Despite the "big noise of reality TV wars, Australia's most-watched TV event" for '17 was the Australian Football League Grand Final. More than 2.7 million viewers "flocked to Channel 7 to see" Adelaide beat Richmond by 48 points. The Grand Final "helped Channel 7 claim victory overall in the ratings year, as the network pipped closest contender Channel 9" by 0.1% (HERALD SUN, 12/5).
Mediaset Spain announced an agreement with FIFA to exclusively broadcast all 64 games of the 2018 World Cup via free-to-air channels Telecinco and Cuatro. The broadcaster also carried the 2010 and 2014 World Cups (TELECOMPAPER, 12/4).
News Corp Australia is "refusing to apply for accreditation to attend" the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics in a "dispute over coverage rights." It "will provide coverage" of the CWG from "outside the official venues." The decision "comes after the parties failed to reach a deal to relax restrictions around the use of pictures and video from events online" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 12/5)
Orange Belgium and Eleven Sports "signed a deal on the distribution of Eleven Sports 3." The channel "brings live football matches from La Liga, Serie A or Ligue 1" (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 12/5).
The BBC will show England's opening two World Cup group matches against Tunisia and Panama next summer, with ITV screening its match with Belgium. England opens the tournament against Tunisia on Monday June 18 and play Panama on Sunday June 24. The World Cup broadcasters chose "their split of the 64 matches at the tournament in Russia following a round of negotiations after the draw was made in Moscow on Friday" (London DAILY MAIL, 12/5).
League Two club Yeovil Town took to "popular dating app Tinder to reveal the signing" of Oscar Gobern. A short video on the club's Twitter account showed it swiping left -- to indicate it did not like -- Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo "before settling on Gobern." Shortly after, Gobern "returned the compliment and club and player were matched" (DAILY MAIL, 12/5).
Sky Sports is "on the verge of agreeing a new deal to cover the Masters, thereby allaying fears the subscription channel could lose a second major championship." It emerged last summer that Sky's Masters contract had ended in '17 without immediate renewal. However, Sky has all but "confirmed an extension with Augusta which will, as per typical Masters partnerships, not be on a multiyear basis" (IRISH TIMES, 12/4).
Saran Media "picked up the rights in Turkey" to the FIFA Club World Cup for the next two years. The media rights agency's exclusive deal covers all media rights for the tournament, including live, delayed and highlights rights across all TV, online and mobile platforms (SOCCEREX, 12/4).
