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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Amazon US Open tennis deal sparks speculation over Premier League bid | Amazon US Open tennis deal sparks speculation over Premier League bid |
| (2 months later) | |
| Company is understood to have struck five-year deal for UK rights to tournament as BT and Sky prepare for football battle | |
| Mark Sweney | |
| Wed 15 Nov 2017 15.09 GMT | |
| First published on Wed 15 Nov 2017 14.26 GMT | |
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| Amazon is understood to have snapped up the UK TV rights to the US Open tennis tournament, in a move likely to cause further speculation that it is a potential competitor in the upcoming Premier League rights auction. | Amazon is understood to have snapped up the UK TV rights to the US Open tennis tournament, in a move likely to cause further speculation that it is a potential competitor in the upcoming Premier League rights auction. |
| The company is understood to have struck a five-year deal for the US Open, which has previously been shown by Sky and Eurosport in the UK. Amazon is estimated to have paid about $40m (£30m) for the rights, although this has not been confirmed. | The company is understood to have struck a five-year deal for the US Open, which has previously been shown by Sky and Eurosport in the UK. Amazon is estimated to have paid about $40m (£30m) for the rights, although this has not been confirmed. |
| Securing the rights to one of the four grand slams adds to Amazon’s £50m, five-year deal for the UK rights to the ATP World Tour, for which it outbid Sky. | Securing the rights to one of the four grand slams adds to Amazon’s £50m, five-year deal for the UK rights to the ATP World Tour, for which it outbid Sky. |
| On Wednesday, Discovery-owned Eurosport and the United States Tennis Association announced a five-year deal to continue to broadcast the US Open across Europe until 2022. | On Wednesday, Discovery-owned Eurosport and the United States Tennis Association announced a five-year deal to continue to broadcast the US Open across Europe until 2022. |
| Conspicuously, the deal excludes the TV rights in the UK and Ireland, which Eurosport has traditionally held and sub-licensed to Sky. Amazon is understood to have successfully bid to carve out the UK and Ireland rights, but is not ready to make an official announcement. | Conspicuously, the deal excludes the TV rights in the UK and Ireland, which Eurosport has traditionally held and sub-licensed to Sky. Amazon is understood to have successfully bid to carve out the UK and Ireland rights, but is not ready to make an official announcement. |
| Last year, Sky Sports dropped its coverage of the US Open after 25 years, ending one of the longest major sports rights deals. | Last year, Sky Sports dropped its coverage of the US Open after 25 years, ending one of the longest major sports rights deals. |
| Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League, has said the league is “technology neutral” and large digital companies could pose a real threat to the rights holders BT and Sky. | Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the Premier League, has said the league is “technology neutral” and large digital companies could pose a real threat to the rights holders BT and Sky. |
| The pair are preparing to go to battle to renew their £5.14bn Premier League rights early next year, with both companies hoping for an end to rampant price inflation. | The pair are preparing to go to battle to renew their £5.14bn Premier League rights early next year, with both companies hoping for an end to rampant price inflation. |
| Analysts estimate that Sky could be forced to pay an extra £600m annually to retain the lion’s share of Premier League matches, a total of £6bn for the next three-year deal. | Analysts estimate that Sky could be forced to pay an extra £600m annually to retain the lion’s share of Premier League matches, a total of £6bn for the next three-year deal. |
| Google, Apple, Netflix and Facebook, which in September stunned observers by making an ultimately unsuccessful $600m bid for Indian Premier League cricket live streaming, are other possible rivals for UK sports rights. | Google, Apple, Netflix and Facebook, which in September stunned observers by making an ultimately unsuccessful $600m bid for Indian Premier League cricket live streaming, are other possible rivals for UK sports rights. |
| Amazon’s stock market value of $547bn makes it about 10 times the size of Sky and BT combined. It has been increasing the sport-focused content on its service in recent months. | Amazon’s stock market value of $547bn makes it about 10 times the size of Sky and BT combined. It has been increasing the sport-focused content on its service in recent months. |
| In May, Amazon added 40 streaming TV channels in the UK, including Eurosport, French Open tennis and Olympic coverage from next year. Last month, the company agreed a deal to make a fly-on-the wall series with Manchester City. | In May, Amazon added 40 streaming TV channels in the UK, including Eurosport, French Open tennis and Olympic coverage from next year. Last month, the company agreed a deal to make a fly-on-the wall series with Manchester City. |
| According to a source, it is seeking to do the same with New Zealand’s All Blacks and a Formula One team such as Ferrari. | According to a source, it is seeking to do the same with New Zealand’s All Blacks and a Formula One team such as Ferrari. |
| Amazon also has the rights to live audio-streaming for Bundesliga football commentaries in Germany, available through its Amazon Music service. | Amazon also has the rights to live audio-streaming for Bundesliga football commentaries in Germany, available through its Amazon Music service. |
| Follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk, or sign up to the daily Business Today email here | Follow Guardian Business on Twitter at @BusinessDesk, or sign up to the daily Business Today email here |
| Sports rights | |
| Amazon | |
| Sky Sports | |
| BT Sport | |
| Television industry | |
| Tennis | |
| news | |
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