One of the largest pay-TV conglomerates, Canal+, has published the first-half-of-year interim results report.
And there are four (well, three) things to take away with regards to the thread’s topic.
They’re doing just fine, even with end of Champions League sublicensing to Altice Media (RMC Sport). In fact, end of Ligue 1 rights and exit of DTT pay TV (even C8 closure if we want to go there) were cited as reasons to improve profitability.
In Asia, it’s blooming in Myanmar, and the recently-acquired EPL rights could boost the subscriber base. In Vietnam, even though it’s also a joint venture, it’s the exact opposite. Chief executive Maxime Saada was quoted as saying C+ would have to either significantly restructure or exit it, which leaves EPL, F1, MotoGP rights (which C+ just renewed nonetheless until 2028/2029) in limbo.
In Africa, C+ is closing in on MultiChoice acquisition. All I will just say is that they own and operate SuperSport, and leave it at that.
As revealed at the start of last month, C+ will not house the new Ligue 1’s DTC streamer. Reports suggest €200 million was what the league asked for, but C+ was willing to only pay half of that and thus walked away. Only 2 weeks to go until Ligue 1 begins, and there’s a real possibility that it is domestically blacked out. Who could see that coming?
Meanwhile, a deal that makes sense consider the Olympics status.
And more availability for Sky Sport in Germany through a third option, one year on from the addition of a second option (Sky Stream).
The agreement, announced Tuesday on the eve of Disney’s quarterly earnings report and in the runup to the NFL season, will give ESPN important new programming for its forthcoming stand-along streaming service.
Speaking of ESPN, they have secured U.S.* rights to WWE from 2026-2030. Annual payment is $325M, up from NBC’s $180M in previous 5-year cycle.
All 10 of its so-called lineup of “premium live events” will air on ESPN DTC, some of which may also air on a linear network (presumably just either ESPN or ESPN2.)
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said that the network would have bid for WWE even if the DTC service isn’t launched. "Our place was built as the entertainment and sports programming network… This is a fantastic way for us to expand our audience. It’s younger, it’s more diverse, and it’s more female than what we see at the network level.”
Friday Night SmackDown remains on USA Network until 2029.
*Netflix has rights outside U.S.
Meanwhile, how convenient for them to also announce…
…and that the rights to NFL Draft has been retained, the only event it has covered all of its life (first broadcast, and first such in general, was 1980). Altcasts are now able to be made for all three days of the draft.
Wasn’t the whole Netflix thing so that WWE could have all events in all countries (where Netflix exists) in the one place once the NBCU/Peacock deal expired?
TNT Sports has signed a one-year deal with Cricket Australia, and will be the exclusive UK broadcaster of all men’s and women’s international matches played in Australia, from this month to March 2026.
Cricket Australia and TNT Sports (and its predecessor BT Sport) have enjoyed a strong partnership since 2016.
TNT is planning to send a team to Australia, although it will also use coverage from the host broadcaster.
TNT’s new Cricket Australia deal also includes men’s white-ball series against South Africa and India, and a multiformat women’s series against India.
TNT was the broadcaster of Australia whitewashes at the last two Ashes held there. Last winter, it also screened England-India series where India wins 4-1.
Then again, Sky Sports has been scaling back the coverage to refocus on EPL, so technically it’s a one-man race for TNT. The only problem is Sky’s cricket channel will now go 9 straight months showing non-England teams.
