ESPN Brasil "will show the Copa do Brasil this year and next after sub-licensing a package of rights" to the domestic football competition from rights holder Globosat. As part of the deal, the subscription broadcaster "will also show highlights of Brazil’s four major state championships -- in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul -- and the Serie A and B national leagues."
ESPN joins Globo, Sportv and Fox Sports "as a domestic broadcaster of the Copa do Brasil" (SOCCEREX, 2/3). ... New research said that the number of pay-TV homes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) "will reach 21.3 million in 2020, doubling over the ten-year period from 2010 to 2020." The Digital TV Research report claims that 18% of TV households in the MENA region "legitimately paid for TV signals by the end of 2014, with this proportion due to climb to 24% by 2020."
Qatar "is tipped to have record 72% pay TV penetration by 2020, with Israel just behind at 71%" (DIGITAL TV EUROPE, 2/3). ... England Hockey and the European Hockey Federation announced that the BBC will broadcast the EuroHockey Championships 2015, which will be staged in London on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, on Aug. 21-30.
All of England and Scotland’s pool matches will be shown on the BBC red button, BBC Sport website and the free smartphone app, with the men’s and women’s field hockey finals on BBC Two should a home nation qualify. This will be supported with coverage on BBC Radio 5 live and the best of the tournament news on the BBC Sport website (England Hockey).
