Sky TV in 'advanced discussions' over wide-ranging RWC rights deal

Nearly five months after completing a mad dash to build and launch their direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Jazz+ , the NBA's Utah Jazz and team owner, Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), took time out for a little home run trot … or, perhaps more appropriately, a little impromptu three-point celebration while trotting back downcourt in…

Matt is joined by sports business journalist and Puck contributor John Ourand to discuss ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery teaming up to create a new over-the-top sports streaming platform that will air live sports from ESPN, TNT, FS1, and more. They discuss the dynamics of this deal, why this is happening, how it will affect the future of…

Bookie, the acclaimed crime-comedy show starring Sebastian Maniscalco, has been *ahem* booked for a season outing just weeks after its season 1 finale. Per Variety, the Max series, which is the brainchild of Chuck Lorre (The Big Bang Theory) and Nick Bakay (The Angry Beavers), will return for its sophomore season on HBO Max's successor after it…

Tonight in Unpacks: NBC's Chuck Todd, who helped launch Sports Business Daily in 1994, ran through a bevy of sports and political topics at Day 1 of the Dealmakers event today in D.C., and as SBJ's Alex Silverman reports, he's worried about the state of college athletics. NASCAR finalizes $7.

Amid the accelerating collapse of the regional sports network business and Diamond Sports Group's ongoing bankruptcy proceedings, MLB is ready to step up on behalf of its clubs in unprecedented fashion. After taking over the production and distribution of the San Diego Padres' and Arizona Diamondbacks' broadcasts in 2023, commissioner Rob Manfred…

Order has been restored with this glamour franchise. With LeBron James somehow denying Father Time and Anthony Davis somehow staying healthy, the Lakers are back in the business of being a contender. Those two core players plus a decent supporting cast will make the TV networks happy and the league healthy. What's new? Austin Reaves had an amazing…

No question, the Dallas Mavericks light up scoreboards with ease behind one of the NBA's most lethal backcourts in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Finishing sixth in offensive rating (116.1) in 2022-23, the Mavericks re-signed Irving in free agency, before addressing the team's most significant flaws on defense through the Draft and free…

Matt is joined by JB Perrette, president and CEO of global streaming and games at Warner Bros. Discovery, to discuss WBD's simulcasting live sports option on its streaming platform, Max; why they're doing this; growing direct to consumer without turning their back on linear channels; where the future of live sports is; maintaining a relationship…

Several stars are betting on cycling making inroads in the U.S. as the NBA's Kevin Durant, ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard, and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins have made new investments in the National Cycling League. The league's inaugural three-race season continues August 13 at Denver's Dick's Sporting Goods Park, home of MLS club…

TNT Sports will offer an all-woman football presenting team when the new season gets under way. The successor to BT Sport launched Tuesday morning with a promise to do "Right by the Fans" - and ambitions to increase their Prem coverage in the next TV rights deal. But fans will immediately see the approach has changed with big name signing Laura…

In a bid to challenge Mukesh Ambani JioCinema's growth in the country, Disney+ Hotstar on Friday announced that Asia Cup and ICC Men's Cricket World Cup tournaments will be made available as free-to-view to all mobile phone users accessing their application. The move by Disney+Hotstar has come at a time when Asia's richest person Ambani is betting…

TV viewers and advertisers might not be too excited for an NBA Finals matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. In the second Finals in 13 years without LeBron James, Steph Curry, or both, the national spotlight will finally hit emerging stars like the Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and the Heat's Jimmy Butler. While it's no Boston Celtics-Los…

On Tuesday, the NHL announced a YouTube show called Stanley Cup Central that will air Monday-Thursday throughout the Conference Semifinals and Finals. The second screen experience will focus on one game per evening, beginning with Panthers-Maple Leafs on Tuesday. Among all of the other individuals that will be featured, one stood out from the pack:…

March Madness 2023 is in full swing with NCAA Tournament Round 1 games underway today for men's college basketball. There will be 16 Round 1 games played on Thursday, March 16 and you can watch them all with live broadcasts on CBS, TNT, TBS and on truTV. Here's a look at today's games, and there will be 16 more Round 1 matchups kicking off tomorrow…

BT SPORT will be renamed as TNT Sports following a merger with Warner Bros Discovery. WBD also own Eurosport, and under the merger both BT Sport and Eurosport are set to disappear from TV screens. TNT Sports will incorporate the live offerings from both BT Sport and Eurosport. WBD acquired BT Sport last year in a deal reportedly worth…

The first tennis Grand Slam event of 2023 is nearly upon us. The 2023 Australian Open will start in January with the world's top players battling down under for the exclusive right to be named the first Grand Slam winner of the season. The men's Australian Open was won by Rafael Nadal in 2022. The tennis legend will be in Australia for this year's…

Last June, Vince McMahon retired from his position on the WWE board and handed created control over to his son-in-law Paul Levesque, otherwise known as HHH (Triple H). At 77, time for me to retire. Thank you, WWE Universe. Then. Now. Forever. Together. #WWE #thankful - Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) July 22, 2022 On Monday of last week, Vince…

The potential sale of WWE is one of the big topics of 2023, and betting odds have been revealed on who is most likely to make the buy. Vince McMahon's return to the WWE board was done with the notion of maximizing sale potential, and Bovada has betting odds on who might by the company. The frontrunner by the betting odds is Comcast, followed by…

Despite paying millions of dollars to lure big-name players away from the established PGA Tour, the Saudi Arabian-funded LIV Golf Series remains without a UK broadcaster. The event is about to enter its second year without a broadcaster and has so far been restricted to distributing coverage online through Facebook and YouTube. It has now emerged…

The NHL's Board of Governors (BOG) have assembled in Florida this week for their annual meetings. The two-day event primarily focuses on business aspects of league operations but also discusses other pertinent topics related the league. Here is a quick roundup of the latest news reported from day one of the meetings held at the Breakers Resort in…

After a stellar playing career, Diana Matheson is developing Canada's first professional women's soccer league. (Getty Images) Project 8 co-founder Diana Matheson explains the business strategy behind the new eight-team league, while Vancouver Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster explains why the club had no hesitation in joining the startup venture. You…

Warner Bros. Discovery Sports will exclusively present the seventh edition of the Sports Emmy-nominated premier live golf event series Capital One's The Match, featuring four of the most accomplished golfers in the world - Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. Woods and McIlroy will team up to face Thomas and Spieth under the…

The NBA today announced that all Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 games - featuring French star and top 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama - will be available for free on the new NBA App throughout the 2022-23 LNB Betclic ELITE regular season and playoffs. The live streams will debut on Saturday, Oct. 29, when the Metropolitans 92 play JL…

The winners will be revealed at the Broadcast Sport Awards gala dinner at London Hilton on Park Lane, London on 1 November 2022 Broadcast Sport has announced the shortlist for the prestigious Broadcast Sport Awards 2022. The Broadcast Sport Awards 2022 honour the most creative and inspiring examples of sports production, sports broadcast and…

Three of the top television companies in American sports delivered a bombshell announcement Tuesday that said they were forming a joint "all-in-one" streaming service that will provide sports content from all the major pro sports leagues, plus college football, college basketball and more. But what does that mean to the average sports viewer? ESPN,…