United Media (UM), the leading media company in Southeast Europe, said on Tuesday it had bought rights to broadcast the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) matches in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria.

UM, which will have those rights for years, operates in all countries in South-Eastern Europe.

The contract with FIBA is strategically vital for UM, which is widening its portfolio of media brands in those countries where basketball is one of the most-watched sports, the UM’s statement added.

The audience will watch the key FIBA matches without additional costs on UM’s channels after the same model has proved successful in the so-far cooperation between FIBA and Sport Klub channels.

“We are glad to continue the cooperation with FIBA. Basketball has been in the focus of UM and its sports channels for a long time, and we are happy to provide full access to FIBA portfolio,” Ralf Manthey the UM programmes and corporative business director said,

Long-time cooperation with FIBA will be a unique opportunity for media coverage of the leading international basketball events on sports channels: Sport Klub across former Yugoslavia, Nova Sport in Greece and Cyprus, and Nova Sport and Diema Sport in Bulgaria.

The contract makes it possible for both sides to take a long-time and strategic access to FIBA matches in those countries, enabling the basketball World Cup to preserve its position as the most important event in the sports calendar, FIBA said.

“This is great news for basketball fans,” Frank Leenders, Director General at FIBA Media & Marketing Services, said.

“There is a great passion for the sport in this part of Europe, and the partnership with United Media in several countries will offer the fans access to FIBA games in the next years,” the UM statement quoted him as saying.

United Media is a leading media company in South-Eastern Europe with a portfolio that includes 45 TV channels, over15 websites, newspapers, magazines, radio stations and digital distribution. It operates in eight countries and employs over 2,800 people.

N1 operates within United Media.