German public broadcaster ARD "is reportedly interested in acquiring the TV rights for EuroBasket 2015 qualification games of the German national basketball team." The news "comes as a surprise" after ARD recorded only average ratings for its broadcast of EuroBasket 2013. The report suggests that ARD "would not show the games on its primary channel but on its regional channels." In addition, the DBB Supercup "could also become part of the ARD program" (DWDL, 7/7). ... German pay-TV channel Sky Deutschland announced that it "will cancel its sports talk show 'Samstag Live!'" (QUOTENMETER, 7/7). ... Arsenal now has 4 million followers on Twitter. It is the third team in the world -- and the first in the U.K. -- to reach the milestone, after Barcelona and Real Madrid (Arsenal). ... British Eurosport recorded "strong TV ratings for Yorkshire's stages in the Tour de France" with a 60% increase in its average live audience in the U.K. compared to last year's opening weekend in Corsica. Both stages were "broadcast in full for a total of 10 hours live" (ADVANCED TELEVISION, 7/8).
