Eleven Sports agreed to a new live and exclusive rights agreement with the English Football League for five years. The arrangement means that Eleven will continue to deliver the League Championship, League One, League Two and the EFL Cup to fans in Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland. The five-year deal follows the original two-season partnership which was agreed before the start of the '15-16 season (Eleven Sports).
Football Federation Australia extended its agreement with media advisory firm Futures Sport + Entertainment through '20. Futures' client list covers five of Australia's six biggest rights holders: FFA, National Rugby League, Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia and the Australian Rugby Union (Futures Sport).
WWE and Foxtel extended their partnership into its 18th year with a new agreement to broadcast WWE programming in Australia (WWE).
League Championship side Hull City announced a new deal with Viking FM to commentate on matches this season. The radio station will "gain exclusive commentary for all of Hull City's 46 home and away games, as well as cup fixtures," throughout the '17-18 season (HULL DAILY MAIL, 7/31).
Plans to create a pay-TV joint venture between Canal+ and Telecom Italia (TIM) are "set to be put forward before the TIM control and risk committee in August before being submitted to the board for approval," according to Vivendi CEO & TIM Exec Chair Arnaud de Puyfontaine. De Puyfontaine said that he "asked the team at Telecom Italia to engage in discussions with Canal+ to create the planned JV, which will be based on the acquisition of pay TV rights, co-production of series and films, and other activities" (DIGITAL TV EUROPE, 8/1).
