FROM LEFT: Technical Director of Al Jazeera, Mohammad Al Bader, Director General of Al Jazeera Sports Channel Nasser Al Khulaifi, Executive Vice President for sports network Arab Radio and Television (ART) Mohiuddin Saleh Kamel and Chief Executive for ART Abdul Aziz Yamani attend a news conference announcing Al Jazeera’s official decision to buy TV rights for ART and the brand “ART Sport” in Doha yesterday.

Doha: Al Jazeera Sport Channels officially announced yesterday the purchase of all sport content, rights of broadcast and trademarks of the Arab Radio and Television (ART).

Director General of Al Jazeera Sport Channels Nasser Al Khulaifi made the announcement during a press conference held at the Doha Ritz-Carlton Hotel today with attendance of ART Executive Director Abdul Aziz Al Yamani, Executive Vice President of Information Mohiuddin Saleh Kamel, Director of the Technical Department at Al Jazeera Sport and a large crowd of the people of press and media in the Arab world.

Under the deal, Al Jazeera Sport Channels will add a coveted array of exclusive sport rights to its portfolio, including the FIFA World Cup 2010 and 2014, the African Cup of Nations from 2010 to 2016. Al Jazeera Sport already holds the exclusive rights in the region for major football leagues such as the Italian Serie A, Spain’s La Liga and the UEFA Champions League.

However, ART will continue to act as host broadcaster for the Saudi Football Federation games, and to transmit the matches on ART Sport 7 jointly with Al Jazeera Sport Channels until the end of the 2010-2011 season on ART Sport 7. ART Sport 7 will be available on Al Jazeera Sport Channel bouquet. ART will distribute Al Jazeera Sport Channels +1 to +8 on a non-exclusive basis as part of the new ART bouquets. ART Sport and Al Jazeera Sport subscribers will be given free access to both bouquets for the month of December. ART Sport channels 1 to 6 will cease transmission on December 31.