Viaplay advances into UK market in 2022 by adding live Nordic sports streaming to its offering

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championship 2021 took place in Oberstdorf, Germany from 24 February to 7 March

Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group’s streaming service, Viaplay, has stated it is aiming high with its UK market launch this year by adding live Nordic sports streaming to its offering.

It is planning to develop a broad offering in the UK over time that combines live sports with premium original Nordic content and more.

Viaplay will include live sports in its UK content line-up, starting from its launch in the country in the second half of 2022, and will increase its ambition for the UK market.

The company will initially focus on sports with an established Nordic connection and has secured long-term exclusive UK rights to IIHF ice hockey, ISU skating, handball and more.

It is currently available in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the US and the Netherlands. After its UK launch this year, it will launch in Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland by the end of 2023.

Viaplay aims to have approximately 12 million subscribers by the end of 2025.

Anders Jensen, Nent Group president and CEO, commented: “We have high ambitions for Viaplay in every country where we have a broad offering. The UK, with this expanded scope, is no exception. Adding sports alongside our premium Nordic content will be a unique proposition for viewers, and our line-up will continue to grow and evolve. This will increase Viaplay’s appeal even further and help us rapidly establish a position in one of the world’s most competitive and exciting streaming markets. Our increased ambition for the UK is of course positive for our outlook but we are not changing our guidance at this time, and we remain fully funded for Viaplay’s expansion to at least 16 markets by the end of 2023.”

Peter Nørrelund, Nent Group chief sports officer, added: “These long-term rights show Viaplay’s commitment to streaming sports in the UK. Each has a dedicated audience and will give us a foundation to expand further over time. In our current European markets, live sports are our home turf and we look forward to bringing our expert coverage to fans in the UK.”

Sports available on Viaplay in the UK will include: IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship: 2024 to 2028; Champions Hockey League: 2023/2024 to 2027/2028; ISU figure skating and speed skating: 2023 to 2028 (ISU World Figure Skating Championships from 2024); EHF European Handball Championship, EHF Champions League and EHF European League (men and women): 2022 to 2030; CEV EuroVolley, CEV Champions League, CEV EuroBeachVolley and additional CEV volleyball competitions: 2022 to 2026; World Athletics Continental Tour Gold: 2023 to 2029; World Athletics Indoor Tour: 2023; FIS snowboard and freestyle: 2022-2026 (non-exclusive).

Further details of Viaplay’s UK content offering, pricing and launch date will be communicated in due course.