(10-05-2022, 07:33 AM)Rdd Wrote: They don’t appear to be, the mods on DS have closed that thread. The rights are up though, and LaLiga issued the tender back in January. As you might recall they had awful trouble getting someone to meet their reserve the last time round (they overvalued their own product) and ITV4 ended up showing a few games at the start of the 2019-20 season before the deal was finally done with Premier Sports. This came after their disastrous dalliance with Eleven Sports which lasted a season.
Even if Channel 4 did win the rights I doubt they’d commit to 10 games per round, it would probably be more like one or two. I suspect a pay TV partner would be a possibility then. Please not Viaplay though, if that happens the likelihood will be that there will be no ROI coverage.
The latest official rumour was that La Liga had sided with the obscurity of the boxing platform Fite of all places. Makes Eleven Sports aquiring them sound like a normal business decision.
https://www.sportbusiness.com/news/exclu...hts-in-uk/
In other foottball rights news, UEFA have agreed a deal for the French rights (I think only of France matches) for the upcoming Nations League. With three weeks to go, no announcement yet on non-England matches in the UK and Ireland.
https://advanced-television.com/2022/05/...efa-deals/
Rugby Union
Similar to its football equivalent, changes in format to the Heinken Champions Cup was announced today. Next season, the competition will take place over eight weekends instead of the nine that it has this season, meaning that widely praised two legged Round of 16 is no more. The one legged Ro16 and quarter-finals will take place in consecutive weeks with a few weeks gap then to the semi-finals and then to the final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The format for the group stage will be announced ahead of the final, with the South African URC sides expected to join.
https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2022/0510...cup-games/
Personally, I was a bit apprehensive about the two-legged knockout ties, but they were an absolute success in the end and it's a shame to see them be scrapped. The two groups of 12 format for the pool stage (which is likely what next season's system will be based on) was a bit odd and hard to work out IMO so I would rather a return to the more straightforward groups of 4 of old; but like the UCL that looks to have gone for good.
And there is also reports of a new format/competition for international rugby matches which is based on the failed Nations Championship of a few yaers ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/m...tournament
And France tv has agreed a deal to continue to show the entirety of the Six Nations and Women's Six Nations and France's Autumn Internationals until 2025 inclusive. It means both tournaments will remain fully FTA in five of the six competing nations.
https://advanced-television.com/2022/05/...vert-deal/
Rugby League
Two major developments in one here. Firstly, the RFL and Super League are to become one once again. And they have announced a 12 year 'strategic partnership' with IMG to 'transform rugby league'. High up on the agenda will be reforming the Super League, with relegation being dropped again a possible outcome.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/61392328
https://rugby-league.com/article/37254/r...p-with-img
Football again
UEFA also confirmed today that the 2023 UEFA Europa Conference League final will be in Prague, with Istanbul (UCL) and Budapest (UEL) already confirmed to also host finals next year.
https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/mediaser...-approved/
And finally, the schedule of Euro 2024 has been published. The final will be in Berlin, the opening match in Munich, the semi-finals in Munich and Dortmund. The daily schedule looks identical to Euro 2020, with the final group matches taking place over four days (Sunday & Monday x1 group, Tuesday & Wednesday x2 groups), the Ro16 over four days (Saturday-Tuesday) and quarter-finals over two days (Friday & Saturday). The most significant takeaway is the exact kick-offs of each match will not be announced until after the final draw (like Qatar 2022). Would be nice to have a big match like England v. Wales at 14:00 on a Thursday again, which this should avoid.
https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/027...hedule.pdf
Thinks that covers a lot of the developmennts of what seemed a very busy day.