MAM
Uefa finalises wireless rights deals for Champions League
LONDON: Uefa has announced that the first deals have been concluded in its sale of wireless rights for the Uefa Champions League seasons 2003-2006.
An official release informs that the rights have been awarded in Italy to 3 who will become the exclusive Official Uefa Champions League Mobile Operator in Italy. Vodafone has been awarded the rights on an exclusive basis in Spain, Greece, Hungary, Malta and Egypt. It also got non-exclusive rights in the UK, Germany, France, Holland, Portugal, Ireland and Switzerland.
Both Vodafone and 3 will bring the Uefa Champions League to their subscribers on mobile devices with a near-live and a post-match highlights service. Additionally a wealth of statistics and data will be made available to keep football fans informed at all times. Uefa’s extensive video archive of the last eleven seasons will also be made available for customers to revisit the great moments of the competition.
Uefa chief executive Gerhard Aigner said, “I am delighted to announce these first ever wireless rights deals for the Uefa Champions League. This is a great technological advancement and will bring the Uefa Champions League even closer to football fans around Europe. Alongside the traditional forms of communication, the new wireless rights ensure that the best club competition in the world will be available to fans at any time, via their mobile phone, wherever they may be.”
Brands
Saugata Mukherjee exits SonyLIV after steering standout content run
Streaming chief signs off after a prolific phase of originals and awards
MUMBAI: SonyLIV is set for a leadership transition, with its executive vice president and head of content Saugata Mukherjee announcing his departure after a three-and-a-half-year stint that helped shape the platform’s creative identity.
In a reflective note shared publicly, SonyLIV executive vice president and head of content saugata mukherjee described his tenure as more than just building a slate of shows, calling it “a shared belief in stories, in risks, in pushing ourselves a little further every single day”. He pointed to a wide-ranging line-up including The Hunt, Mayasabha, Kankhajura, Black White and Gray, Four and Half Gang, Kuttram Purindhavan, Real Kashmir Football Club, Maharani S4 and Freedom at Midnight S2 as a fitting close to his journey with the platform.
Mukherjee credited the team’s resilience through “crazy deadlines, uncertain moments and audacious choices”, adding that what stood out most were the quieter wins and collective spirit behind the scenes. “Some goodbyes are harder than others. This is one of them,” he noted, signalling an emotional sign-off.
During his tenure, Mukherjee oversaw content strategy, commissioning and original programming across languages and genres, helping SonyLIV cement its position in India’s increasingly competitive streaming landscape. The platform’s catalogue under his watch included critically acclaimed titles such as Scam 1992, Maharani, Rocket Boys, Tabbar, Gullak and Freedom at Midnight, collectively earning over 100 industry awards and several international nominations.
Before rejoining SonyLIV in 2022 as EVP, Mukherjee had a brief stint at HBO Max under Warner Bros. Discovery, where he led India content strategy and worked on the platform’s global rollout. Earlier, he held senior creative roles at Disney+ Hotstar and Star TV Network, shaping original programming during the early days of India’s OTT boom.
His career began in publishing, with leadership roles at Pan Macmillan and HarperCollins Publishers, where he worked closely with some of India’s most prominent literary voices.
Mukherjee’s exit marks the end of a defining chapter for SonyLIV’s content journey. As the platform looks ahead, it does so on the back of a creative foundation that has consistently punched above its weight in a crowded streaming arena.
