Fiba maintains CCTV connection with long-term extension

The International Basketball Federation (Fiba) has agreed a nine-year extension to its long-running rights agreement with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.

Fiba and CCTV have been in partnership since 1994 and the new deal will run from 2017 to 2025.

The contract covers the linear broadcast rights for all of Fiba’s major national team competitions including the World Cups in 2019 and 2023, the former of which China will host, and their qualifiers; the Asia Cups in 2017, 2021 and 2025 and their qualifiers; the 2018 and 2022 Women's World Cups; all other Continental Cups and the U17 and U19 World Cups.

Additionally, CCTV will partner with Fiba to provide the production facilities for all of China’s qualifying games, as well as working with the world governing body on the production and delivery of the World Cups.

Fang Gang, deputy controller of CCTV Sports, said: “CCTV will enhance its cooperation with Fiba comprehensively on all levels, not only to deliver the very best live action to all basketball fans in China, but to get involved more, and collectively promote the Fiba events in the Chinese market.”

The new agreement was brokered by Fiba Media, the strategic partnership between the governing body and digital media specialist Perform, which has now secured long-term agreements in China for both live linear and digital broadcast of Fiba’s major competitions.

In May 2016, Fiba signed a nine-year partnership with Chinese internet company Tencent. The agreement will run through to 2025 and involves digital media rights as well as the hosting of the Fiba.com website in China.