SACRAMENTO—CBS Sacramento (KMAX), and UC Davis Athletics have announced a new deal that will bring five 2026 UC Davis Aggies football games to the greater Sacramento area via free broadcast TV.

The five-game package gives fans free televised access to a UC Davis team that enters 2026 ranked No. 6 in the FCS. Under third-year head coach Tim Plough, the Aggies are coming off a 9-4 season and a fifth FCS playoff berth since 2018.

“This partnership reflects our commitment to showcasing the teams, traditions and institutions that matter most to Northern California,” said Scott Warren, regional president and general manager, CBS Sacramento and CBS Bay Area. “UC Davis is an important part of the fabric of our region, and we're proud to partner with the university to bring Aggies football free to viewers across the Sacramento area while helping connect more fans with the excitement of the season.”

“Expanding the reach and visibility of Aggie football throughout the Sacramento region continues to be a priority for our department, and this partnership with CBS Sacramento is an important step forward,” said Rocko DeLuca, director of athletics at UC Davis. “Providing free, over-the-air access to our games gives us another opportunity to grow our base of support, connect with UC Davis alumni throughout the Sacramento region and introduce even more fans to Aggie football.”

2026 CBS Sacramento / UC Davis Football Broadcast Schedule:

• Saturday, Sept. 19, 7:00 p.m., Stetson
• Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:00 p.m., Montana
• Saturday, Oct. 24, 4:00 p.m., Northern Colorado
• Saturday, Nov. 7, 4:00 p.m., Utah Tech
• Saturday, Nov. 21, 1:00 p.m., Cal Poly

ESPN is reporting strong viewing numbers for its U.S. Open coverage, with Sunday’s US Open Men’s Championship match between Ben Shelton and eventual champion Alexander Zverev attracting an average audience of 3.2 million viewers on ABC, the largest viewership on record since ESPN began televising the tournament in 2009.

Viewership peaked at 4.0 million from 5:30-5:45 p.m. ET.

Earlier, Saturday’s Women’s Championship, won by Elena Rybakina over Aryna Sabalenka, averaged 2.7 million viewers, peaking at 3.2 million from 6:30-6:45 p.m. The audience was up 13% year-over-year (YOY) and was ESPN’s largest since 3.4 million watched Sabalenka and Coco Gauff in 2023.

The Men’s and Women’s championships combined to average 3.0 million viewers, up 9% YOY.

The All-American Friday night Men’s semifinal match between Shelton and Frances Tiafoe averaged 3.1 million viewers, peaking at 3.7 million between 10:45-11 p.m., the largest Men’s semifinal audience on record for ESPN. The earlier semifinal match with Zverev defeating Karen Khachanov averaged 1.2 million, with the two semifinals combining to average 2.2 million viewers, up 19% YOY.

Overall, the event ranks as ESPN’s most-viewed US Open since 2022. The two-week long tournament across ESPN networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2) averaged 1.2 million viewers, a 4% increase YOY.

Other key viewing figures include:

• ESPN delivered its largest US Open opening day audience ever on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC, 914K avg. viewers, up 13% YOY. Action on ABC averaged 1.25M avg. viewers, up 7% vs. 2025.
• The second round drew 834K avg. viewers on ESPN/ESPN2
• Third round across ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 1.1 million, up +27% from last year and also standing as the most-viewed since 2022. ESPN2’s Saturday daytime telecast averaged 1.0 million viewers, up +31% from the comparable telecast last year, while ESPN2’s prime window (1.1 million viewers) was up +43%.
• Through the completion of the third round on Saturday, Sept. 5, ESPN had recorded its most-viewed since 2022 (avg. 846K)
• Third round viewership was boosted by Serena and Venus Williams competing in doubles during primetime, attracting an average audience of 1.2 million (peak 2.2 million from 10-10:15 p.m.) as they lost a three-set match to Hao-Ching Chan and Maya Joint.
• Tournament average (through Women’s Semifinals): 1.0 million viewers, up 2% YoY, ESPN’s most-viewed US Open since 2022
• Quarterfinals average: 1.3 million viewers
• Tuesday primetime Quarterfinals window (7:30 p.m. – 3:40 a.m.): 1.6 million viewers, featured latest-finishing match in US Open history
• Women’s Semifinals: 2.2 million viewers, up 24% YoY, most-watched US Open Women’s Semis in ESPN history
• Women’s Semifinals peak (9:45-10 p.m. ET, Gauff vs. Rybakina): 2.6 million viewers

ATLANTA—Gray Media and the Cleveland Cavaliers announced a deal with DAZN that will allow Gray to broadcast 15 regular season Cavaliers games on free, over-the-air TV during the 2026-27 NBA season.

The 15-game package is a simulcast of the games available for free that are in front of the Cavaliers on DAZN paid subscription paywall offering.

The games will air locally in Cleveland on Gray Media’s stations, WOIO (CBS 19) and WUAB (MyNet 43), and statewide on Rock Entertainment Sports Network.

Rock Entertainment Sports Network is a collaboration between Gray Media and Rock Entertainment Group, which owns the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Sirens, Cleveland Monsters, and Cleveland Charge.

In addition, Gray stations in other markets, including Cincinnati, Ohio; Lima, Ohio; and Parkersburg, West Virginia will also air the 15-game package. Gray will seek additional third-party broadcasters to air the games in other parts of the territory where Gray does not own or operate television stations.

“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with the Cavaliers and DAZN to bring world-class basketball straight to our viewers' living rooms completely free of charge,” said Chris Conroy, general manager of WOIO/WUAB. “Local sports belong on local television, and this historic agreement delivers for Cavs fans.”

WUAB has a long history of broadcasting Cavaliers games and a nostalgic legacy of carrying Cleveland Indians baseball. Live Cleveland Cavaliers basketball adds to a lineup that has featured the Cleveland Browns, Columbus Blue Jackets hockey, college football, NCAA March Madness, and events like The Masters.

“In partnership with Gray and DAZN, we've built the most enhanced and accessible broadcast ecosystem we've had in years,” said Nic Barlage, CEO of Rock Entertainment Group, Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Arena. “Our fans are at the core of every decision we make, and this season we're proud to triple the number of games available for free, over-the-air on Gray's local stations and Rock Entertainment Sports Network.”

The current schedule provided below is subject to change. The broadcast schedule will include pregame and postgame coverage.

• Mon. October 26, 2026 - Minnesota at Cleveland 7:00 PM (WUAB)
• Thur. October 29, 2026 - Cleveland at Atlanta 7:00 PM (WUAB)
• Mon. November 2, 2026 - Oklahoma City at Cleveland 7:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Sat. November 14, 2026 - Dallas at Cleveland 7:30 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Sat. December 12, 2026 - Golden State at Cleveland 8:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Fri. December 18, 2026 - Cleveland at Detroit 7:30 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Wed. December 23, 2026 - Cleveland at Washington 7:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Sat. January 2, 2027 - Cleveland at Charlotte 1:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Sat. January 23, 2027 - Cleveland at Dallas 8:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Fri. January 29, 2027 - Cleveland at Toronto 7:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Sat. February 6, 2027 - Orlando at Cleveland 7:30 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Sun. February 14, 2027 - Phoenix at Cleveland 1:00 PM (WOIO-CBS)
• Tue. March 9, 2027 - Cleveland at Detroit 8:00 PM (WOIO-CBS or WUAB)
• Sun. March 14, 2027 - Cleveland at Sacramento 6:00 PM (WOIO-CBS or WUAB)
• Sun. April 4, 2027 - Charlotte at Cleveland 3:00 PM (WOIO-CBS or WUAB)

PORTSMOUTH, N.H.—The tendency of younger viewers to spread their disposable time across more platforms and types of content than any other generation hasn’t reduced their interest in watching sports, according to Hub Entertainment Research.

Hub’s latest wave of “Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score?” research finds sports viewership is up, and it's rising fastest among younger fans.

Fans age 18 or younger are about seven times more likely to say they're watching more sports on TV than they were a year ago, rather than less—more than double the ratio seen among fans overall.

Among teens who say they're watching more, more than two in five respondents credit a genuine, growing interest in sports overall or in a specific team or athlete.

Older fans (age 55–74) are more likely to point to simply having more free time—not rising interest—as the reason for increased viewing.

“One factor driving the success of sports today: younger fans are just more interested than the generation before them,” said Jon Giegengack, a principal at Hub and one of the study authors. “But as with scripted content, their fandom is diffused across multiple kinds of media and content. It shows up as a YouTube stream, a group chat during the game, watching live stats on social while the game is on. The industry is built to reach the fan who plans their Sunday around kickoff. Now they need to adapt to fans that watch the game on TV and spend the rest of the week following it everywhere else.”

The research also suggests fans are finding sports through creators and social platforms, not appointment viewing. For younger fans, social platforms aren't a supplement to sports coverage, they're becoming the main event, Hub said.

The survey found that 45% of fans under 35 get “most” or “all” of their nonlive sports content from social media, more than four times the rate among fans 55 and older.

In addition, creators are increasingly carrying the games themselves, not just the highlights: during the FIFA World Cup, a single YouTube channel in Brazil streamed 104 matches—more than twice as many as the country's national broadcaster.

For younger fans, the second screen is part of the game, not a distraction from it, the study found.

With scripted TV, a phone in hand usually means divided attention. Sports works the other way: the second screen is mostly pointed back at the game. And that is far truer for young fans than older ones.

Among fans 13–34 who use social media during a live game, 62% say what they are doing on that second screen is about the game itself. Among fans 55–74, only 33% say the same.

The gap is widest on the most-social behaviors: 65% of younger fans posting to social during a game are posting about that game, versus 29% of older fans. Purpose-built tools are game-related for nearly everyone, with 89% of 13-to-34-year-olds and 85% of 55-to-74-year-olds following live stats saying it is about the sport they are watching.

These findings are from Hub's “Evolution of Sports: What’s the Score?” Wave 6 report, based on a survey of 3,814 U.S. sports fans ages 13–74, conducted in July.

Sony will feature its latest technology for news, cinema, immersive and live production, including its R-Series broadcast system cameras, SRG-AS10 and SRG-XS10 auto-framing PTZ cameras and its latest networked live and software-defined broadcast innovations, during IBC 2026, Sept. 11-14, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

Other tech developments on display will be:

• The new DP7 and DP5 controllers, FX5 Cinema Line camera and current development of the RIALTO 65 image sensor block expanding VENICE 2 to 65mm format.
• Cinematic Live's color-matched Cinema Line and HDC cameras showcasing a broad portfolio for cinematic live production.
• The fourth generation DWX series digital wireless microphone system, DWT-B40 and DWR-R40Q.
• Spatial content production solutions, OCELLUS camera-tracking system V2.0 and XYN
• HawkREPLAY delivering rapid turnaround to air with enhanced zoom and hold keyframe and HawkNEST improving fast 9:16 social exports for quicker content delivery.

Sony will also present several use cases in specific applications, including cinematic live, AR and IP broadcast studio, immersive production, AI-powered streaming studio and podcasting.

For news, Sony will feature an expanded range of data transmitters, including its previously announced collaboration with LiveU and additional demonstrations with Dejero and TVU Networks, designed to enhance transmission efficiency from the field. It will also show its latest version of a camcorder with remote-control capabilities to broaden its range of applications.

Sony's live production solutions will demonstrate how broadcasters, production teams and content creators can deliver higher-value productions with greater flexibility and operational efficiency. Next-generation system cameras will be on display, including the newly launched R-series, and the latest AI PTZ auto-framing cameras, including the BRC-AM7 for broadcast.

The BRC-AM7 demo will highlight version 3.1 firmware featuring improved tracking performance in Ball Sports (Basketball) mode, enabling smoother shooting and camera operations.

The company will also showcase the evolution of virtual and spatial content production with its latest camera tracking system OCELLUS with Crystal LED VERONA. CAPRI will be on display separately. Based on customer feedback, the upcoming OCELLUS FW V2.0 supports lens calibration and automatic offset measurement functionality to measure the positional relationship between the camera and tracking sensor. Sony’s XYN Spatial Capture solution enables real-world spaces to be captured and transformed into high-quality 3DCG assets.

Sony continues to expand its Digital Imaging and Cinema Line portfolio, with the latest Cinema Line Camera FX5 and RIALTO 65 image sensor block making show debuts. Designed to enhance creative flexibility, the FX5 features a newly developed fully stacked CMOS image sensor, while new DP7 and DP5 monitors deliver accurate color reproduction and remote camera control.

Company representatives will also lead two sessions in the Showcase Theater in Hall 3, including: "A Software Revolution: The Future of Broadcast,” Sept. 12, 4-4:20 p.m., and "The New Frontier: Redefining Multi-Camera Virtual Production,” Sept. 11, 5:15-5:35 p.m.

See Sony at IBC 2026 stand 13.A10.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SAN FRANCISCO—Dolby Laboratories will feature updates for Dolby OptiView, the company’s live sports platform, during IBC2026, Sept. 11-14, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

The updates include new AI-powered intelligence to understand what drives fan engagement, the debut of Dolby Vision on the platform and greater flexibility for Dolby OptiView Ads.

The Dolby OptiView platform is designed to deliver more engaging live sports experiences. It gives teams, leagues and streamers capabilities that enable a better understanding of their audiences. The platform also allows them to create personalized experiences, unlock monetization opportunities and deliver premium-quality live content that keeps fans watching.

Dolby Vision is now available through Dolby OptiView for the first time, bringing stunning brightness, contrast, color and detail to live sports. Dolby Vision helps fans experience every moment with greater clarity and realism. The Seattle Seahawks are the first team to introduce Dolby OptiView with Dolby Vision, bringing exclusive live programming and preseason coverage directly to fans through the official Seahawks app and Seahawks.com.

The company also is expanding Dolby OptiView Ads beyond the Dolby OptiView Player, enabling support for additional video players. As a certified server-guided ad insertion solution verified within the Google ecosystem, Dolby OptiView Ads helps publishers maximize monetization while maintaining a high-quality viewing experience.

In one deployment with a major sports organization, the solution delivered an average 76% increase in eCPM and an average 132% increase in fill rates. In-stream ad formats help providers make more effective use of their ad inventory while keeping live action visible during ad delivery, reducing disruption for viewers.

See Dolby Laboratories at IBC stand 5.F86.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Roku is expanding availability of its NFL Zone from the U.S. to Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

NFL Zone, a centralized hub within the Roku Sports experience, brings global fans a dedicated destination to discover live and upcoming games, the NFL Fast Channel highlights, clips, and other NFL content throughout the season.

The expansion—which takes effect today—builds on Roku’s growing sports presence internationally, following the launch of the Sports experience in Mexico in 2025 and earlier this year in Brazil and Canada. It also comes as engagement across Roku Sports experiences continues to grow, with streaming hours up 122% year-over-year and unique visitors up 80% in the U.S. in Q2, the company said.

The expansion also includes the NFL Channel, the League's free, ad-supported destination for 24/7 NFL programming. Roku will offer officially branded NFL clips and highlights alongside live and upcoming games to viewers in Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

The NFL Channel offers a 24/7 stream of NFL programming, while the NFL app provides access to NFL+, the League’s exclusive streaming service featuring live local and primetime games on mobile, NFL Network, live game audio, and other on-demand content, plus game replays and NFL Redzone with an NFL+ Premium subscription.

YouTube TV has integrated the ESPN Unlimited service into its offers, making the content available directly on YouTube TV.

The integration means that subscriber to the main YouTube TV plan, or any plan that includes Sports, can now catch all the action directly within the YouTube TV app and interface.

The addition of ESPN Unlimited was part of a distribution deal struck between Disney and YouTube last year.

Popular features like unlimited DVR, key plays, scores and stats and multiview will also be available with ESPN Unlimited content, all within the YouTube TV app.

As part of the launch, the vMVPD has also enhanced the YouTube TV interface to make it easier for viewers to find the content they want. The live guide now shows three rows of currently airing live events from ESPN Unlimited, along with a dedicated network row for further browsing. When a game has multiple feeds, fans will now have the choice between options for different languages, home and away feeds, and alternate camera angles, all clearly labeled in our updated station picker.

In addition, the YouTube TV Fantasy View feature now supports ESPN Fantasy Football. ESPN Fantasy Football users can link their ESPN account through YouTube TV settings ahead of the upcoming NFL season to track their fantasy teams during live NFL games.

NEW YORK—The software-based realtime media monitoring, multiviewing and quality control (QC) provider TAG Video Systems has announced TAG Blue, a cloud platform that gives every company on a delivery chain shared visibility of their workflow, and uses AI to turn that visibility an analysis of root causes and recommendations for dealing with issues.

TAG Blue will be previewed at IBC2026, Stand 1.D33, RAI Amsterdam, 11–14 September.

TAG’s Core platform already gives broadcasters complete visibility inside their own operation. The challenge is what happens beyond that boundary. As content moves across more entities, facilities, partners and workflows, visibility breaks down in two distinct ways. First, every entity on the chain sees only its own leg of the workflow. No one sees the full path. Second, the telemetry each deployment generates is rich enough to explain what went wrong, but connecting the dots across companies to a root cause and a next step is impossible or takes too much time and money.

TAG Blue gives every entity in a delivery chain visibility into the workflow points they have in common using TAG technology, with no new instrumentation required. AI technology then correlates errors across the defined path, finds the potential root cause, and recommends the steps to fix the issue.

Operators can also ask TAG Blue directly what happened, powered by a large language model (LLM) built into the platform, and get an answer instantly instead of digging through logs.

In a live sports broadcast, for example, shared visibility between production and takers is crucial. From the venue all the way to the platforms airing it, TAG Blue lets them all see the same picture, end to end. If something breaks along the way, everyone already knows where and why, instead of each side checking its own system while the clock is running.

TAG is working with other leading media technology vendors to extend that same shared visibility further across the industry.

"Traditionally, every entity on the chain could see what was happening inside its own walls and almost nothing beyond them. When something goes wrong, the phone starts ringing. TAG Blue changes that. It gives them real visibility across the chain, securely, without giving up control, and its AI turns that into a root cause and solutions. Now broadcasters, service providers and operators can solve the problem and avoid unnecessary costs related to service outages," said Ziv Mor, chief growth officer, TAG Video Systems.

TAG Blue is in development, with design partners and is expected to be available before the end of the year. TAG will preview TAG Blue at IBC2026, Stand 1.D33, RAI Amsterdam, 11–14 September 2026.

NEW YORK—Elon Musk’s social media platform X has launched "NFL Gametime on X," a new fan experience that brings real-time scores and stats, official team content, news, creators and the ongoing NFL conversation together into a single destination that is integrated throughout the platform.

“For years, X has been a key platform for NFL fans to connect, react and engage around every NFL moment,” said Brent Lawton, vice president of media strategy and business development, NFL. “We’re excited to deepen our partnership with NFL Gametime on X, allowing our fans to have official scores and stats, team content, and the conversation together in one place.”

Developed in partnership with the NFL and designed by Musk’s SpaceXAI, NFL Gametime on X is designed to bring fans closer than ever to this season’s on-field action. It features two complementary experiences built for avid NFL fans:

• NFL Timeline pinned alongside For You and Following tabs at the top of the timeline, fans can follow news, highlights, creator takes and fan reactions all in one prominent feed for the entire season.
• Gametime Hub delivers official NFL data alongside the conversation in the NFL Timeline. Fans can track scores and key stats in real time while staying connected to everything happening on X.

The social media platform noted that two out of three U.S. users are already on X and that NFL Gametime on X opens powerful new opportunities for brands and advertisers to reach highly engaged fans.

“NFL Gametime on X turns football fandom into a seamless opportunity for brands,” said Monique Pintarelli, head of global advertising, SpaceXAI. “Advertisers can now reach highly passionate fans across the entire funnel, from awareness and cultural conversation to real-time engagement during live games, all on X. Together with the NFL, we’re giving brands a powerful, authentic way to show up throughout the season.”

NFL Gametime on X is now live. Follow @Sports and @XBusiness for more updates.

NEW YORK—In the runup to the start of the 2026 season on Sept. 9, the National Football League has inked three major commercial agreements with sports betting operators.

DraftKings and FanDuel, who have been sports betting partners with the NFL since 2021, each signed a multi-year deal while Fanatics Betting and Gaming signed a separate multi-year agreement, expanding a relationship with the NFL that includes collectibles and official league merchandise.

“We are thrilled to have three world-class partners in the sports betting category,” said Renie Anderson, executive vice president and chief revenue officer at the NFL. “DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics share our vision for innovation and fan engagement, but most importantly, our commitment to protecting the integrity of the game. We look forward to navigating this next chapter in sports betting together.”

As part of these multi-year deals, all three partners will have the ability to leverage NFL marks within the sports betting category and promote online and retail sports betting. They will also have presence at NFL tentpole events such as the Super Bowl and NFL Draft, unique hospitality and VIP experiences and integrations across NFL-owned digital media properties. Finally, they will have access to real-time, official play-by-play statistics, proprietary Next Gen Stats and BetVision through Genius Sports, the league’s exclusive data distribution partner.

All three NFL partners agreed to adhere to the league’s core game integrity policies and will collaborate on intelligence sharing, advocacy efforts and responsible gambling initiatives. This includes working together to prohibit wagers the league finds objectionable, including bets tied to officiating and injuries, along with those that can be knowable in advance or easily manipulated by a single person.

In addition to sports betting, DraftKings will continue its partnership as the Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner of the NFL, which began in 2019 and includes exclusive rights to NFL IP and marks. Fanatics will become an Official Online Casino Marketing Partner of the NFL.

Along with the announcement of the new deals, the league emphasized its focus on game integrity as the foundation of the NFL’s approach to legalized sports betting. The league’s comprehensive integrity program features collaboration with sports betting partners, policy education and enforcement, information sharing and monitoring for suspicious activity in coordination with law enforcement, regulators and third-party partners.

Genius Sports provides real-time monitoring of betting patterns to identify potential manipulation. Each club also has an assigned Integrity Representative—typically a retired FBI agent or senior law enforcement officer—to support these efforts.

All players, coaches, officials and staff are required to complete annual training on the league’s Gambling Policy and to sign and acknowledge the policy each year.

More information is available at media.nfl.com/LSB.

ATLANTA–Gray Media has announced a deal with the Atlanta Braves fans for rights to air two Atlanta Braves games in Spanish across 18 Telemundo Affiliate Stations across the Southeast.

The first game, in which the Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3, aired on August 25.

The second will air at 7:15pm ET on September 8 and feature a matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays.

A locally produced pre-game featuring analysis, statistics, roster highlights and more are scheduled from 7:00pm to 7:15pm prior to both games featuring play-by-play host Alejandro Villegas, and sports commentator Juan Jordan.

These games will air on the following Gray Media stations that comprise Telemundo Georgia, Telemundo Alabama, Telemundo Tennessee and Telemundo South Carolina:

• Atlanta (WKTB)
• Savannah (WPHJ)
• Augusta (WGAT)
• Columbus (WCTA)
• Macon (WTMH)
• Albany (WTSG)
• Birmingham (WTBM)
• Huntsville (WTHV)
• Mobile (WMBP)
• Montgomery (WBXM)
• Dothan (WRGX)
• Nashville (WTNX)
• Memphis (WTME)
• Knoxville (WBXX)
• Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville (WDKT)
• Myrtle Beach-Florence (WXIV)
• Charleston (WZCH) Columbia (WTES)

The full Atlanta Braves schedule and tickets are available at Braves.com.

NEW YORK—DAZN today announced that it is acquiring EverPass Media, a provider of premium live sports content to commercial venues. The acquisition furthers the sports streamers expansion in the U.S. and marks the expansion of DAZN for Business, a dedicated media platform serving bars, restaurants, hotels, and other commercial venues into the U.S.

Founded in 2023 by 32 Equity and RedBird Capital Partners, EverPass is described as “a purpose-built media and technology platform that partners with rightsholders, distribution partners and business owners to unlock access to premium live events and drive business growth. “

The acquisition reflects EverPass' three-year effort to evolve how premium live sports content is distributed to commercial venues. Following completion of the acquisition, EverPass’ technology will serve as the foundation for DAZN’s next generation of commercial venue distribution, and EverPass will formally rebrand to DAZN for Business.

Alex Kaplan, CEO of EverPass, will continue to lead the business as well as take on a larger role within DAZN. RedBird Capital Partners, 32 Equity and TKO Group Holdings will become minority shareholders in DAZN. Existing EverPass customers will continue to receive service and support as usual, with no interruption to their current service as a result of the acquisition.

DAZN has had an ambitious summer with its U.S. expansion, signing exclusive streaming deals with MSG, and NBA franchises Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers just in the past month. It also signed a deal last fall to be the exclusive provider of live NHL games in to 200 countries outside the U.S., Canada and the Nordics.

EverPass has the exclusive commercial distribution rights for NFL Sunday Ticket, which includes every live out-of-market Sunday regular-season afternoon NFL game. In July 2026, EverPass and DirecTV reached a new agreement to collaborate and provide distribution of NFL Sunday Ticket via satellite and streaming, ensuring the commercial marketplace has access to this content across the United States.

In addition to NFL Sunday Ticket and other NFL content, EverPass provides commercial venues with access to programming from leading sports leagues and competitions, including the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, MLB, NBA, WNBA, NWSL, NASCAR, PGA TOUR, MLS, Formula 1, college football and basketball. EverPass also has distribution partnerships with Peacock, Netflix, Paramount and Apple as well as YES Network and Chicago Sports Network.

EverPass has developed an IP-based technology platform purpose-built for multiscreen commercial venues. The platform delivers premium streaming content through one commercial solution and gives venue operators greater flexibility, control and consistency across their screens and locations. Following deal completion, the platform will be the technology and operational foundation for DAZN for Business.

EverPass’ capabilities include centralized management of multiple screens and venues, smart content scheduling, integration with existing audiovisual infrastructure, commercial-grade streaming devices and tools that allow businesses to promote offers, engage customers and measure performance.

The platform is designed to simplify the transition from traditional satellite and cable distribution to streaming, while giving rights holders and content partners a scalable and secure route into the commercial market, the company said.

“This is an important step in DAZN’s journey to become a global home of sport,” said Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group. “EverPass Media gives us a proven commercial distribution platform, deep relationships across U.S. venues, and an attractive portfolio of premium rights that perfectly complements our growing U.S. business. DAZN can now serve every type of customer in the U.S.— from individual sports fans using the DAZN app to commercial venues looking to provide the best possible viewing experience for their customers.”

Broadcast Management Group has designed and deployed a custom REMI production ecosystem for The Pro Tour, a new professional golf tour featuring elite athletes from some of the world’s biggest sports leagues including the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL.

LiveU’s LU800 field units and LIQ intelligent connectivity served as key components within BMG’s broader production workflow. The setup gave camera operators the freedom of movement and a new view from the green that has always been challenging to achieve, while eliminating the cost constraints, environmental strain, and access limitations of legacy OB trucks.

As the tour’s turnkey broadcast partner, BMG provided creative services, live production, engineering, transmission, media management, and distribution for each five-hour live broadcast.

During a stop at the PGA National Resort in West Palm Beach last spring, BMG was faced with covering a crucial hole that had reportedly never been televised because it fell outside the venue’s fixed fiber infrastructure, according to the company.

In response, BMG implemented a nearly fully wireless production workflow using LiveU LU800 bonded cellular transmission systems enhanced by LiveU IQ intelligent connectivity. Starlink was ready as backup connectivity, though according to BMG, never had to be deployed. This meant that the technical director, master control, and channel management team could work from home or the NOC.

The hybrid workflow dramatically shrunk the production footprint compared to a traditional cable-and-truck build, with more cameras able to cover more of the course because they’re no longer limited by where fiber happens to run, BMG said. Every camera, including drone coverage, transmitted live feeds to BMG’s Network Operations Center (NOC), where AI continuously monitored available network conditions and automatically optimized connectivity across multiple cellular networks.

“The Pro Tour let us design a broadcast ecosystem from the ground up, built around where the story was, not where cable could reach,” said Kathy Samuels, BMG’s director of creative services. “LiveU's LU800, and LIQ intelligent connectivity gave our creative vision somewhere to actually run. Bringing creative services, live production, engineering, and distribution into one workflow gave us a scalable model that supports the tour today and can grow with it.”

ESPN delivered the most-watched WNBA game ever on cable as the Atlanta Dream-Indiana Fever matchup averaged 2.6 million viewers on Sunday, August 16.

The telecast ranks as the most-watched WNBA regular-season or postseason game ever on cable. The audience was up 178% compared to last year’s ESPN regular season average. The game peaked at 4 million viewers from 7:15-7:29 p.m. ET.

Leading into the game, WNBA Countdown presented by Google Pixel averaged 452,000 viewers on ESPN, up 33% compared to last year’s ESPN regular season average.

The second game of ESPN’s Sunday doubleheader also delivered a record audience, as the Phoenix Mercury celebrated Diana Taurasi’s jersey retirement. Portland Fire-Phoenix Mercury averaged 1.4 million viewers, the most-watched non-Indiana regular-season WNBA game ever on ESPN and up 46% from last year’s ESPN regular-season average.

Through 25 games, the WNBA on ESPN networks is averaging 1.4 million viewers, up 16% compared to the comparable point last season.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—Spectrum SportsNet LA, the exclusive television home of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is now available to Spectrum customers in former Cox markets throughout the Dodgers broadcast territory.

The launch, which follows the close of Charter's acquisition of Cox Communications, is in time for the August 21 game against the Pirates. It brings Dodgers baseball and SportsNet LA's full slate of studio programming to a significantly expanded audience just as the playoff race heats up.

Beginning immediately, subscribers to Contour TV Preferred or Contour TV Ultimate in former Cox markets located in the Las Vegas, Orange County, Palos Verdes and Santa Barbara areas have access to SportsNet LA as part of their TV service.

On Contour TV lineups, the network can be found on channel 50 in Las Vegas, channel 63 in Orange County, channel 54 in Palos Verdes and channel 36 in Santa Barbara.

SportsNet LA's coverage includes live regular season games alongside the network's full lineup of studio programming. Regular season game coverage is led by Joe Davis and Dodgers legend Orel Hershiser, now in their 11th season together as the voices of Dodger baseball, with additional game analysis from Eric Karros, Jessica Mendoza and Dontrelle Willis, and field reporting from Kirsten Watson.

More information on the network is available at sportsnetla.com.

NEW YORK—Gracenote’s Q3 2026 Data Hub analysis shows rapid growth for sports-related ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels and programming over the last year.

Overall the number of FAST channels classified as sports rose 13.8% year over year to 264. Over the same period, unique sports program titles increased 31.2%, while individual games and events distributed across FAST climbed 37.5%.

Each measure captures a different dimension of the FAST sports market, the researchers noted.

Channel count tracks FAST channels classified as sports, while program title count reflects the breadth of distinct offerings. Because a single sports program title can encompass many games or competitions, tracking them individually provides a fuller picture of the volume of sports distributed across FAST.

The analysis also found that in July, sports programming appeared on 20 FAST channels outside the sports category. The pattern resembles traditional television, where sports serves as both destination programming on dedicated channels and as part of lineups centered on other genres.

In general, sports programming also grew faster than the overall FAST category. Globally, FAST channel count increased 17.5% year over year to 2,172, compared with 18.6% gains in total video distribution and 19.4% in TV program titles.

The resulting larger sports inventory gives FAST programmers greater flexibility to create varied schedules and reduce reliance on frequently repeated content, the researchers explained. More broadly, the findings suggest that competitive differentiation across FAST will increasingly be shaped by the range and volume of programming within the ecosystem—not channel count alone.

The Gracenote Data Hub is a set of data visualizations tracking the volume and composition of programming available across leading global subscription video-on-demand services (SVOD) and FAST channels. Derived from Gracenote Global Video Data and updated quarterly, the Data Hub covers Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix and Paramount+, as well as more than 2,170 FAST channels.

Q3 Data Hub reporting pairs program title counts with data on individual episodes, games and events, offering a more granular view of programming distribution and revealing changes beneath topline catalog and channel counts.

HENDERSON, Nev.—While the FIFA World Cup 2026 broke viewing records in the U.S. on linear TV and on streaming platforms, new data from Gaming Compliance International (GCI) suggests that an enormous amount of illegal streaming also occurred around the world. Its first complete global measurement of illegal streaming across the 2026 FIFA World Cup, estimates that there were 174.3 billion qualifying illegal stream views of 90 seconds plus globally across the tournament.

The analysis also found that:

• 174.3 billion qualifying illegal stream views of 90 seconds or more globally across the tournament
• 1.68 billion average qualifying illegal stream views of 90 seconds plus per match, globally
• 6.2 billion qualifying illegal stream views of 90 seconds plus globally for the Spain vs Argentina Final
• 95% of qualifying illegal stream views of 90 seconds plus globally carried advertising for unregulated gambling

The estimate is derived from GCI's global monitoring and marketplace intelligence, using multiple proprietary and third-party licensed data sources.

A qualifying illegal stream view requires at least 90 seconds of streaming, denoting a "committed view". This is a stream-view measure, not a unique viewer count. The methodology accounts for stream interruptions, forced refreshes, reloads, mirror switches and channel resets throughout each match.

GCI's analysis also highlighted a dark nexus between illegal streaming and unregulated online gambling with heavy ad loads for unregulated gambling in the illegal streams.

GCI monitoring shows that illegal streamers can receive payment for advertising and referring audiences to unregulated gambling, with affiliate deals offering between 25% and 50% of net gaming revenue produced by unregulated gambling operators from referred customers.

The result is a powerful illegal economy: premium sports content attracts mainstream audiences; illegal streaming monetizes that attention; and unregulated gambling pays to acquire those audiences.

This relationship was previously identified by GCI in Great Britain. Analysis released in January 2026 found 3.1 billion illegal stream views of 90 seconds plus across the Top 10 sports in Great Britain during 2024 and another 1.6 billion during the first half of 2025, with unregulated gambling advertising present upon 89% of illegal sports streams.

The GCI study found that the World Cup demonstrated the same relationship at global scale.

Overall, GCI estimated the 2026 FIFA World Cup would generate $593 billion in global online betting handle — the value of money wagered on World Cup betting online. Of that total, $409 billion — 69% — was unregulated, compared with $184 billion — 31% — regulated.

While regulated operators saw record activity, the majority of wagering value flowed through offshore, unregulated and unlicensed channels, the study found.

Illegal streaming connects these two parts of the marketplace by delivering sports audiences to unregulated gambling operators while those consumers are watching live events and each game presents fresh betting prospects.

The commercial relationship with unregulated gambling is not the only risk associated with illegal streaming.

GCI's analysis found that video players, pop-ups and fake "click to watch in HD/4K" buttons can hide malware, spyware and keystroke loggers, exposing audiences to data harvesting and other forms of cybercrime.

"174 billion qualifying illegal stream views should remove any remaining illusion that illegal streaming is a marginal problem for sport, said Matt Holt, CEO of Gaming Compliance International (GCI). “Consumers experience one marketplace, and illegal streaming is an industrial-scale part of it — competing for the same audiences and extracting value that should support rights holders, broadcasters and the wider sports ecosystem.”

"When 95% of qualifying illegal stream views carry advertising for unregulated gambling, illegal streaming is not simply stealing content,” he added. “It is providing one of the world's largest sporting audiences as an acquisition channel for the unregulated gambling economy."

The full GCI Illegal Streaming – Global: World Cup 2026 report is available from Gaming Compliance International (GCI).

OSLO, Norway—Live production tech provider Appear ASA has successfully completed a demonstration with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP) that showed how a full multi-camera remote live production can be delivered reliably over bonded 5G cellular and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity without relying on fixed internet infrastructure.

"Remote production continues to transform the economics of live broadcasting, but until now its benefits have often depended on access to dedicated network infrastructure," said Thomas Bostrøm Jørgensen, CEO, Appear. "This proof of concept demonstrates that broadcasters can reliably extend those same production models to remote venues using bonded 5G cellular and LEO satellite connectivity. By combining our unique, hardware-accelerated SRT technology with the flexibility of the X Platform, we're helping customers rethink how and where live production can be deployed."

The proof of concept successfully demonstrated a complete REMI production workflow, transporting four live HD camera feeds from a remote racecourse to TRP's production facility while simultaneously returning two HD programme feeds back to the venue over the same bonded network, Appear reported.

The successful outcome also demonstrated how broadcasters can extend high-quality remote production to locations where dedicated fiber or fixed connectivity is unavailable, creating new opportunities to deliver live coverage from geographically dispersed venues while reducing operational complexity, Appear explained.

TRP, the production arm of Racing Victoria, delivers live horse racing coverage from 51 regional racecourses across the Australian state of Victoria.

Of these, 20 – together with the state's metropolitan venues – benefit from access to high-quality wired connectivity that makes REMI possible; the remaining 31 regional racecourses do not. With TRP planning to centralize its production resources, the organisation wanted to determine whether broadcast-grade REMI production could be achieved at these remote racecourses using cost-effective bonded cellular and LEO connectivity.

Working closely with TRP, Appear deployed its compact X5 platform at the racecourse and an X20 at the production centre to validate the workflow.

Four live HD camera feeds were encoded in HEVC and transported using Appear's unique, industry-leading hardware-accelerated SRT technology across bonded 5G cellular and LEO satellite networks.

At the production center, the X20 decoded the incoming feeds for live production while simultaneously encoding and returning two HD programme feeds to the racecourse, enabling complete two-way production and communications throughout the event.

Once production was complete, the finished programme was reviewed by TRP and Racing Victoria, produced end-to-end as though it were a live broadcast.

The proof of concept was conducted across two separate racecourse locations, including a more remote venue where heavy rain and challenging weather conditions tested the resilience of the workflow. Across both sessions, all four camera feeds and two return feeds were delivered successfully, with no video quality issues reported and no operator intervention required, demonstrating the robustness of Appear's hardware-accelerated SRT transport and the viability of broadcast-grade remote production over bonded cellular and LEO connectivity, the companies reported.

Unlike traditional contribution solutions limited to a single programme feed, the Appear X5 simultaneously transported four live camera feeds and two return feeds within a single compact platform. Combined with Appear's hardware-accelerated SRT technology, the deployment delivered reliable, low-latency transport while maintaining broadcast-quality video across variable network conditions. The same platform can also be reconfigured via software to support JPEG XS workflows over high-bandwidth IP networks, allowing broadcasters to use a common platform across both remote and metropolitan production environments.

"For us, this wasn't simply about proving that the technology works; it was about validating a new way of producing live racing from some of our most remote venues," said Charles Cole, engineering and technical operations manager, Thoroughbred Racing Productions. "The success of these trials has given us confidence that multi-camera REMI production over bonded cellular and satellite connectivity is a practical option for our regional racecourses. It opens the door to centralising production resources while maintaining the quality, reliability and operational standards our live coverage demands."

As the NBA gears up for the start of the 2026-2027 season on October 20, a new study from Guideline shows that NBA ad revenue hit a record $2.1 billion in the 2025-2026 season.

This growth was helped out by a 39% year-over-year spike in ad revenue during the NBA Finals, with ad spend rising from $183 million to $256 million for five games.

Overall, the regular season generated $870 million in revenue, while the playoffs brought in $1 billion.

Guideline also reported that streaming was up 8,481% YoY, rising to a 41% share in spending, the highest of any league ever recorded.

In addition, streaming-simulcast estimated revenue was also up 3,303% YoY, rising from $10 million in 24/25 compared to $347 million in 25/26.

However the linear ad spend declined 19% YoY, as spending from Warner Bros. Discovery shifted to Peacock and Amazon.

In contrast, playoff spending grew across every round, led by the play-in round, which was up 54% YoY.

William F. Rasmussen, the visionary who co-founded ESPN, has died at age 93 from Parkinson’s Disease.

In 1978, Rasmussen, a former sports broadcaster and public relations executive, and his son Scott started investigating satellite delivery of television. On a Friday afternoon in August 1978, he and Scott were stuck in traffic on Connecticut’s Interstate 84 while travelling to the New Jersey shore. They were discussing possible programming for their newly acquired satellite transponder from RCA. On a lark, Rasmussen blurted out the idea of creating a network devoted only to sports. Sports fans both, father and son instantly thought they had a great idea.

In time, their idea grew from a service showing Connecticut sports to state residents to a 24-hour national sports network. Bolstered by financial backing from the Getty Oil Co., a contract for programming with the NCAA and an advertising agreement with Anheuser-Busch – then the largest sponsorship deal in cable history – the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (changed to ESPN, Inc. in 1984) launched in 1.4 million homes at 7 p.m. ET on Sept. 7, 1979.

In July 1979, Rasmussen was named ESPN chairman, succeeded as president by Chet Simmons, formerly president of NBC Sports. In addition to “SportsCenter,” under Rasmussen’s leadership the network introduced around-the-clock sports programming and coverage of the early rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in the spring of 1980.

From its beginning in Bristol, Conn., with about 80 employees at launch working in one, unfinished building on less than an acre, ESPN has grown to employ more than 5,900 people around the world, providing eight U.S. television networks and the sports programming on ABC.

Rasmussen was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Lois, in 2011 and is survived by two sons – Scott Rasmussen and his wife Laura and Glenn Rasmussen – his daughter Lynn Van Hollebeke and her husband Louie, seven grandchildren, Andy, P.J., Wil, MaryAnn, Donna, Jessica and Sarah, one great grandson, Otto, and one great granddaughter, Adelaide.

After publicly disclosing his Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis in 2019, Rasmussen became an ambassador for Parkinson’s patients through both the American Parkinson Disease Association and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to https://www.apdaparkinson.org.

NEW YORK—Nielsen’s June 2026 reports of The Gauge and Media Distributor Gauge reveal that the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 drove remarkable audience engagement with over 84 billion minutes viewed across Fox and NBCUniversal properties.

That viewing also pushed both distributors to June's only viewing increases in the Media Distributor Gauge.

Meanwhile, the combination of World Cup matches and NBA Finals games helped drive a 118% increase in broadcast sports viewing, and led the broadcast category to 19.8% of TV and its first increase during a June interval (+0.6 share pts.) since the inception of The Gauge in 2021.

According to the June Media Distributor Gauge, Fox exhibited the largest gain in share of TV (+0.9 pts.) compared to May, and the largest overall viewing increase among all distributors this month (+18%). The World Cup surge boosted viewing on Fox affiliates by 73%, and Fox Sports 1 was up 232%. FOX concluded the month with 7.4% of total TV watch-time and moved up to No. 5 in the Media Distributor Gauge rankings.

NBCU-Versant represented 9.1% of total TV viewing in June (+0.7 share pts.). That success, the researchers reported, was a result of two drivers: NBCU’s Telemundo served as the exclusive home to all Spanish-language World Cup coverage, which drove a 143% monthly viewing increase to its broadcast affiliates in June. Peacock also benefited from Telemundo’s World Cup coverage, as days with games exhibited a 60% audience increase on the platform over those that did not, and viewing from Hispanic audiences increased nearly 200% compared to the prior month.

Peacock’s 34% total monthly viewing increase was also due to owning June’s most-streamed title, “Love Island USA.” The six-night-per-week appointment viewing for the reality dating series generated 6.8 billion minutes across the month. Overall, Peacock gained half a share point to represent 2.3% of total TV viewing in June, its second-best share of TV to date behind February 2026.

Overall streaming usage was up about 3% compared to May, but due to it being just below the 3.1% increase for total TV usage, the category dropped back 0.1 share point to 48.5% of TV watch-time.

In addition to Peacock, several other streamers also saw monthly viewing increases, including YouTube, Netflix, The Roku Channel and Paramount Streaming (Paramount+ and Pluto TV combined), but similar to the overall streaming category, their shares were flat or down slightly. However, YouTube remained in the lead among media distributors with 13.8% of time spent.

Disney held on to the No. 2 spot among media companies with 9.6% of TV. ABC’s coverage of the five-game NBA Finals showdown between the San Antonio Spurs and eventual champion New York Knicks helped drive a 15% viewing bump for ABC affiliates in June. Each game of the series was the most-viewed broadcast telecast on days played, and Games 3, 4 and 5 were the most watched telecasts over the June interval with more than 20 million viewers a piece.

Cable represented 19.5% of television in June (-0.9 pts.) as viewing was down 2% compared to May. This was largely due to the absence of the NBA and NHL playoffs, which led to a 10% monthly decline in cable sports viewership.

Due to the fact that advertising sales for Versant are still retained by NBCUniversal, and to preserve data trends and insights in these reports, NBCU and Versant are reported together in the Media Distributor Gauge with each company’s respective share included in the Media Distributor Gauge chart.

The June 2026 interval spanned four weeks, from 06/01/2026 through 06/28/2026. Nielsen reporting follows the broadcast calendar, with weekly intervals beginning on Monday.

DirecTV is updating its user interface with the planned launch of Curated Multiviews, a new feature that brings together live games in a single view, scheduled around what’s on that day.

DirecTV noted that Curated Multiviews are currently rolling out to customers and will be available to eligible customers by August 27.

Each Multiview features live games from networks already included in a customer's package, laid out together and ready to watch. When a Multiview is available for the game a user is watching, that viewer will see a “Multiview” button in the video player.

Users will only see Multiviews for networks included in their packages and games available in their areas.

DirecTV said that its sports team curates each of these Multiview around two ideas: marquee matchups fans may want to follow together and themed slates built around the day’s action.

That could mean an SEC Saturday lineup one weekend or a collection of NFL games airing across CBS and FOX on Sunday, the operator explained.

DirecTV noted that the Curated Multiviews aren’t replacing existing Mix Channels. Those always-on channels bring together a set lineup of live networks in one place, making it easy to keep an eye on sports, news, weather and more.

Curated Multiviews work differently. Instead of occupying a permanent spot in the channel guide, they’re built around specific live sporting events. A Multiview appears when the action starts and wraps up when the games do, with program titles and artwork that make it easy to see exactly what’s playing.

DirecTV noted that Curated Multiviews are currently rolling out to customers and will be available to eligible customers by August 27. As the experience becomes available, users will find Multiviews on the Sports Central carousels.

BALTIMORE—Sinclair’s AMP Sports has launched “The Riverside: A Podcast on the University of Tennessee Volunteers,” the latest in its growing portfolio of local college football podcasts.

Hosted by Tennessee head coach Phillip Fulmer, former Volunteers quarterback Erik Ainge and national champion defensive back Fred White, “The Riverside” launches Aug. 25. The podcast will deliver insider analysis, behind-the-scenes stories, exclusive interviews and candid conversations.

Produced in partnership with Fox 17 Nashville, the video podcast will provide year-round coverage of University of Tennessee sports, with a focus on football.

Long-form episodes will be available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and all major podcast platforms, with new episodes released weekly.

"The Riverside" joins AMP Sport’s slate of college sports podcasts, including those dedicated to covering the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Alabama Crimson Tide, the Texas Longhorns, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Michigan Wolverines.

More information is available on the Sinclair website.

HEBBEN BRIDGE, U.K.—Calrec has integrated its ImPulseV virtualized DSP software with NEP Platform, bringing its scalable audio processing capabilities to NEP’s growing software ecosystem.

NEP Platform is an orchestration layer that brings software applications together in a unified software-defined environment, enabling broadcasters, rightsholders, leagues and live content producers to deploy, orchestrate and scale resources up or down rapidly as production requirements evolve.

"Pairing the power of NEP’s software orchestration platform with Calrec’s ImPulseV allows NEP to offer customers virtualized audio production environments and services that best fit the needs of each production. The ability to add temporary virtualized processing resources means broadcasters can scale to support their biggest events without significant up-front hardware investment,” said Calrec director of product management Henry Goodman.

"It also simplifies technical complexity. Wherever the processing is located and however a workflow is designed, it should feel seamless to the operator. Working closely with NEP, Calrec’s ongoing ImPulseV development simplifies deployment and gives customers the freedom to build more flexible, scalable production workflows.”

Seamless blending of on-premises infrastructure with remote, virtual or hybrid operations across multiple processing environments has become an increasingly established way for media companies to generate more content. Calrec's ImPulseV DSP software gives companies the freedom to choose how they work with processing resources that flex to meet any production demand.

“NEP Platform brings those trusted applications together, making it easier to deploy, connect and manage them through a unified operational framework. Adding Calrec’s ImPulseV to the NEP Platform ecosystem further expands those choices, giving customers access to scalable, virtualized audio processing while streamlining how modern production workflows are deployed and managed. It's another example of how we're growing an open ecosystem that gives customers the flexibility to build the workflows that best meet their operational needs.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

PARIS—Dalet has announced it will be participating in the IBC2026 Accelerator Media Innovation Program as part of a project exploring the future of AI in sports production.

During the Program, it will be collaborating with Astro Malaysia, Middle East Broadcasting Company (MBC), Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), AWS (Amazon Web Services), ITV, Google Cloud and other industry leaders on AI for Live Sports and Beyond: Rewiring Live Media via Agentic AI Orchestration and "meCast."

Located in Hall 14 at Stand 14.D25 in the Future Tech Zone, the project explores how agentic AI can automate live media workflows, enabling real-time content adaptation, personalization and new monetization opportunities for sports and other live productions.

As part of the demonstration, Dalet will showcase how its media-aware AI platform, Dalia, together with Dalet Flex and Dalet InStream, orchestrates live workflows from ingest through AI-powered analysis, compliance review and publishing, helping sports organizations accelerate production while maintaining editorial oversight and governance.

For sports organizations, broadcasters, leagues and rights holders, the ability to rapidly create, personalize and distribute live content is fundamental to enhanced audience engagement and revenue generation.

Dalet already supports sports customers with media workflows that accelerate highlight creation, content discovery, repurposing and multi-platform publishing, enabling teams and rights holders to maximize the value of every live event.

The IBC2026 Accelerator project showcases these capabilities by exploring how AI can intelligently orchestrate complex live production workflows while keeping humans in control.

The Accelerator demonstration complements Dalet's broader showcase at IBC2026, where the company will present innovations across Dalet Flex, Dalet Pyramid and Dalia, demonstrating how trusted, media-aware AI is transforming media operations from production through distribution.

Visitors to the Dalet stand will see how the latest innovations help media organizations modernize production and content supply chains, accelerate news workflows, improve content discovery, and streamline sports production through AI-assisted highlight creation, intelligent media management and automated publishing.

Attendees will also learn how Dalet's open, media-aware AI architecture enables organizations to deploy trusted AI while maintaining governance, operational control and flexibility through support for multiple large language models.

Dalet will be exhibiting at IBC2026 in Hall 7, Stand A43. For more information, visit https://www.dalet.com/events/ibc/.

PRINCETON, N.J.—Triveni Digital has announced that TV Globo, a leading Brazilian broadcaster, has selected the company’s TV 3.0 broadcast chain and monitoring solutions to support its deployment of next-generation television services.

TV Globo will also leverage Triveni’s GuideBuilder XM, Broadcast Gateway, and StreamScope XM Analyzer to deliver live coverage of the upcoming international football tournament in Brazil.

The two companies did not specify the name of the tournament, but Globo has used Triveni solutions for its TV 3.0 broadcasts and Brazil will be hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup Brazil 2027 from June 24 to July 25, 2027. Globo has broadcast rights to those matches.

“TV 3.0 represents an important step forward for broadcasting in Brazil, creating new opportunities to deliver richer viewing experiences while expanding the possibilities for broadcasters,” said Jonas Ribeiro, head of infrastructure and telecom projects and products, TV Globo. “Triveni Digital’s solutions have impressed our engineering team with their robustness and extensive feature set, giving us confidence as we deploy these new services across multiple markets. We are excited to have Triveni Digital supporting this important initiative.”

As Brazil transitions to TV 3.0, TV Globo has deployed Triveni Digital’s GuideBuilder XM transport stream encoder, Broadcast Gateway scheduler, and STLP generation solution in Brasilia. In addition, TV Globo will use the StreamScope XM Analyzer to monitor and verify service quality in Brasilia and other cities participating in its TV 3.0 rollout.

The deployment represents a significant milestone for Triveni Digital as Brazil launches what is widely regarded as the world’s most advanced next-generation broadcast television platform. Built on the foundation of ATSC 3.0 and incorporating innovations tailored to the Brazilian market, TV 3.0 is expected to transform how broadcasters deliver high-quality video, immersive audio, interactive applications, and new advertising experiences.

“We’re proud to bring our expertise in deploying ATSC 3.0 technology across the United States to TV Globo as Brazil enters this exciting new chapter in broadcast television,” said Mark Simpson, president and CEO of Triveni Digital. “Being selected to support TV Globo’s TV 3.0 deployment for coverage of one of the world’s largest sporting events is a tremendous honor. We look forward to helping ensure viewers receive the highest-quality television experience while supporting TV Globo’s broader vision for the future of broadcast and streaming. Ultimately, we believe many of the innovations being introduced in Brazil will influence future ATSC 3.0 deployments in the United States and other markets as the next phase of the transition unfolds.”

Triveni Digital will demonstrate its comprehensive TV 3.0 solution at SET Expo, Aug. 17-20 in São Paulo in booth 66b.

More information about Triveni Digital products is available at www.TriveniDigital.com.

BURY ST. EDMUNDS, U.K.—Vinten will demonstrate how its latest manual and robotic camera support solutions are helping broadcasters deliver more content from more locations, using a wider variety of cameras and lenses, while balancing crew, space and budget constraints during IBC 2026, Sept. 11-14, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

The company will feature the Versine 240 fluid head, introduced at IBC 2025. The head joins the flagship Versine 360, extending a range designed specifically for every position without at box lens at outside broadcasts.

Supporting payloads from 0 to 55 pounds (0-25 kg), Versine 240 delivers the precise balance and smooth movement needed for long-lens operation within a lightweight design suited to roaming OB positions, touchline coverage and live event production.

Vinten will also demonstrate VEGA Lite, its broadcast-ready PTZ control solution that delivers professional automation, consistent workflows and scalable control. Supporting a wide range of broadcast PTZ cameras and robotic devices, VEGA Lite provides a single control platform that allows broadcasters to create a unified workflow.

The company will showcase dedicated support solutions, including the manual Osprey Lite pedestal, adapted for direct PTZ camera mounting, and the robotic Tecnopoint Starter Ceiling Track, which provides smooth overhead PTZ camera movement while maximizing valuable floor space.

Vinten will also highlight the FP-188+ full XY robotic pedestal, controlled by the VEGA Control System, for permanent studio facilities. Incorporating intelligent mapping and enhanced on-board sensing, the system enables precise, repeatable camera movement while helping operators avoid potential collisions in busy studios.

See Vinten at IBC 2026 stand 13.A05.

More information is available on the company’s website.

In July, U.S. authorities announced the seizure of more than 1,000 domains that had been used to illegally stream high-value live sports. The sites were providing unauthorized real-time broadcasts, and investigators confirmed they were actively streaming protected matches before obtaining seizure warrants.

It’s an impressive enforcement action. It is also a reminder of a basic reality for streaming providers: When content is valuable enough, there will be sophisticated efforts to steal it, redistribute it and profit from it. But that does not mean every streaming provider needs the same anti-piracy strategy. Many need big boosts in proactive protections while others may not need quite as much.

For years, the industry conversation has often focused on whether a platform has sufficient content protection. A better question is: How much protection does your particular business need and what’s the best pathway forward?

The answer begins with understanding what role content plays in your revenue model.

Level 1: Video Is Something You Offer

At the first level are businesses where video is part of the offering, but it is not the primary reason customers are there.

Consider a communications provider that includes basic video programming within a broader package of internet, mobile or other services. The content might be largely on-demand, widely available elsewhere and relatively inexpensive. Customers are not necessarily choosing the provider because it has exclusive programming they cannot get anywhere else.

Here, anti-piracy is largely about meeting content protection requirements and maintaining the ability to license and distribute programming. That does not make security unimportant. It means the investment should reflect the business risk. Spending heavily to protect content that generates relatively little direct revenue can be as strategically questionable as spending too little to protect highly valuable content. For this category, the objective is straightforward: meet requirements, protect access and keep costs proportional to the value being protected.

Level 2: Video Helps Drive the Business

The equation changes for platforms where video plays a substantial role in attracting and retaining a broad audience.

These services might combine movies, series, children’s programming, lifestyle content and some sports. They compete on choice. Revenue might come from subscriptions, advertising or a combination of both. Piracy now presents a more significant economic threat because unauthorized viewing can hurt the business in several ways.

A pirate is not necessarily just stealing a piece of content. Unauthorized redistribution can mean the legitimate provider is paying the infrastructure costs associated with delivering video that is ultimately consumed outside its business model. CDN abuse, credential misuse and restreaming can turn distribution expenses into costs that benefit pirates rather than customers.

Advertising adds another dimension. When audiences consume stolen programming elsewhere, the legitimate service loses the opportunity to monetize those viewers. For these businesses, protection needs to extend beyond simply controlling access to content. Operators need greater visibility into how their services are being used so they can identify suspicious behavior and respond before abuse becomes expensive.

The goal is a balance between protection, operational cost and the subscriber experience.

Level 3: Content Is the Business

The highest level is fundamentally different.

These are platforms built around premium live sports, exclusive programming, early-release entertainment and other must-watch content. Subscribers are paying specifically for access to something valuable that they cannot legitimately obtain elsewhere. Here, piracy attacks the core product.Rights can cost millions of dollars or considerably more. Subscriber acquisition is expensive. Exclusivity drives demand. If premium content becomes freely available through pirate services, the consequences can include lost subscriptions, higher churn and lower returns on content investments.

Live programming raises the stakes further because its value is concentrated within a remarkably short window. Discovering an illegal stream after an event has concluded may help with enforcement, but the most valuable opportunity to protect revenue has already passed. That makes proactive protection essential. Platforms at this level need to think in terms of detecting suspicious activity as it happens, understanding where unauthorized distribution originates and enabling rapid countermeasures. Traditional protection remains important, but prevention, visibility and speed become equally critical.

Start with the Business, Not the Technology

The most useful anti-piracy assessment may therefore begin without discussing technology at all. Ask four questions:

1. Is video the primary product or one component of a larger offering? 
2. Does the business compete on price, variety or exclusivity? 
3. How directly does content consumption generate revenue? 
4. And what happens financially when someone watches that content somewhere else?

The answers likely reveal the level of protection that makes sense. A provider offering basic video as an add-on does not face the same risk as a broad entertainment platform. And neither faces the same economics as a service that has invested heavily in exclusive live programming.

What all three have in common is the need to stop treating anti-piracy as a generic checkbox.

Enforcement actions against massive illegal streaming operations demonstrate just how valuable stolen content has become. But the lesson for streaming providers is not that everyone needs maximum security everywhere. It’s that protection should be proportional to what is at stake.

And when content is the business itself, what is at stake can be nearly everything.

Verimatrix (Euronext Paris: VMX) powers the modern connected world with people-centered content security. Trusted by leading operators, broadcasters, streaming services, and content owners worldwide, Verimatrix delivers intuitive solutions that protect premium digital content and services across today's media ecosystem. With more than 30 years of expertise, the company combines advanced content protection, anti-piracy intelligence, and secure service delivery to help customers combat piracy, safeguard revenue, and deliver seamless viewing experiences. Verimatrix enables organizations to securely deliver premium entertainment with confidence. Learn more at www.verimatrix.com.

Comcast and Disney have reached a new carriage agreement for the NFL Network and the NFL RedZone channel that gives Xfinity customers access to the services in the run-up to the start of the NFL season.

The services were removed from the Comcast Xfinity lineup when the blackout began in late April. It was the first carriage dispute since Disney’s ESPN acquisition of the NFL Network was completed in early February.

No formal announcement was made about the agreement and financial terms were not disclosed.

“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with The Walt Disney Company to bring NFL Network to our customers in time for the start of the preseason games and to offer NFL RedZone Channel at the beginning of the regular season,” Comcast said in a statement to NBC Sports.

NEW YORK—The New York Jets and CBS New York have inked a multi-year extension of their deal that will provide fans with preseason game broadcasts, Jets shoulder programming, and exclusive team content.

The deal continues their 28-year relationship and re-establishes the station as the official broadcast home of the New York Jets.

The Jets preseason coverage begins on Friday, August 14 when the team hosts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium (7:00 p.m. ET). On Friday, August 21, the team will make the trip to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium (7:00 p.m. ET). The final tilt of the preseason slate will be the annual summer contest against the New York Giants (Friday, August 28, 7:30 p.m. ET) in Preseason Week 3.

All preseason games will air on CBS New York and stream on Paramount +.

“For nearly three decades, CBS New York has been a trusted partner in helping us connect with Jets fans across the region,” said Hymie Elhai, president, New York Jets. “This extension builds on that longstanding relationship and allows us to deliver even more access, insight and exclusive content to our fans. From live preseason coverage to behind-the-scenes programming and new team-focused shows, we’re excited to continue bringing Jets football to fans year-round through CBS New York.”

As the 2026 NFL preseason kicks off, the collaboration will feature exclusive behind-the-scenes content produced by “1JD Films,” including preseason and offseason special programming that the station said will bring fans closer to the action than ever before.

Throughout the season, Jets fans can also tune in to a robust lineup of team-focused programming, including “Jets GameDay,” “Jets Late Night,” and “The Official Jets Podcast.” As part of the refreshed programming slate, “Jets GameDay” will replace the former “Coaches' Show,” while “The Official Jets Podcast” will deliver new perspectives and expanded coverage of the team year-round.

"The New York Jets have been an outstanding partner for decades, and we're proud to continue this relationship for years to come," said Johnny Green Jr., regional president and general manager of CBS New York and CBS Boston. "As we extend the partnership past 30 years this reflects our shared commitment to serving fans, and continuing to work together to deliver compelling content and support impactful community initiatives that engage our audiences and Jets fans across the region."

COLUMBIA, Md.—LTN has expanded capabilities for its Live Event Master Control, providing sports broadcasters, leagues, rights holders and content owners with a more flexible and scalable approach to managing live event distribution.

Built on the LTN Network, the enhanced master control solution combines low latency IP transport, cloud-native playout, automation, scheduling, monitoring, graphics and optional operator-assisted services for live sports and events into a unified platform designed for live sports and events.

LTN’s Live Event Master Control capabilities have supported more than 20,000 live sporting events and broadcasts for leading broadcasters, sports leagues and content owners worldwide. The latest enhancements streamline live MCR workflows with greater automation, visibility and flexibility across live production workflows.

Its capabilities enable users to launch and manage complex workflows without the cost, time and infrastructure requirements traditionally associated with dedicated control rooms and on-premises systems.

The latest capabilities include:

• Automated workflows for frame accurate routing, graphics, ad signaling and playback.
• Enriched graphics, including integration with upstream data sources.
• Picture in picture, squeeze backs and other unique on-screen layouts. 
• Multi-language support, including captioning and announcer integration.
• Deep audio manipulation and video transformation.
• Advanced transmission and video/audio payload monitoring.

LTN’s platform enables customers to leverage LTN-hosted workflows running across the company’s purpose-built global IP video network.

Users can choose between:

• Live Event Master Control services operated by LTN experts.
• Self-service workflows powered by LTN’s scheduling, automation and monitoring software.
• Hybrid models that combine customer-provided operations with LTN’s managed services and technical support.

More information is available on the company’s website.

WUPPERTAL, Germany—Riedel Communications will feature the Live Production Experience, a connected demonstration that follows the production chain from image capture and signal transport to live switching, replay, audio processing, monitoring, control, communications and delivery during IBC 2026, Sept. 11-14, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Center.

Rather than presenting each technology in isolation, Riedel will show how its systems can work together within a coordinated, IP-focused environment to simplify operations and give production teams a more consistent and flexible way to build, run and evolve their workflows.

At the center of the demonstration are the SimplyLive Production Suite Flex, now expanded with SMPTE ST 2110-capable server configurations; MediorNet’s hybrid SDI-IP and native ST 2110 capabilities; SAME audio processing; and hi human interface as the overarching control and orchestration layer. With ARRI camera technology at the point of image capture, the demonstration makes the end-to-end vision tangible by connecting the production workflow within one coordinated IP environment.

Riedel will also make the IBC premieres of the MediorNet HorizoN ST 2110 MultiViewer App, the DSP-1216HL Commentary Control App and the StageLink NSA008-A as well as unveil intercom and audio developments.

SimplyLIveRiedel will highlight new Flex server configurations adding SMPTE ST 2110 to the SimplyLive platform’s existing support for SDI, SRT NDI, and other video workflows. The expansion broadens deployment choices and allows SimplyLive to fit more directly into ST 2110 production environments and Riedel’s wider IP infrastructure.

Further enhancements bring new capabilities and greater operational flexibility to the SimplyLive software suite. Alongside integration with SKAARHOJ control panels, Riedel will showcase new Venue Gateway options.

MediorNetThe new MediorNet HorizoN ST 2110 MultiViewer App expands native IP capabilities and reinforces HorizoN’s role in modern ST 2110-based infrastructures. The new app brings multiviewing directly into the MediorNet processing environment. It extends Riedel’s established multiviewer approach into native IP environments while maintaining the operational flexibility required for modern live production.

hi human interfaceRiedel's hi human interface is a vendor-agnostic control and orchestration platform. Browser-based, platform-independent and vendor-agnostic, hi enables operators to configure, control, and manage routers, multiviewers, video and audio mixers, software-defined networks (SDNs) and other third-party technologies with a unified interface.

Supporting baseband, IP or hybrid infrastructures, hi adapts to different users, operational roles, and production environments.

Smart Audio and Edge ConnectivityRiedel will showcase its SAME Smart Audio & Mixing Engine, an advanced audio processing software suite built on commercial off-the-shelf server cluster technology. Designed for scalable and automated workflows, SAME provides flexible processing resources that can adapt to changing production requirements.

Its distributed approach separates audio processing from individual physical workspaces, allowing resources to be accessed and managed across different locations. This supports a broad range of applications, including mixing, monitoring, voice-over, loudness management, signal analysis and in-line processing.

At the edge of the network, Riedel’s expanding StageLink Network Stream Adapter family provides compact, rugged devices for decentralized audio and intercom connectivity over standard IP networks. At IBC, Riedel will premiere the new StageLink NSA008-A, supporting flexible signal distribution within Artist, Bolero and wider IP audio environments.

Bolero and Bolero MiniThe company will introduce enhancements across its Bolero wireless intercom portfolio with new 5G filtering for Bolero antennas and beltpacks. The enhancements are designed to increase resilience in demanding RF environments and support reliable communications in increasingly congested production settings. Bolero beltpacks will also feature a refreshed, more robust hardware design, along with new RF-resilient options.

Bolero Mini complements the full-size Bolero beltpack. It combines four programmable keys and dedicated volume controls with the audio performance, RF capabilities, Bluetooth connectivity, and operational concepts of the wider Bolero ecosystem.

The company will also feature:

• The Artist Ecosystem with Virtual SmartPanel and 1200 Series SmartPanels.
• Easy5G private 5G network support.
• DIVA+ managed technology for complex live events environments.

See Riedel Communications at IBC 2026 Stands 10.A24, 10.A31 and 10.A38.

More information is available on the company’s website.

NASHVILLE—Gravity Media has formed a strategic partnership with U.S.-based live event production and technology company Live Media Group (LMG) and has sold eight mobile units in the United States to LMG, including three premium production trucks with existing major broadcast contract.

The deal includes the addition of engineering and technical staff, further enhancing LMG’s production expertise around the country.

“The United States remains a critically important market for us. By partnering with Live Media Group, we are combining complementary strengths to deliver even greater value to our customers. We are excited about what this partnership makes possible and look forward to everything we will build together.,” said Jamie Hindhough, regional CEO of Gravity Media.

The new strategic partnership will see the companies collaborating on projects requiring both mobile production facilities and services. While Live Media Group assumes ownership and operation of Gravity Media's U.S. based Outside Broadcast (OB) truck fleet, Gravity Media will continue to support projects through its RF technology and other services, creating a comprehensive solution for clients operating throughout the United States.

Beyond expanding its mobile production fleet, the acquisition also provides Live Media Group's operating companies, including TNDV Television, Live Media and GameTime Productions, with access to additional specialty cameras, production equipment, production services and engineering resources that can be deployed across a broader range of projects.

The acquisition marks another milestone in Live Media Group's long-term strategy of expanding its national footprint through carefully selected acquisitions that enhance client service while preserving operational quality. Since acquiring SureShot Teleproductions in 2015, Live Media Group has continued to grow with the acquisitions of TNDV Television and HARB Production Services in 2019, Lyon Video in 2022 and now Gravity Media's U.S. mobile production assets.

Gravity Media and LMG are working closely to ensure a coordinated and seamless transition of the OB fleet. Throughout the process, customers can expect uninterrupted service and the same high standards of quality, innovation and delivery that both organizations are known for globally, Gravity Media said.

“Over the past few years, Live Media Group has transformed and grown in meaningful ways with a focus on expanding what we can offer our customers and partners,” said Michael Sullivan, Live Media Group president.

“This partnership with Gravity Media deepens that commitment, giving clients access to an even broader range of live production capabilities not only with additions to our mobile fleet, but also expanding what we can offer across RF, specialty cameras and flypacks for both domestic and international clients. None of this happens without great people on both sides, and I could not be prouder of where we are headed.”

The acquisition significantly increases Live Media Group's available production capacity at a time when demand for high-end mobile production services continues to rise. The three flagship production units included in the transaction arrive with existing contracts supporting major U.S. broadcast partners and premier professional events, while all eight mobile units expand the company's ability to support sports, entertainment, corporate and live event productions nationwide.

The additional fleet also arrives at a critical time for Live Media Group's operations. "Historically, our mobile units have been fully committed most of the year," said Sullivan. "These additional assets immediately provide us with greater scheduling flexibility while allowing us to support more clients without compromising the level of service they've come to expect. Rather than turning opportunities away, we're now positioned to say yes to more productions."

The strategic partnership established alongside the acquisition also broadens the company's service offerings. Clients requiring RF along with other solutions can now benefit from Gravity Media's specialized RF technology and services, while Gravity Media's international customers requiring mobile production support in the United States will be served through Live Media Group's expanded fleet.

More information is available on the Gravity Media and Live Media Group websites.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. and NEW YORK—DirecTV has concluded a multiyear agreement with EverPass Media to distribute “NFL Sunday Ticket” via satellite and streaming to bars, restaurants and commercial venues nationwide through DirecTV for Business beginning with the 2026 season.

Under the agreement, DirecTV for Business will serve as EverPass’ sales, marketing and commercial distribution partner for the out-of-market pro football package, with or without the NFL RedZone channel.

DirecTV for Business will also be EverPass’ Preferred National Distributor for EverPass streaming platforms throughout the U.S. This brings a major commercial television provider together with the commercial rightsholder for the NFL’s out-of-market package.

“For decades, businesses have trusted DirecTV to deliver the biggest moments in sports,” DirecTV Chief Operating Officer Mike Wittrock said. “This agreement gives businesses more flexibility in how they watch ‘NFL Sunday Ticket’ and other sports content, with access to one of the most comprehensive commercial sports offerings.”

Added EverPass Media CEO Alex Kaplan: “We’re pleased to partner with DirecTV for Business to expand access to live sports for venues. This agreement is about creating greater availability for bars, restaurants and other commercial businesses so they can offer ‘NFL Sunday Ticket’—and other live sports content—with flexibility in how they receive the service.”

DirecTV serves more than 300,000 commercial locations nationwide. Through this agreement, businesses will benefit from a streamlined relationship for sales, service, billing and support while continuing to access the programming their customers expect every week throughout the NFL season.

Beyond “NFL Sunday Ticket” and NFL RedZone, the agreement also enables DirecTV for Business customers to subscribe to other premium sports content offered by EverPass via streaming or satellite. Existing EverPass customers will receive services as usual.

In a major distribution deal that will make YouTube an even more important outlet for sports and premium video content, NBCUniversal and YouTube have announced a multi-year global strategic partnership that brings Peacock to millions of YouTube Premium subscribers in the U.S. and expands the international reach of Universal+ and Hayu.

The deal, which pairs YouTube’s global scale, creator ecosystem and diverse content with NBCUniversal’s premium entertainment, blockbuster films, live sports and iconic franchises, is a notable example of how the lines between traditional TV and streaming continue to blur.

When fully implemented, the agreement will allow YouTube users to easily jump between creator content on YouTube to NFL games and big-budget TV series on Peacock. Such distribution scenarios are likely to become even more important to the future of NBCU after it is spun off from Comcast.

In a note to investors, LightShed Partner's Richard Greenfield highlighted the groundbreaking potential of the deal by stressing that "Peacock is being fully ingested into YouTube Premium, not just bundled alongside it. That distinction matters enormously. A YouTube Premium subscriber will be able to watch NFL games, NBA games, and MLB games directly within the YouTube app, the same way they would if they had subscribed to Peacock through YouTube Primetime Channels. No app-switching, no separate login, no friction. It will feel like YouTube offers the content itself."

"YouTube is proving that the platform, not the content, is the most powerful asset," he added. "Every sport, every show, and every stream flowing through the YouTube interface is another reason a subscriber never needs to open a competitor’s app. If sports rights holders are willing to let their content be ingested (and Peacock clearly is), that creates a powerful flywheel that gets harder to disrupt over time."

The deal, which is Peacock's largest wholesale distribution partnership to date, also extends NBCUniversal's multi-year distribution partnership with YouTube TV and Comcast’s distribution partnership with various YouTube products; deepens the companies’ longstanding advertising and technology relationship; expands NBCUniversal's international streaming footprint through Universal+ and Hayu in select markets; and creates new opportunities across sports production and live sports on YouTube.

“This partnership brings NBCUniversal’s world-class content and iconic franchises to YouTube’s unmatched scale and global platforms,” said Mike Cavanagh, co-CEO of Comcast Corporation. “We’re excited to deepen our relationship with YouTube through a collaboration that reflects our strategy of partnering with industry leaders to drive sustained growth for NBCUniversal.”

“We’re incredibly excited to expand our partnership with NBCUniversal to redefine what a modern entertainment subscription can be for consumers,” added said Neal Mohan, CEO, YouTube. “YouTube Premium brings your favorite creators, artists and cultural moments together uninterrupted, and now, we’re pairing that ultimate viewing experience with Peacock’s expansive lineup of live sports like Sunday Night Football and the NBA, blockbuster Universal movies, and original series. This makes it easier than ever for our members to find and watch all the premium content they love, all in one place.”

More specifically, the wide-ranging deal includes:

• Beginning in early 2027, Peacock Premium will be included in a bundle with YouTube Premium, making it immediately available to millions of existing YouTube Premium subscribers. This will substantially expanding Peacock’s reach and making it one of the most broadly distributed premium streaming services in the U.S.
• Subscribers will receive seamless access to Peacock within the YouTube experience, featuring marquee live sports including the NFL, Olympics, NBA, MLB, Big Ten and Notre Dame Football, Big 12, Big East and Big Ten College Basketball, Premier League, WNBA, Kentucky Derby, golf and more, hit series such as Love Island USA, The Real Housewives franchise, Law & Order: SVU, Saturday Night Live, The Traitors, All Her Fault and The Office; and award-winning and blockbuster films.
• This deal also extends NBCUniversal's multi-year distribution agreement with YouTube TV, the largest and fastest-growing pay TV provider in the U.S., ensuring continued broad linear distribution of NBCUniversal's industry-leading portfolio of entertainment, sports and news programming.
• The companies will deepen their longstanding advertising technology collaboration, including through FreeWheel, to enhance advertising capabilities and drive greater monetization at scale.
• The agreement will also expand the global reach of NBCUniversal’s international streaming services, Universal+ and Hayu, through YouTube Premium in select markets.
• NBC Sports will be the production partner for select premier live sporting events on YouTube.
• A selection of live sporting events from NBCUniversal will stream on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel, bringing a sample of world-class games to millions of users on YouTube.
• The deal extends and expands the distribution and offerings of YouTube, YouTube TV and YouTube Premium on Comcast’s Xfinity and Xumo platforms.
• Peacock Premium (currently $10.99/month) will also be available as a separate add-on subscription through YouTube Primetime Channels starting later this summer. Peacock Premium Plus has been available via YouTube Primetime Channels since late June.

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL—The Minnesota Timberwolves have announced a new local media rights agreement with DAZN that makes it the new exclusive home for Timberwolves basketball across its local broadcast territory.

The deal creates a new team-branded subscription service. Launching later this summer, it will allow fans to stream Timberwolves games and provide access to broader team content.

Fifteen games will be available for free this season, underscoring the team’s commitment to reaching more fans.

The subscription service will be available throughout the entirety of the Timberwolves' home broadcast territory, which includes full coverage across Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, with partial coverage extending into Kansas and Wisconsin.

The team reported that DAZN’s digital-first viewing experience and multi-device capabilities will allow fans to seamlessly access games, programming, and additional content across smart TVs, mobile devices, web browsers, and partner streaming platforms.

Production for all local game broadcasts, including pregame and postgame coverage, will be provided by the NBA.

“Our commitment to the best possible fan experience is what drives everything we do,” said Timberwolves & Lynx CEO Matthew Caldwell. “With DAZN, we’re delivering on that promise, bringing Timberwolves basketball directly to fans through a modern streaming experience that expands reach with 15 free games and meets fans wherever they are.”

“The Timberwolves are one of the most exciting young franchises in the NBA, with an incredibly passionate fanbase. We are honored to be their exclusive regional home starting next season and to give fans an easy way to watch the team they love," said Shay Segev, CEO, DAZN Group. “The NBA is one of the most popular leagues in the world and the Timberwolves are an indelible part. Bringing a team of this calibre onto DAZN is an amazing addition to our growing U.S. sports portfolio. We can’t wait to start serving Timberwolves fans as the team prepares for another incredible season.”

DAZN will deliver live Timberwolves games alongside a broad slate of additional content, giving fans expanded access to live action, pre- and post-game shows, highlights, behind-the-scenes storytelling, and original programming that deepens the fan experience.

DAZN also reported that new interactive features will be launched throughout the season including live in-game fan chats, polls, quizzes, and games.

Available in more than 200 markets worldwide, DAZN has partnerships spanning the NFL, NHL, soccer, boxing, MMA and other major sports leagues, competitions and properties.

Additional details regarding game availability, programming, launch timing and pricing will be announced at a later date.

MIRAMAR, Fla.—NBCUniversal’s Telemundo 51 Miami/WSCV has announced an agreement with the Miami Marlins that will make live Spanish-language coverage of Marlins games available for the first time on the station.

Telemundo 51 will broadcast the Marlins against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, Aug. 9, at 1:40 p.m. ET, and against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 3:10 p.m. ET – the final game of the 2026 regular season – on free over-the-air television in South Florida.

“Our viewers have a deep passion for baseball, and we are proud to make Marlins baseball available to Spanish-speaking fans on Telemundo 51 for the first time,” said Jorge Carballo, president and general manager of Telemundo 51 and NBC6 / WTVJ. “This initiative underscores our shared commitment to serving South Florida’s vibrant Hispanic community.”

“Baseball is deeply rooted in the Spanish-speaking community, and that is especially true here in South Florida,” said Caroline O’Connor, Miami Marlins president of Business. “Our partnership with Telemundo 51 Miami allows us to connect with Spanish-speaking fans in a more meaningful way through Spanish-language broadcasts while expanding access to Marlins baseball across the region.”

PITTSBURGH—NEP Group has announced the availability of Riedel's SimplyLive Production Suite through NEP Platform, expanding the platform's ecosystem of technologies.

With the latest integration, customers now have access to one of the industry's leading live production software solutions, giving them greater flexibility to build modern production workflows using software they know and trust, while leveraging NEP Platform to deploy, orchestrate and manage these applications through a single, secure interface.

"Organizations don't want to replace the workflows and expertise they've already invested in or be locked into a single solution. They want the freedom to choose the right software for every production,” said NEP vice president Dan Murphy.

“That's exactly what NEP Platform enables. We provide the orchestration layer that allows customers to deploy, connect and manage trusted software applications through a unified operational framework. The addition of SimplyLive further expands customer choice while continuing to grow the industry's largest software ecosystem for media production."

Riedel's SimplyLive Production Suite offers key capabilities, including live production, replay, ingest recording, streaming and video review in a flexible, modular suite. Through NEP Platform, customers can now seamlessly integrate SimplyLive into broader production workflows, alongside complementary software applications from other trusted suppliers.

Offering a large ecosystem of trusted software applications for media production, NEP Platform gives customers greater choice and control over how they build production workflows.

Rather than replacing software that NEP’s customers already know and trust, NEP Platform provides the orchestration layer to bring applications together into a unified software-defined environment. Through a single, secure interface, organizations can rapidly deploy, orchestrate and scale applications up or down as production requirements evolve.

"SimplyLive is built to give production teams maximum flexibility — whether on a truck, in a studio, remotely or in the cloud. With integrated live production, replay, ingest recording, streaming and video review combined in a single, modular suite, customers can deploy exactly the components their workflows demand,” said Ulrich Voigt, director of Live Production Solutions at Riedel Communications. “Making SimplyLive available through NEP Platform takes that flexibility even further: customers can now embed SimplyLive seamlessly into broader, software-defined production environments — while retaining the operational freedom that modern production teams expect."

Every NEP Platform deployment is backed by the expertise of the teams delivering many of the world's largest and most complex live productions every day.

More information is available on the NEP and Riedel websites.

BURBANK, Calif.—The CW and ESPN have announced that their streaming agreement to bring live CW Sports events to the ESPN App will officially launch on Tuesday (Aug. 4).

ESPN App users can watch all CW Sports offerings live on any device as a complement to The CW’s nationwide over-the-air broadcast and pay TV distribution.

More than 800 annual hours of CW Sports content will be broadcast live on The CW and livestreamed on the ESPN App for viewers with an ESPN Unlimited subscription plan.

CW Sports on the ESPN App launches Aug. 4 at 8 p.m. with a live, two-hour “WWE NXT” event. Next, motorsports fans will be able to stream the final two the final two regular season NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races from Iowa Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 4:30 p.m. ET and Daytona International Speedway on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m. ET before The Chase for the Championship continues throughout the fall.

CW Sports offers college football and men’s and women’s basketball from the ACC, Mountain West and Pac-12 conferences, the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, WWE NXT every Tuesday night, WWE NXT premium live events, PBR Bull Riding, AVP volleyball, PBA bowling and the 2026 Arizona Bowl.

Fans can activate the ESPN Unlimited plan through their TV or mobile providers in addition to a standalone subscription.

The CW’s biggest college football season in network history—featuring140 hours of games across the ACC, Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences—kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET with New Mexico State-Florida State.

IRVING, Texas—A new analysis from Horowitz Research highlights the importance of multicultural audiences for the record viewing seen during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concluded with a historic final and record-setting audience engagement of nearly 63 million Americans watching the event.

In addition to the 38.9 million viewers turning into the English-language soccer telecast on Fox, an additional 23.9 million viewers watched the Spanish-language telecast on Telemundo.

At the same time, Telemundo and Peacock reported Spanish-language streaming engagement in the U.S, with group-stage digital average minute audience up 251% versus the tournament in 2022. These results reflect a broader transformation in the media landscape, where multicultural audiences and digital platforms are driving growth, Horowitz reported.

Those results confirmed longstanding research from Horowitz highlighting the importance of multicultural audiences, making clear that multicultural audiences are a central part of the sports audience. The scale of Spanish-language viewing and the outsized role of Hispanic fans highlight how deeply soccer is embedded in cultural identity and community connection in the U.S.

Horowitz Research’s latest study, "State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: Viewing Behaviors", which was conducted prior to the tournament, found that over half (54%) of Latinx consumers intended to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, significantly higher than the total market (42%). Those expectations were borne out in the intensity and consistency of engagement seen throughout the tournament.

“What we saw in 2026 is the full realization of trends we’ve been tracking for years,” said Adriana Waterston, executive vice president, insights and strategy lead for Horowitz Research. “The World Cup is where culture, community, and media converge. It is not just about the game on the screen, it is about identity, connection, and shared experience across platforms and languages. Our research at the intersection of cultural insights and sports is focused on helping media brands and their advertisers and sponsors maximize engagement among Hispanic audiences, multicultural audiences, and the sports audience overall.”

The 2026 tournament also marked a turning point for streaming as a primary platform for live sports and highlighted a number of trends that content providers and advertisers will need to embrace if they want to attract these audiences, the Horowitz analysis found.

For starters, digital viewership surged across matches and rounds, with fans seamlessly moving between traditional television and streaming services depending on context and convenience.

This behavior was anticipated by Horowitz’s pre-event research, which showed that a majority of prospective viewers expected to stream matches live and use multiple devices beyond the TV set. The World Cup demonstrated that live sports can successfully operate in an ecosystem where linear and streaming are complementary.

The result is a new model for major sporting events, one that demands integrated distribution strategies across broadcast, streaming, mobile, and social platforms, the Horowitz analysis stressed.

Beyond platforms and audiences, the 2026 World Cup reinforced the idea that sports fandom is inherently social. Fans gathered at home, in public venues, and online, engaging with content before, during, and after matches. Social media, second screens, and shared viewing experiences were not secondary behaviors but, rather, they were core to how the event was experienced.

In surveys prior to the event, Horowitz Research found that large portions of viewers planned to watch with friends and family, attend viewing events, and engage with World Cup content across social platforms. The tournament brought those behaviors to life, with fans using the World Cup to connect across geographies, cultures, and generations.

The scale and nature of engagement during the 2026 World Cup also reinforced the value of live, multicultural sports environments for advertisers. High levels of attention, emotional investment, and cross-platform engagement create conditions that are uniquely powerful for brand impact.

In addition, the momentum from the 2026 FIFA World Cup is already extending into the next chapter of global soccer. Horowitz’s research suggests meaningful continued interest in global soccer events, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

“If 2026 showed us anything, it is that the playbook has changed,” added Waterston. “The audiences driving growth are diverse, the platforms are fluid, and the experience is shared. The organizations that understand and embrace that reality will be the ones that win in the next era of global sports.”

For more information, visit www.horowitzresearch.com.

MELVILLE, N.Y.—NBCUniversal Telemundo relied on Chyron PRIME 5 to support its need for real-time graphics production for its FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.

The Chyron PRIME 5 platform supported the live graphics workflows used across Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.

NBCUniversal Telemundo's FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage delivered record-breaking audiences throughout the tournament. Through the Round of 16, Telemundo and Peacock delivered the 10 most-watched FIFA World Cup matches in Spanish-language media history, averaging 5.7 million viewers—up 157% from the 2022 tournament through the same stage.

Mexico vs. South Korea became the most-watched soccer match in Spanish-language media history, delivering 14.0 million Total Audience Delivery (TAD). During the Group Stage, Telemundo and Peacock averaged 4.6 million viewers across 72 matches, up 122% versus the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group Stage.

Chyron's PRIME 5 platform enabled HDR graphics production across more than 700 hours of World Cup programming, spanning all 104 matches while supporting real-time graphics across Telemundo, Universo and Peacock.

Leveraging PRIME 5's Adobe After Effects workflow and flexible template architecture, Telemundo's creative teams efficiently transformed broadcast designs into live motion graphics that could be deployed across Telemundo Network, Universo and Peacock while integrating live data from SPORTSAPP, SMT and FIFA.

The platform also enabled production teams to manage graphics for up to four simultaneous World Cup matches, delivering operational efficiency, creative consistency and real-time performance throughout the tournament.

"Delivering a tournament of this scale required graphics tools that could support multiple productions simultaneously while maintaining creative consistency across every broadcast. PRIME 5 was one of the technologies that helped our team execute that vision," said Fabian Albarracin, director of Realtime Graphics at Telemundo, NBCUniversal.

More information is available on the company’s website.

FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially become YouTube's most-viewed FIFA World Cup in history, pushing lifetime views for videos related to the current and past FIFA World Cups past 200 billion views, the streamer reported.

Overall, more than 1.7 billion unique viewers globally watched World Cup-related videos on YouTube during the FIFA World Cup 2026, including over 550 million that watched on their televisions.

Official YouTube broadcasts of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match between Spain and Argentina on July 19 drew over 21 million average minute audience (AMA) across more than 40 markets. Together, they reached a peak of over 27 million concurrent viewers on YouTube.

The data was released in a blog post by Angela Courtin

Vice president of sports and entertainment marketing on YouTube and Justin Connolly, vice president, global head of media and sports, YouTube.

They also reported that FIFA’s official YouTube channel amassed over 4 billion views and added over 7.5 million new subscribers between June 11-July 19. The channel now has over 34 million global subscribers.

The YouTube executives also noted that the tournament also redefined what it means to be a soccer (or fútbol) fan, with a global roster of creators with a combined 350 million YouTube videos related to the FIFA World Cup uploaded by its creator roster accumulated over 2.5 billion views globally.

YouTube also hosted the first YouTube FIFA Creator Cup exhibition match on July 12, live from Central Park, New York. Led by team captains IShowSpeed and Celine Dept, the official live streams for the event drew over 10 million live views globally, including broadcasts from FIFA’s official channel, participating creators and official broadcasters, the blog said.

As Comcast prepares to spin off its NBCUniversal operations, the company reported that its streaming service Peacock was profitable for the first time ever in Q2 2026, with a EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) of $189 million, up $290 million from the losses reported in Q2 2025.

Paid subscribers Increased by 2 million net addition in the quarter to 48 million, driven by NBA Playoffs, FIFA World Cup and Love Island USA.

In an earnings call with analysts, Brian Roberts, chairman and co-CEO of Comcast said that “in just 6 years, we've built Peacock into a streaming business with real scale in the U.S. We've added 2 million paid subscribers in each of the last 2 quarters, had our biggest viewership month ever in June and reached profitability, all anchored by what NBCUniversal does best: premium entertainment, live sports, news and extraordinary storytelling.”

Jason Armstrong, CFO of Comcast provided more details. “Digging into Peacock specifically, revenue increased 54%, driven by strong growth in both distribution and advertising revenue,” he said. “Distribution revenue grew over 50% with paid subscribers up $7 million year-over-year and $2 million sequentially, reaching $48 million and advertising revenue increased nearly 70%, fueled by multiple drivers with notable callouts including the simulcast of Telemundo's FIFA World Cup, the NBA playoffs and the latest season of Love Island.”

During the World Cup, the company recently reported that streaming comprised 48% of Telemundo’s Total Audience Delivery for the FIFA World Cup 2026, up from 30% contribution in 2022. With an average minute audience (AMA) of 3 million viewers on Peacock and Telemundo streaming platforms, digital viewership grew +297% vs. 2022 (767,000).

In addition Spain vs. Argentina Finals on July 19, is the most-streamed World Cup match in Spanish-language history with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 13.9 million viewers, +370% over the most-streamed match of the 2022 tournament (Argentina vs. France Finals, 3 million AMA).

Overall, there were 21 games that averaged 4 million or more streaming viewers, up from zero in 2022.

STAINES-UPON-THAMES, U.K.—Dynamic ad insertion solution provider Yospace is reporting that it stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one addressable advertisements into live video streams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This equates to 297 million advertisements per day during the 39-day tournament, which is a big increase on other recent global events - the Paris 2024 Summer Games saw 41% fewer ads stitched per day.

“The 2026 FIFA World Cup demonstrates the massive scale we’re seeing for ad-funded streaming today,” said Tim Sewell, CEO of Yospace. “The excitement of these moments, when entire nations are tuning in, means that the quality of the experience and the seamlessness of the advertising is absolutely critical. It’s a testament to the experience and dedication of the entire Yospace team that we have such a strong reputation for monetizing major live events. The data tells us that we’re only scratching the surface of the kind of scale that live streaming is set to achieve, and Dynamic Ad Insertion technology must be able to meet that demand.”

The data was collected from Yospace’s global customer base of broadcasters and distributors, of which 14 were streaming the action.

Yospace also reported that the growth is representative of some wider trends. Very notably, viewers are shifting their attention to app-based channels on their Connected TVs rather than traditional linear. Broadcasters responding to that shift are in turn focusing more attention on monetizing their OTT streams more effectively by ensuring as much online traffic as possible has DAI applied.

The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup also brought additional value, given the fact that there were 16 more teams compared to the last tournament in 2022, which created 40 additional matches to advertise against.

The introduction of a three-minute hydration break in each half also created an extra opportunity to advertise, which most ad-supported rights-holders utilized.

Yospace’s busiest ad break came at the start of Half-Time when England played Norway in the Quarter-Finals. In that two minute window, 13 million one-to-one addressable ads were stitched, demonstrating the need for DAI systems and the adtech to work together and to scale with very short notice if rights-holders want to achieve the highest possible fill-rates and maximize value.

Yospace’s Advanced Prefetch system was applied throughout the tournament to space out ad requests, giving the adtech the time it needed to respond, and helping to prepare for unscheduled breaks as matches ran into Extra Time and penalties.

Yospace also reported that across the entire tournament, there were 637 ad breaks (including hydration breaks) compared to 326 in 2022, based on how the majority of Yospace customers applied ad breaks.

This was driven by the increase in matches and more ad breaks per match, but also by the nature of play. Fewer matches were decided by a dreaded penalty shoot-out (four) than in 2022 (five), despite there being substantially more matches.

However, five matches were settled by goals during the Extra Time period, whereas in 2022 every single match that entered Extra Time went on to penalties.

Yospace also reported that there were more goals per game (2.96) compared to 2022 (2.69), meaning that, with hydration breaks effectively splitting matches into quarters, there was a far higher likelihood of a goal or a dramatic moment, and a resulting audience surge, occurring near an ad break.

When France was awarded a penalty against Morocco in the Quarter-Finals, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check that followed took an agonizing three minutes to reach a resolution. Between the penalty being awarded and France’s Kylian Mbappé kicking the ball, there was a 37% increase in stream starts. The hydration break came barely a minute after his miss. Advertisements during hydration breaks benefitted from a lower audience drop-off than other ad breaks. Being only three minutes long, Yospace saw just a 0.4% drop-off rate for some matches, compared to 16.82% during half-time.

Earlier in the tournament, Belgium’s dramatic comeback from 2-0 down against Senegal in the Round of 32 drove a 93% increase in stream starts in the space of two minutes, and rose steadily until the full-time whistle and subsequent ad break. Typically, the final whistle of a match prompts an audience drop-off around 50% within a matter of minutes. With Extra Time coming up next, Belgium’s late goals meant the drop-off was only 11%, meaning the ad break at that point benefitted from an audience surge following the goals and less drop-off than would otherwise have been expected.

Match reports and further tournament data is available on Yospace’s World Cup feed here: https://www.yospace.com/worldcup.

Yospace is exhibiting at the International Broadcast Convention (IBC), Amsterdam, on 11-14 September. You can find out more and request a meeting here: yospace.com/ibc.

LOS ANGELES—Fox Sports is reporting record viewing levels for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which culminated on Sunday with a historic Final match that saw 38,937,000 viewers watch on Fox, an all-time high mark for viewership as the new most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. television history and most-watched FIFA World Cup™ final ever in the U.S.

According to Nielsen Media Research the record-breaking Final reached its dramatic peak with 51,685,000 viewers watching from 5:45 to 6:00 PM ET as Spain secured a 1-0 victory in extra time over Argentina.

Overall, FIFA World Cup 2026 finished as the most-watched FIFA World Cup in U.S. history averaging 7,737,000 viewers across 104 matches on Fox, FS1 and Tubi up +116% vs. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 (3,588,000) and up +179 vs. FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 (2,770,000).

Fox Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage also redefined digital sports consumption, generating more than 17.2 billion content views on Fox Sports digital and social platforms to become the most digitally viewed event in network history.

Across Fox Sports social media, tournament content generated a record-breaking 16.5 billion social impressions with 2,560 of Fox Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 social videos surpassing one million views. During the tournament’s 39-day run, Fox Sports grew its social media audience by more than 10 million followers.

Fox Sports recorded 542 million social video views on Sunday, July 19 around the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final - the most socially viewed day in its history.

Other key viewing highlights from the FIFA World Cup 2026 included:

• Up +132% vs. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final (France vs. Argentina, Sunday morning 12/18/22, 16,784,000 viewers); up +240% vs. FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Final, (France vs. Croatia, Sunday morning 7/15/18, 11,441,000 viewers).
• Fox Sports’ jam-packed, four-hour "FIFA World Cup Live" pregame show scored 2,873,000 viewers as America gathered in anticipation for the epic closing ceremony and festivities in the leadup to Spain vs. Argentina.
• The 38,937,000 viewers bested the previous record for most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history set earlier in the tournament by U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) vs. Belgium in the Round of 16 (33,089,000 viewers).
• FIFA World Cup 2026™ finished as the most-watched FIFA World Cup™ in U.S. history averaging 7,737,000 viewers across 104 matches on Fox, FS1 and Tubi up +116% vs. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ (3,588,000) and up +179 vs. FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™ (2,770,000).
• On Saturday, July 18, the bronze final on Fox between France and England drew 13,130,000 viewers becoming the most-watched FIFA Men’s World Cup third-place telecast in U.S. history (previous record: Uruguay vs. Germany, FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010, 4,755,000 viewers). France vs. England finished up +232% from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 third-place match on Fox (Croatia vs. Morocco, Saturday morning, 3,956,000 viewers) and up +330% from the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 third-place match on Fox (Belgium vs. England, Saturday morning, 3,052,000 viewers).
• France vs. England peaked at 18,529,000 viewers from 6:45 to 7:00 PM ET.
• Two FIFA World Cup 2026 matches surpassed 30 million viewers (the Final and U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) vs. Belgium Round of 16).
• Five broke 20 million viewers (Final, USMNT vs. Belgium, USMNT vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina Round of 32, Norway vs. England Quarterfinal and Mexico vs. England Round of 16).
• 11 matches surged past the 15 million viewers markNine FIFA World Cup 2026 telecasts on Fox eclipsed the previous high mark for most-watched FIFA Men’s World Cup telecast of all-time (France vs. Argentina, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final on Fox, 16,784,000 viewers).
• Two FIFA World Cup 2026 matches surpassed 30 million viewers (the Final and U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) vs. Belgium Round of 16).
• Five broke 20 million viewers (Final, USMNT vs. Belgium, USMNT vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina Round of 32, Norway vs. England Quarterfinal and Mexico vs. England Round of 16).
• 11 matches surged past the 15 million viewers mark.
• Nine FIFA World Cup 2026 telecasts on Fox eclipsed the previous high mark for most-watched FIFA Men’s World Cup telecast of all-time (France vs. Argentina, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final on Fox, 16,784,000 viewers).
• Fox Sports’ first-ever "Always On" live stream - available exclusively on the Fox Sports YouTube channel, TikTok (starting Round of 32), Tubi, FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports App - launched June 11 and remained live for 974 consecutive hours over the course of the entire tournament and beyond, generating 1.2 billion total minutes of watch time across platforms. Fans watching on the Fox Sports YouTube channel generated more than two million comments, with half of all live stream viewers choosing to watch with live chat enabled to engage with other fans on a second screen.
• Editorial coverage reached historic levels as FIFA World Cup 2026 became the most-read event in Fox Sports history, with time spent across FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports App increasing +73% compared to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
• Over the span of the tournament, Fox Sports produced over 300 live-streaming shows, pushed out over 27,000 social media posts and authored more than 1,300 stories around FIFA World Cup 2026, representing the most ambitious and successful digital content operation in the network’s history.

Banana Ball TV (BTV), the production arm for the Savannah Bananas baseball team, has installed three Calrec 36-fader Argo M consoles, three Type R systems, and True Control 2.0, to expand remote production capabilities.

The Savannah Banana exhibition baseball team tours packed baseball stadiums worldwide, using altered baseball rules that favor trick plays, all within a two-hour limit to increase audience engagement. Think Harlem Globetrotters, but for baseball.

This year, the team introduced the “Banana Ball Championship League,” which adds even more opponents and an even busier broadcast schedule covering games across 75 stadiums and 45 states.

Spread across two main control rooms at BTV's remote facility in Savannah, and with flypacks positioned out in the field, Calrec’s flexible audio network sits at the core of a significant expansion of BTV's REMI capabilities. Designed to extend capacity and accommodate future growth, it makes BTV's workflows much more fluid, according to Savannah Bananas’ Head of Technology Matt Webster.

“We’ve seen lots of expansion for the 2026 World Tour season, and part of re-building our facilities from 2025 to 2026 was to expand capabilities and increase overall efficiency,” Webster said. “The Calrec consoles are all being used to support REMI broadcasts; we have Argo consoles in our main control rooms and we deploy the Type R frame in the field in our mobile units and flypacks.

“This gives us a combination of analog, embedded SDI, MADI and Dante, and all the audio is given a first pass mix and level set before it is embedded in our video transmission system back to Savannah. We ensure lip sync is correct on-site, so when it comes back into the control rooms, we just focus on mixing the broadcast as if we are doing it at our home stadium.

“We also have remote control of the consoles via the Calrec Assist GUI for changing things on the fly. The most challenging part of any audio console is how you have to interact with it if you are not standing directly in front of it, but nothing beats having access to a web page; it means we can access any console from inside the stadium to make changes, and I can also work remotely to support all our shows from home and fix issues that arise quickly. It is a game-changer for sure.”

Access to Calrec’s True Control 2.0 protocol, which provides even greater levels of remote control and unparalleled flexibility to scale up when required, gives scope for BTV to further develop its workflows. Webster says he plans to introduce it more as the season progresses.

It demands an audio workflow as dynamic as the Savannah Bananas’ antics on the field, Webster added.

“We want the technology to outpace production,” he said. “It’s all about scale and simplicity, and Calrec allowed us to achieve this in our second generation of REMI workflows. With broadcast consoles like the Argo and Type R, our workflow has dramatically improved. The Calrec equipment allows us to truly make sure we have the best audio – sweetened and observed.

“It brings us a level of consistency that we have been looking for; it just works, and it is simple enough for any audio operator to just jump in and start driving. We have many local audio mixers in the Savannah area that have an entertainment and film focus rather than a broadcast one, but the Calrec consoles have been extremely easy for them not only to make the transition, but to excel.

“It means all our production staff are able to move from room-to-room and from site-to-site and not have any compromises or workflow limitations.”

MIAMI—Building on the record ratings produced by its Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo continues to acquire more soccer rights with a major deal for U.S. Spanish-language rights to all UEFA men's club competitions.

The deal with UC3 gives it the exclusive Spanish-language media rights in the U.S. for all UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) men’s club competitions including the UEFA Champions League for three seasons, beginning with the 2027/28 season.

The deal also includes exclusive rights to the UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, UEFA Super Cup and UEFA Youth League.

The deal adds the UEFA Champions League to Telemundo's portfolio of premium sports programming including Premier League, Bundesliga, US Men’s and Women’s National teams, Liga MX clubs CD Guadalajara, FC Juárez, and Tigres UANL and Olympic soccer.

Under the agreement, Telemundo will deliver comprehensive live coverage of every UEFA Champions League season across its portfolio of broadcast, cable, streaming and digital platforms, including the Telemundo Network, Peacock, Universo and Telemundo Deportes Ahora, the company's dedicated FAST sports channel.

Telemundo's coverage will include every match of the competition, supported by comprehensive studio programming, expert analysis, original digital content and extensive match-day coverage designed specifically for U.S. Hispanic audiences.

Additional programming details and coverage plans for all UEFA men’s club competitions will be announced closer to the start of the 2027/28 season.

“The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of club soccer tournaments, bringing together many of the world's greatest teams and players in one of the most prestigious competitions in sports," said Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, which includes NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises Group, NBC News, NBC News NOW and NBCUniversal Local. "We are delighted to partner with UC3 to bring the excitement, passion and drama of the UEFA men’s club competitions to Spanish-speaking fans across the United States. Telemundo's commitment to excellence and its deep connection with soccer audiences make it an outstanding home for the UEFA Champions League."

In announcing the deal, Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president and chair of the UC3 Board, said that “UEFA club competitions represent the very highest level of club football, and their popularity continues to grow globally. This agreement with Telemundo reflects both the strength of our competitions and the passion of Spanish-speaking fans in the United States. We look forward to working together to deliver unforgettable moments and bringing the drama, excitement and excellence of European football to millions of viewers over the next cycle.”

UC3 unites European football’s governing body UEFA and European Football Clubs (EFC) and represents more than 800 top European clubs in rights negotiations.

"Coming off the unprecedented success of Telemundo’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026, we are excited to dedicate our expertise and resources to present the very highest level of club soccer tournaments to millions of passionate fans across the United States," said Luis Fernandez, Chairman, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. "We are ready to deliver the best world-class experience for all US Hispanics through the full power of Telemundo’s broadcast, cable, streaming and digital platforms."

STAMFORD, Conn.—Spectrum Business is simplifying TV remote control for multiple sets in venues like bars and restaurants with the introduction of Spectrum TV Control Pro, a device that controls every screen and keeps them in sync.

“Spectrum TV Control Pro was built for business owners who need reliable, easy-to-manage TV solutions that make a real difference on game day and every day,” said Keith Dardis, executive vice president of Spectrum Business. “With synchronized screens and premium sports programming, we’re making it even easier for venues such as bars and restaurants to create seamless experiences for their customers, all while simplifying operations for their staff.”

Spectrum TV Control Pro provides TV synchronization from one central app-based control to ensure everyone watching the multiple screens sees the same live event at the exact same time. Using an iOS or Android tablet, business owners and employees can manage what's playing on each screen, switch channels on some or all TVs or program upcoming channel changes.

Spectrum TV Control Pro is available to businesses of all sizes, with professional installation that minimizes impact on daily operations. Businesses with TV Control Pro can access video plans like Spectrum Sports Fan TV, Spectrum’s sports video package for bars and restaurants, with additional premium sports content available with NFL Sunday Ticket and Peacock Sports Pass through EverPass.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, and CINCINNATI—Scripps Sports has signed an agreement with Volleyball World for the U.S. domestic broadcast rights for all 64 games of the 2027 Women’s Volleyball World Cup for Ion and Scripps Sports.

The deal, which covers English- and Spanish-language rights for all tournament games, was facilitated by Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E), the exclusive sponsorship and media rights sales agency for the 2027 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup. Volleyball World is the 2027 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup organizing committee.

As part of the deal, Ion, FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup 2027 and Horizon Sports & Experiences will collaborate on title and presenting sponsorship sales packages.

The 2027 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup adds to Scripps’ growing portfolio of women’s sports rights, including the WNBA, NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League), PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) and Premier Women’s Rodeo (PWR).

“The FIVB Women's Volleyball World Cup is a premier global tournament that showcases the incredible athleticism and competitive intensity of the world's best volleyball players,” Scripps Sports President Brian Lawlor said. “We’re thrilled and honored to bring the 2027 event to ION and to the millions of loyal and passionate volleyball fans across the United States.”

The three-week tournament will feature 32 national teams in competition in the U.S. and Canada in August and September of 2027.

The deal comes amid growing interest in volleyball and women’s sports. The 2027 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup will also play a significant role on the road to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, with the three highest-finishing national teams that have not already qualified securing their places in L.A.