liga games into its app. Real-time sports updates and results service LiveScore is launching a free live football streaming service after revealing its plans to become “a major new sports streaming platform”. LiveScore has secured live streaming rights for all remaining Serie A matches […]
Man City vs Arsenal is most-watched Sky Sports football game for 3 years
Return to Premier League football after three-month hiatus draws big audience for Sky Sports With pubs remaining closed and football having been off screens for three months, viewers tuned in in droves to watch Arsenal and Man City’s match-up, which kicked off at 8.15pm. The 2.6m (14.3%) who witnessed Arsenal’s drubbing across Sky Sports Main […]
Return of LaLiga sees 50% growth in international viewers
Spanish league makes big global gains in viewers following its return post-lockdown. LaLiga reports the global audience watching the league since the competition’s restart has grown by almost 50%. Figures from Nielson Sports, for the first matchday, reveal figures for international viewing rose by more than 48%. Certain territories were way above this – across […]
Extreme E makes TV debut with Channel 4 documentary
30-minute film will mark the first television appearance of Extreme E. Channel 4 is airing a documentary about futuristic motorsport Extreme E, which sees electric SUVs race off-road in extremely remote parts of the world. The film, titled How to Build a Racing Car, is scheduled for Thursday, 25 June – “right after Celebrity Gogglebox,” […]
SPORTEL CEO, Laurent Puons: “This year will be no exception”
Four months away from the flagship event, SPORTEL CEO, Laurent Puons confirms that it will be the “must-attend event” to get back on track after the period of uncertainty raised by the current COVID-19 crisis. How did the pandemic hit the sports industry? During these unprecedented times, with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic currently […]
Sky Sports has reportedly secured rebate deal with Premier League
Sky Sports looks set to receive compensation from clubs to mitigate against loss of revenue during lockdown. Sky Sports has reportedly come to a rebate agreement with the Premier League to cover the cancellation of games during the Covid-19 pandemic. During lockdown, with no Premier League games to show, Sky has had to offer refunds […]
BT Sport unveils £25/month Monthly Pass for Now TV
The pay-as-you-go option has been launched in time for the return of BT Sport’s Premier League matches at the weekend. BT Sport has launched a BT Sport Monthly Pass for Now TV devices. It costs £25 per month and enables owners of Now TV devices to watch BT Sport on a month-by-month basis. Existing BT […]
COMMENT: Esports and broadcast – The legal issues of partnership
Hayley Brady, partner and UK head of media and digital, Herbert Smith Freehills (pictured below) on the potential legal pitfalls to overcome when broadcasting esports events. The Covid-19 pandemic has stripped global television schedules of traditional content, with sports broadcasters instead sourcing a great deal of fresh content from esports. Well-publicised examples include Sky’s multi-day […]
UK Flat Track motorcycle racing documentary film in the making
The filmmaker behind a character-based film and mini series about the obscure motorsport and those that take part is currently looking for funding. Johny Mourgue, a director working within commercials, short films and docs (credits include FA Cup with Budweiser, Reebok and Channel 4’s Random Acts), is working on a film about Flat Track motorcycle […]
Optus Sport to show all remaining Premier League games
The broadcaster will show the return of the Premier League and also unveil a new OTT app. Australia’s Optus Sport is showing all 92 remaining live games of the 2019/20 Premier League season. In common with many other broadcasters screening live matches being played in empty stadiums, fans will have the option to watch games […]
BBC to air 50 hours of Wimbledon archive programming
Two-weeks of classic Wimbledon coverage will replace Wimbledon 2020 on the BBC. The BBC is to host 50+ hours of classic Wimbledon content from 29 June, to replace the cancelled Wimbledon 2020 tournament. Every weeknight from 8pm, BBC2 will serve up Wimbledon archive material, hosted by Sue Barker. She will be joined by Tim Henman […]
Eurosport to show weekend of esports featuring global sports superstars
Broadcaster to air extensive coverage from the weekend-long Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 competition. Eurosport is to screen this weekend’s celebrity esports tournament, Solidarity Challenge. The contest sees football, golf, rugby and athletics stars compete in an eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) 2020 tournament, while raising awareness and donations for the Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund for […]
Eurosport agrees seven-year deal to screen superbike series
Broadcaster renews deal with British superbike event it’s been showing live since 2008. Eurosport has renewed its media partnership with the Bennetts British Superbike Championship to show exclusive live coverage from the event. It has agreed a new seven-year deal with rights holders MotorSport Vision Racing, which begins in 2021. Eurosport will continue to air […]
Celtic FC brings in Sunset+Vine for fan-focused matchday content
Football club creates content for season ticket holders unable to attend games. Celtic Football Club has appointed Sunset+Vine Scotland to create matchday programming as part of a ‘televised ticket offering’ to supporters. With fans unable to attend matches during the pandemic, the club is creating a range of content from each game designed to give […]
The future of sports broadcasting rights in a post-Covid world
COMMENT: Tomos Jones, senior associate at global law firm Reed Smith on the changing value of sports rights in a post-Covid world. At the time of writing, live sports events are showing the first, tentative signs of ‘getting the show back on the road’. Major football and cricket events now have scheduled resumption dates, and […]
Scott Young, F1 head at Sky Sports to lead production at Eurosport
Major appointment will build on Eurosport’s recent tech-led transformation of its production operations. Eurosport has announced another high-profile appointment with the recruitment of Scott Young as senior vice president, production and content. Young has more than 30 years experience across live sports, major event production and on-screen innovation. Young joins from Sky Sports, where he’s […]
S4C takes Super Rugby tournament free-to-air
Welsh broadcaster to present weekly highlights programme from the tournament, available on BBC iPlayer. S4C has secured rights to show New Zealand’s Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament. The 10-week competition involves five New Zealand teams – Blues, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders and Warren Gatland’s Chiefs – playing each other home and away, with two matches played every […]
Eurosport hires Amar Melwani to bolster its D2C offering
Eurosport recruits OTT/D2C specialist to grow its D2C services. Eurosport has taken on Amar Melwani in the newly created position of vp, distribution partnerships and rights strategy. It’s part of a move by Eurosport to bolster its direct-to-consumer (D2C) efforts. Melwani joins from The Walt Disney Company where he worked on Disney+. He previously led […]
Premier League’s return – The broadcast schedule for first three rounds
Which broadcaster is showing which games, for the first three match rounds, and which games will be free-to-air. Here’s the full list of which broadcasters are showing which games for the first three rounds of the resumed 2019/20 Premier League season. Wednesday 17 June 18:00 Aston Villa v Sheffield Utd (Sky Sports) 20:15 Man City […]
Eurosport to show Norway’s Eliteserien football
The broadcaster will show at least the opening three match days of Norway’s premier football competition. Eurosport is to screen the first three match days of Norway’s Eliteserien football division. Action begins on Tuesday 16 June with champions Molde playing Aalesunds FK. Eurosport has exclusive rights to broadcast the games across Europe, and will show […]
BBC 2 schedules classic Test match and One Day cricket from the archives
Broadcaster unveils extensive schedule of Test and One Day International cricket highlights of matches from the archives, kicking off this month with vintage England v West Indies clashes. BBC 2 is re-running highlights from every Test and One Day International cricket match, starting in July. It’s also showing highlights from England v West Indies classic […]
Amazon Prime Video to stream its Premier League games for free
More Premier League games go free-to-air as the top-tier of British football returns from lockdown. Amazon Prime Video managing director, sport, Alex Green, has confirmed via twitter that the OTT platform will make all four Premier League games it is due to stream free-to-air. He said, simply: “Confirming that the four premier league matches given […]
Nascar first to use Facebook Venue second-screen live streaming app
App aimed at creating a better, more responsive second-screen experience. Facebook has launched a live streaming iOS and Android app called Venue, which focuses on enhancing fan engagement through the second-screen. It has been developed by Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team and aims to bring fans and expert commentators together to “experience live events in […]
Channel 4 to show 1966 World Cup final in full
Geoff Hurst joins Gabby Logan and Glenn Hoddle for charity broadcast next weekend. Football fans will be handed the rare opportunity to watch the entirety of England’s only ever World Cup final victory this Sunday afternoon on Channel 4. Footballing body Fifa has granted C4 the rights to the original 1966 footage of the nation’s […]
Amazon Prime Video to stream first UK behind-closed-doors tennis tournament
Live action from the UK tennis tournament will be streamed from 23-28 June. Amazon Prime Video has picked up the exclusive rights in the UK and Ireland for the behind-closed-doors tennis tournament, The Schroders Battle of the Brits. The six-day event (23-28 June) has been co-organised by Jamie Murray as a way to raise money […]
Premier League restart : Where to watch matches
The broadcast rights for the 92 Premier League games left to play. The return of the Premier League will see games shown on the widest range of UK broadcasters to date, with Sky Sports, BT Sport, BBC Sport and Amazon Prime all screening matches. There are 92 Premier League games left to play. Sky Sports […]
Premier League to return to TV on Wednesday 17 June
Confirmation that the 2019/20 season will return to competition. The Premier League will return on Wednesday 17 June, with two fixtures – Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal – being played. These are the two games that were in hand when the country went into lockdown – the Premier League was […]
Eurosport picks up European rights for live snooker’s return on 1 June
The deal covers all territories except the UK. Eurosport has picked up the live rights to screen snooker’s Championship League, which runs 1-11 June. The deal covers all territories in Europe except the UK. The tournament is being held in Milton Keynes, with 64 world-class players competing for total prize fund of £218,000. Players including […]
LaLigaTV goes free for a month as the Spanish football season resumes
The station provides 24/7 coverage of Spanish football, and is available via an app, or on Sky and Virgin. LaLigaTV is being offered for free throughout June, as the Spanish football season resumes after lockdown. Those wanting to take up the offer can register their details at premiersports.com with the promo code BACKTOWIN. From 1 […]
BBC Alba to bring live football back to free-to-air TV from Saturday
The Scottish broadcaster is the first free-to-air channel to show live sports since lockdown. Scottish free-to-air channel BBC Alba is to air live coverage of German women’s Bundesliga. It becomes the first UK free-to-air broadcaster to show live sport since lockdown. Its exclusive live coverage of the games will start this Saturday (30 May). BBC […]
LiveScore to add live football streaming to app and website
Popular scores app aims to become a major sports streaming service. Sports scores app LiveScore is working with OTT specialist StreamAMG to add live football streaming to its website and app. The platform will host live matches and on-demand content from football clubs and media outlets, and says it will become “a major new sports […]
Eurosport to air MotoAmerica Superbike Championship from this weekend
Live sport returns to the broadcaster, in the UK and France. Eurosport has picked up rights to show all 10 rounds of America’s premier motorcycle championship, the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, in the UK and France. The series, which will begin behind-closed-doors, will also be available to watch on Eurosport in 54 countries and territories in […]
Report predicts huge growth in sports content on mobiles, paid by DCB
Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) set to become a popular way to pay for sports content on mobile devices. A new report says revenue from Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for sports content on mobiles, such as instant highlights, streamable matches and behind-the-scenes footage, is set to grow significantly in the coming years. The report, The Future […]
DAZN owner looks to sell an equity stake in the company
The pandemic sports cancellations are having a huge impact on the sports streamer. The owner of DAZN is reportedly looking to sell a stake in the company to raise revenue. According to a report in The Financial Times, DAZN owner Len Blavatnik is “exploring ways to inject new money into the loss making business”. It […]
Podcast: Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui
Eurosport’s re-runs of London 2012 includes Mo Farah, Bradley Wiggins, Greg Rutherford and many other Team GB athletes recollecting the events over Zoom calls with presenter Orla Chennaoui. She describes how it all happened in this podcast. With TV studios on lockdown, Eurosport presenter Orla Chennaoui turned to Zoom to film interviews with a who’s […]
Formula 1 agrees deal with Gfinity for production of F1 Esports Series
The deal is for a two-year extension to the relationship between the two companies that began in 2017. Formula 1 has extended its relationship with esports company Gfinity for content production and operational support around the F1 Esports Series in 2020 and 2021, and the 2022 qualifying events. The Gfinity Arena in London will be […]
Graham Wallace joins Eleven Sports investor Aser Ventures as CFO
High-profile appointment for the investment platform. Aser Ventures Group, whose portfolio of companies includes Eleven Sports, has appointed Graham Wallace as chief corporate and finance officer. Wallace joins from Gfinity, while his CV includes CFO for MTV Europe and CFO for IMG Media. He has also held leadership roles in football as Manchester City COO […]
M2A Media unveils cloud-based live video platform
The service is described as a user-friendly, cost-effective alternative to satellite and fibre. Cloud-based video specialist M2A Media has launched a new live video cloud distribution platform it describes as “a flexible and cost-effective alternative to satellite and fibre.” M2A Connect enables producers to schedule and automate the global delivery of live feeds, via a […]
BT Sport gets five-fold increase in Bundersliga audience
Broadcast reveals large audience ratings for return of German football. BT Sport has revealed impressive ratings for its weekend of German football, with Saturday’s match between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke pulling in 1.4m people across its TV and digital platforms. The average viewing figures across the five Bundesliga matches on BT Sport’s three channels on […]
GolfTV to provide free live coverage of golf skins match this weekend
Charity skins match with some of world’s best golfers to be shown for free in most territories by GolfTV. Live golf is returning to GolfTV on Sunday as it broadcasts a charity skins match. The TaylorMade Driving Relief will be streamed on GolfTV everywhere outside of the US and will be made available for free. […]
Behind the scenes: Sunset+Vine reveals how it makes shows during lockdown
Production house reveals the innovative way it is embracing live remote TV production during the Covid-19 crisis. This short video, presented by Sunset+Vine executive producer Stephen Booth, explains in 2m21s exactly how the producer has made remote production with presenters and crew at home the “new normal.”
BT Sport launches Champions League goals archive show
Broadcaster brings back ‘retro’ version of the UEFA Champions League Goals Show. BT Sport has recreated what it says is one of its most popular shows by creating the UEFA Champions League Goals Show: Retro. Beginning on Sunday (17 May), James Richardson takes a look back at the most iconic Champions League games from the […]
BT Sport to air top-tier live football again as Bundesliga returns
Live football returns to UK screens at the weekend on BT Sport. BT Sport has revealed details of its Bundesliga coverage as it returns this weekend. The broadcaster will exclusively cover the matches live in the UK, screening nine Bundesliga matches this weekend (Saturday 16 May-Monday 18 May). It will then broadcast every match for […]
Behind the scenes: Matze Knop’s Home Office (Sky Sports News Deutschland HD)
Marius Fischer, the editor on Sky Sports News Deutschland HD daily sports-focused comedy series, Matze Knop’s Home Office, explains how it’s being put together during lockdown. With top flight schedules at a standstill, sports broadcasters are working around the clock to produce content that not only fills the gaps, but offers positivity and support during […]
Tennis Channel broadcasts live tennis tournament from Florida
The three-day event went out live over the weekend. The channel’s next live tennis is scheduled for later this month. LA-based Tennis Channel has broadcast live coverage of the three-day men’s tennis event, UTR Pro Match Series, which took place over the weekend. The tournament, staged in West Palm Beach, Florida, featured two top-10 ranked […]
BT Sport kick starts first of series of esports formats in partnership with Gfinity
BT Sport FIFA Challenge is the first in a series of esports formats BT Sport hopes will continue after the pandemic. BT Sport has unveiled a celebrity-led esports series, in partnership with Gfinity. The BT Sport FIFA Challenge series includes Robbie Savage, Joe Cole and Ugo Monye captaining teams with rugby and football stars. There’s […]
LaLiga launches new series in advance of the league’s re-start
Production provides news and views as the Spanish football season prepares to resume. Movistar has launched a new weekly LaLiga series, leading up to the start of the competition after lockdown. The programme – El Partidazo #VolverEsGanar – kicked off yesterday (Sunday 10 May) at 10pm and included a live interview with LaLiga president, Javier […]
Eurosport to air week-long 2012 Olympics re-run with Team GB medallists
The eight-part series will broadcast highlights of a different sport each episode, with interviews with a large number of Team GB’s victorious athletes. Eurosport is dedicating a week of coverage to the London 2012 Olympic Games at the end of this month (24-31 May), showcasing the key moments from Team GB’s record-breaking Olympic success. The […]
BT Sport to air The Isolation eRacing Series
Broadcaster returns to esports during lockdown, with the first weekly installment TX’ing tonight. BT Sport is televising new virtual motorsports esports tournament, The Isolation eRacing Series. The 100+ pro drivers taking part include stars from Formula One (Lando Norris and Nicholas Latifi), Formula E (Oliver Rowland) and other motorsports. Drivers will compete using virtual F3 […]
Eurosport to show classic stages from Giro D’Italia in new interactive show
90-minute daily live and on-demand show includes quizzes and polls. Eurosport has unveiled a 90-minute live and on-demand interactive daily show re-running the most memorable stages of Giro d’Italia from the last seven years. As part of a collaboration with Global Cycling Network (GCN), Eurosport is launching Giro d’Italia Classic Stages on Saturday 9 May […]
K League to work with Grabyo as season kicks off again
Cloud-based platform will enable remote production of live matches on social media. The season opening return of K League tomorrow (Friday, 8 May) is being produced for social media remotely using Grabyo. The match – between Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Suwon Samsung Bluewings – is being broadcast on K League’s YouTube and Twitter channels at […]
Optus Sport wins K League rights for Australia
Live football in the K League begin again tomorrow. Optus Sport has picked up the Australian rights to South Korea’s top division of football, K League. It’s the second major Asian football win for Optus Sport following its acquisition of J.League rights for Australia earlier this year. The K League is one of the first […]
Matchroom Sport launches OTT platform with free-to-air archive content
The new Matchroom Live platform will provide both live streams of tournaments (to subscribers) and free archive sports content. Matchroom Sport has teamed up with sports streaming specialist StreamAMG to create new OTT platform, Matchroom Live, which provides fans worldwide access to its portfolio of events. Matchroom Live will host live streams of Matchroom Sports […]
World’s Strongest Man turns to DIY ‘Home Edition’ format for Snapchat
The strongmen will use heavy household objects, including their own cars, for the lockdown format. The World’s Strongest Man organisation has launched a Snapchat spin-off during lockdown, called the World’s Strongest Man: Home Edition. It runs on Snapchat’s Discover page every Monday for the next 11 weeks, with eight of the world’s strongmen lifting ‘imaginative’ […]
COMMENT: How to handle archives of sports content
Nick Pearce-Tomenius, sales and marketing director, Object Matrix explains how and why it pays to make archives accessible. When COVID-19 restrictions started being introduced, the cancellation of sports fixtures was greeted with respect from fans who fully understood that the health of the community was the priority. But sports broadcasting hasn’t been easy to replace. […]
SailGP reschedules 2020 season to 2021, voids 2020 Sydney race
High octane catamaran race tournament ditches 2020 season due to the pandemic. SailGP, the race series featuring supercharged F50 catamarans, has suspended this year’s season, rescheduling all races to 2021. The results from the 2020 Sydney race – the first and only completed SailGP event of the year – will be null and void. The […]
BBC Sport preps summer of presenter-led archive re-runs
Contingency plan couples magazine formats with archive classics. BBC Sport has begun prepping for when the worst of the current Covid-19 restrictions are lifted as it readies magazine formats to accompany archive classics over the summer. Head of TV sport Phillip Bernie is drawing up contingency plans for how to film formats in a semi-lockdown […]