1. NFL - Disney (ESPN), News Corp (Fox), CBS and Comcast (NBC) - US$ 5.3 billion (2014 - 2022)

The National Football League, the most popular tournament in the US, signed a nine-year deal with Fox, NBC and CBS valued at US$ 27.9 billion. The deal, added to the one signed with ESPN (US$ 1.9 billion), make the US football league the highest-paid sports organization in TV land.

2. Premier League - BSkyB (Sky Sports) and BT (BT Sport) - US$ 2.6 billion (2016 - 2019)

In a bidding war for the leading division in the English football league system, Sky paid US$ 6.4 billion to retain TV broadcasting rights to five of the seven game packages available, while BT hold on to the remaining two for US$ 1.47 billion.

3. NBA - Disney (ESPN) and Turner (TNT) - US$ 2.6 billion (2016 - 2024)

The new deal signed by the NBA in 2014 allowed ESPN and TNT to retain TV rights to all NBA games. In their previous deal -which stands until 2016- TNT paid US$ 445 million a year for the games and ESPN paid US$ 485 million.

4. MLB - News Corp (FOX), TBS and Disney (ESPN) - US$ 1.5 billion (2014 - 2021)

The US baseball league signed an eight-year deal in 2012 with Fox and TBS valued at US$ 12.4 billion. The deal cost twice as much as their previous one did and allowed Fox to retain broadcasting rights to the World Series and the All-Star Game.

5. NCAA - CBS and Turner – US$ 740 million (2011-2024)

National Collegiate Athletic Association has signed a US$ 10.8 billion, 14-year deal which will allow CBS, TNT, TBS and truTV to broadcast the men's basketball tournament in the US, and the NCAA to extend the number of participating teams.