Latest in sports rights

Former ESPN President John Skipper, who led the effort to secure the current NBA rights deal, says incumbents Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery have no choice but to re-up with the league. “These are existential rights for ESPN,” he said during an episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out, a podcast…

Endeavor President and COO Mark Shapiro said the ultimate resolution of the WGA strike will improve the fortunes of the company’s representation business. “This is a growth opportunity for us,” Shapiro said during an appearance at the JP Morgan Technology, Media and Communication Conference. “When…

Perry Sook, CEO of The CW parent Nexstar, said the network’s deal this year to broadcast the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit has led to talks with “everyone” in the vibrant sports rights marketplace. “It announced to the world that we were willing to program sports on the weekends,” he said of the…

LIV Golf, a professional tour that launched its challenge to the PGA Tour last year with $2 billion in backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, has finally landed a U.S. TV deal. The new outfit signed a multi-year pact with the CW, helping the broadcast network move closer toward its goal…

Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos affirmed recent comments from the company that they are not — despite strong indications from insiders as recently as last month — intending to bid on sports rights. “We’ve not seen a profit path” from “renting big-league sports,” the exec shrugged during a keynote session…

Shares of WWE jumped to a new 52-week high Monday, rising more than 10% amid executive and financial tumult on speculation that Vince McMahon's exit could nudge a sale of the company. "This is a challenging environment with the equities of most of the logical buyers depressed, but there is demand for live event…

Today is the day when bids are to be submitted for rights to the Indian Premier League, whose cricket games are a massive draw across South Asia and other parts of the world and have helped propel the global rollout of Disney+. After taking on cricket as part of its $71.3 billion acquisition of most of 21st Century…

Formula 1 is back on familiar turf this weekend at the Monaco Grand Prix, a glamour-wrapped race that has been a fixture since 1929. While many of the track contours and Côte d’Azur vistas are little changed, the auto racing circuit itself has a decidedly revamped look. Earlier this month, it made a splashy debut in…

After a conversation covering broadband, wireless spectrum, DOCSIS and other “wonky” corners of Charter Communications’ business, CEO Tom Rutledge saved his pay-TV punches for the closing stretch. “We still think about it a lot,” the exec said of cable TV in a keynote session at Morgan Stanley’s Technology, Media…

NBC Sports will televise USFL games along with Fox Sports when the pro football league returns in a new incarnation next spring. Starting in April, NBCUniversal will carry 21 USFL games in 2022, with eight on NBC, nine on USA Network and four on Peacock. Fox will have 22 games, 12 on its flagship broadcast network and…

Paul Rabil, the most recognizable name in the sport of lacrosse, is retiring as a player in order to focus on building the Professional Lacrosse League. The PLL, which played its first season in 2019, is coming to the end of a three-year rights deal with NBCUniversal. Its games initially aired on NBCSports Network and…

Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the company is more committed to “sports-adjacent” programming than acquiring live rights. The company has expanded its portfolio of documentaries and series about high-profile athletes and sports. Successful examples include Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance (which Netflix…