Yahoo Finance English Premier League Extends $7 Billion Rights Deal With Sky, Amazon, BT, BBC – Global Bulletin
In today’s Global Bulletin, the English Premier League renews rights deals for three years; Stephen Graham-starrer “Boiling Point” sells wide; NENT Group sets terrorism drama “Red Election”; Endeavor Content strengthens management team; and Alchimie and All3Media International launch SVOD channel Inside Outside in the U.S.
The English Premier League soccer championship has agreed a proposal for a three-year renewal of U.K. live and non-live broadcast agreements with Sky Sports, BT Sport, Amazon Prime Video and BBC Sport.
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The rights deal worth £5 billion ($7 billion) was agreed in 2018 and will now be rolled over from 2022-2025.
This follows approval in principle for the renewal from the U.K. government after a period of consideration where the League cited the damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Enabled by an exclusion order from the government, the League will conclude the renewals without the normal broadcast rights tender process.
As part of the deal, the League has agreed to increase a £1.5 billion commitment for grassroots development by an additional £100 million. This will go towards supporting areas of the soccer community particularly vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19 and will fund projects like injuries and anti-discrimination.
SALES
U.K. distributor Vertigo Releasing has acquired one-take production “Boiling Point,” starring BAFTA-nominee Stephen Graham (“The Irishman”) as a head chef pushed to his limits. The film is directed by Philip Barantini, adapted from his short of the same name.
Co-stars include Jason Flemyng (“Snatch”), Ray Panthaki (“Colette”), Malachi Kirby (“Small Axe”) and Vinette Robinson (“Sherlock”). Vertigo will release the film later in 2021.
Charades is handling international sales and has closed deals in France (UFO), Spain (Filmin), Canada (Mongrel), Portugal (Cinemundo), Lebanon & Gulf (Empire), Australia & New Zealand (Rialto) and Japan (Cetera). A U.S. deal is currently in negotiation.
“Boiling Point” is an Ascendant Films and Burton Fox Films production in association with Matriarch Productions, Bromantics, Alpine Films, Urban Way and Three Little Birds Pictures. The finance was provided by White Hot Productions and Samahoma Media Advisors who negotiated finance from Insight Media Fund.
SERIES
International terrorism drama “Red Election” is the next original series from the NENT Group. Stephen Dillane (“Game of Thrones”), Lydia Leonard (“Gentleman Jack”) and James D’Arcy (“Broadchurch”) headline the U.K.-set production, along with Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Lorraine Burroughs and Danish talent Victoria Carmen Sonne.
The series is distributed globally by A+E Networks International and produced by Sweden’s Mopar Studios. It will premiere on NENT Group’s Viaplay streaming service in 2021.
“Red Election” is directed by BAFTA-nominated Jill Robertson (“Harlots”) and Paul Murphy (“Doctor Who”) and is produced by Veronika Eriksson and Christian Alveborg at Mopar Studios. Jill Robertson is executive producer along with Moreyba Bidessie for A+E Networks.
The 10-episode series is created by Mopar’s William Diskay and Jonas Fors together with Ola Norén, Roland Ulvselius and lead writer Stephen Brady (“Stan Lee’s Lucky Man”).
APPOINTMENTS
Endeavor Content has strengthened its television distribution operations under executive VP of the division, Prentiss Fraser.
Jennifer Ebell has been appointed as senior VP of EMEA sales, while Fabio Etienne-Tinchant is executive director and will handle sales in CEE, MENA, France and Turkey. Meanwhile, Liz Tang has been named as director of content, and Tracy Davis as associate director rights, while Sunil Gupta is senior VP of business and legal affairs, and Hetal Limbachia is content manager.
Chantal Faudone has been promoted from international sales manager to senior sales manager for Southern Europe and Israel, and Ann Schröder has been promoted to director of sales for the Nordics, Benelux and Ireland.
“Endeavor Content continues to seek out the best in class — both in the distinctive content we curate for our catalogue, and the passionate people who champion it every day,” said Fraser. “This team is a powerhouse collection of talent — shaped by a vision of a next-generation distribution business driven by diverse expertise and perspectives.”
The new hires join other recently announced Endeavor Content team members Alistair Jennings, senior VP of TV Sales (APAC), and Dan Selig, senior VP of sales for Americas. – Manori Ravindran
CHANNEL
SVOD platform Alchimie and distributor All3Media International have signed a strategic content partnership which sees them launch genre-led OTT channel Inside Outside – House & Garden in the U.S. The channel is jointly created and owned with Alchimie providing the technology, monetization, and platform, and All3Media providing the content.
The deal also sees 400 hours of All3Media’s premium factual content being placed onto Alchimie’s French-speaking European network of themed SVOD channels. These include lifestyle series’ “Gardener’s World with Monty Don,” “Great Interior Design Challenge,” and “Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh.”
The content also features several documentaries focused on the British Royal Family including “Meghan and Harry: A Royal Baby Story,” “The Real Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall,” “The Royal Wives of Windsor,” “William and Kate; Inside A Royal Marriage,” “The Royal House of Windsor,” “Paxman on The Queen’s Children” and “Secrets of the Royal Babies.”
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