Channel 4's coverage of England's victory over France in their Women's Euro 2017 quarterfinal attracted the "biggest ever" U.K. TV audience for a women's football match. The coverage had a peak of 3.3 million viewers and averaged 2 million viewers "with a 10.4% share of audience" on Sunday. It also "outperformed Channel 4's slot average for all individuals as well as Channel 4's key demographics" (CAMPAIGN LIVE, 7/31). The match drew an average audience of 3.7 million viewers to France 3. The number translated to an 18% market share (L’ÉQUIPE, 7/31).
BT Sport is set to strengthen its commitment to esports TV broadcasting by showing the Gfinity Elite Series throughout August and into September. The tournament features eight franchises that advanced through the Gfinity Challenger Series (BT Sport).
RedArmy.TV, a weekly TV show staffed entirely by volunteer League Championship side Middlesbrough fans, is "set to return to TV" for another season. The 30-minute show has been "re-commissioned for a second season by TV channel Made in Teesside" (BDAILY, 7/31).
German media and technology company Wige Media "agreed to sell its 51% share in Sport Media Group" to U.S.-based Motorsport Network. Wige Media will "achieve a cash flow" of €2.45M ($2.89M) and a "profit in its books" of around €600,000 ($708,000), the company announced in Cologne (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 7/31).
Joey Barton has been announced as the new co-host of talkSPORT's flagship radio show, Matchday Live, "from the opening weekend of the Premier League season." The 34-year-old joins talkSPORT "as he serves his 13-month suspension, reduced from 18 months on appeal, handed to him by the FA in April for gambling on football matches" (London DAILY MAIL, 8/1).
