Home About SLI Firm Rankings Enhance Your Profile Research & Methodology

S P O R T S L A W

Guide to the Global Leaders in Sports Law

REGIONS WE COVER

Middle East and North Africa

North America

Asia-Pacific

Western Europe

Central and Eastern Europe

One of the most prominent trends in the media rights domain is the growing number of high-value international arbitration cases. As global demand for sports content continues to rise, so too does the complexity of negotiations surrounding media rights agreements. Disputes between international sports federations and agencies, or between national federations, can be high-stakes and intricate.

In some cases, international arbitration serves as the final recourse for resolving these disputes, with the potential for significant financial ramifications for all parties involved. The cases often involve the interpretation of long-term agreements and the shifting dynamics of media consumption, particularly as digital platforms and streaming services redefine the way audiences access sports content.

Media consolidation has continued in Switzerland with TX Group, Ringier, CH Media and NZZ dominating the market. Concentration has prompted ongoing discussions about media diversity and editorial independence across Switzerland's German, French and Italian-speaking regions.

Digital subscription models have matured among leading news organisations including NZZ, Tages-Anzeiger and Le Temps, with increasingly sophisticated approaches to paywalls and premium content offerings. Several publications have reported growth in digital subscribers despite competitive challenges.

However, Tamedia, a prominent Swiss media company, announced plans to close two of its three printing facilities and lay off nearly 300 employees. The closures in Bussigny and Zurich are scheduled between March 2025 and the end of 2026, while the Bern facility will be expanded. The restructuring aims to address the evolving media market and the company's financial performance, which saw an 8.7 per cent decline in first-half sales to CHF203.3 million.

Public broadcasting remains influential through SRG SSR, which continues to adapt its multilingual services across digital platforms while maintaining traditional broadcast channels in all language regions.

In other trends, Switzerland had significant growth in the integration of AI within its media and entertainment sector. Rapid expansion is driven by the industry's focus on using AI for content creation, distribution and personalised viewer experiences.