Al Jazeera acquires ART sports rights

Middle Eastern broadcaster Al Jazeera has acquired all of the sports content and broadcast rights of rival pay broadcaster Arab Radio and Television (ART).

The deal will give Al Jazeera and its sports network Al Jazeera Sports Channels the rights to air the soccer World Cup 2010 and 2014 and the African Cup of Nations from 2010 to 2016. The value of the deal is reported to have been around US$1bn (€663m).

The merger will see ART distribute Al Jazeera’s eight sports channels on its pay bouquet, while ART will cease transmission of its six ART Sports channels by the end of the year.