ESPN announced it has acquired the exclusive broadcast rights in Brazil for the English Premier League for the '16-17 through the '18-19 seasons. The agreement includes exclusive rights for all media, including pay-TV, streaming (WatchESPN), VOD and other exclusive content. During the past two seasons, ESPN has grown the EPL's pay-TV audience on its networks in Brazil by 149%. ESPN Brazil's coverage of the EPL will air across a variety of multimedia platforms, including TV networks ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Brasil. Watch ESPN, ESPN Brazil's broadband network, and its national digital platforms ESPN.com.br and ESPN Sync, its second screen app, will also offer extensive coverage each season (ESPN). ... BT Sport will continue to air comprehensive highlights of all 11 rounds of the second season of the FIA Formula E Championship (Formula E). ... Chinese OTT broadcaster LeTV has signed a sub-licensing agreement with PCCW for EPL rights in Hong Kong. PCCW, which owns Hong Kong pay-TV channel Now TV, has reached an agreement but details are yet to be worked out. Financial terms have not been revealed either (LeTV). ... The Int'l Hockey Federation has announced the latest broadcast partners for the Hero Hockey World League Final matches on TV and online during the competition. The broadcast partners confirmed so far include: Star Sports (India), Canal Siete (Argentina), NOS (Netherlands), Astro (Malaysia), OSN (North Africa and United Arab Emirates), Supersport (South Africa), PTV (Pakistan) and Willow TV (U.S.A.) (PUNJAB NEWS EXPRESS, 9/23).
IN SPAIN: Spanish Superior Sports Council (CSD) President Miguel Cardenal on Thursday spoke with Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) President José Luis Saez to "consider the possibility of taking legal actions against a Le Monde reporter who insinuated that Pau Gasol is doping." Cardenal: "We are not going to allow these types of situations." The article in question was titled "The secrets of the youth of Pau Gasol" and alluded to a supposed relationship between Gasol and doctor Nicolás Terrados, who was involved in the Festina scandal during the '98 Tour de France, but was later absolved (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 9/24). ... After closing practice -- beyond the first 15 minutes -- to journalists, Barcelona has decided, following a request from Manager Luis Enrique's coaching staff, to "not allow journalists to travel on the team plane to away games." The measure "is reportedly not official," but it is "imminent." The club's trip to Belarus on Oct. 19 for a Champions League game against BATE "could be the first in which journalists do not share a plane with the players" (SPORT, 9/24).
