December 17 – LaLiga is striking at the heart of English Premier League broadcast territory with the country’s first dedicated football channel on the SkyTV platform.
December 16 – Juventus have extended their Official Water deal with Chinese mineral water firm Ganten for another three years, taking them through to 2023.
December 16 – In an unprecedented move that illustrated the country’s sensitivity over human rights issues, China’s state broadcaster pulled Sunday’s Arsenal-Manchester showpiece fixture from its broadcast schedule after Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil criticised Beijing’s brutal crackdown on ethnic Muslims.
December 16 – Japanese eFootball gamemaker Konami has added LaLiga’s RCD Mallorca to partner clubs. Mallorca will feature in the 2020 edition of the game.
December 13 – Digital sport consultancy Seven League has released its 2020 Digital Trends for Sport report, and for anyone on the business side of sport grappling with their own digital strategy it is a focussing read.
December 13 – Online retail and delivery business turned entertainment streaming giant Amazon has taken another step into the live football rights market securing the rights to show selected Champions League matches in Germany.
By Paul Nicholson
December 12 – The five-year deal between Scotland’s SPFL and sports betting content hub IMG Arena will see a big step forward for sports broadcast technology company Pixellot in the European football market.
December 10 – With the threat of broadcast disruption from the broadcast streaming giants and sports ambitious social networks looming over the traditional broadcast industry, and pay tv networks in particular, a distribution deal between Canal+ Group and beIN Sports in France could indicate a trend towards a new pathway for established rights holders.
December 10 – The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has acquired the rights to the Women’s Euro 2021 for more than 50 European territories.
December 9 – Manchester City has built on its partnership with its official betting partner Marathonbet making the online bookmaker the club’s first training kit partner in what is reportedly an eight-figure deal.
December 9 – UEFA is set to launch a new tender for official match ball and equipment supplier status for its club competitions. The period covered is the commercial cycle 2021 to 2024.
December 6 – Manchester United have unveiled a partnership with Alibaba Group that will see club content on Alibaba’s digital platforms for the first time in China.
By Osasu Obayiuwana
December 5 – The consequences of the decision of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to terminate its $1 billion, 12-year marketing contract with Lagardere Sports (LS) continue to reverberate at the French company, with staff of its Africa Division uncertain of their future.
December 5 – Spanish TV group Mediapro are taking UEFA to court for allegedly altering submission bids for the Champions League for 2021-2024 in favour of France’s Canal Plus and Middle East broadcasting giant beIN Sports.
December 4 – Qatari telecoms company Ooredoo has become a local sponsor of the Club World Cup which kicks off on December 11 in Doha, Qatar.