Viaplay Group and Baltic media company TV3 Group have signed an agreement covering Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Starting 1 February, Viaplay’s full live sports portfolio in the Baltic region will be sublicensed to TV3 Group’s streaming service Go3, with direct Viaplay subscribers in the three countries to be transferred to Go3 during March. On 1 December 2023, Viaplay Group announced its intention to exit the Baltic markets by summer 2025.
Jørgen Madsen Lindemann, Viaplay Group President and CEO: “This is the right step for Viaplay Group’s business and for our sports viewers across the Baltic region. It enables us to sharpen our operational focus even further on the Nordics, Netherlands and Viaplay Select, which are the markets where we see the best conditions for growth and profitability, as well as on Poland, where we will operate until mid-2025. At the same time, our sports content in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will be available through a well-established platform operated by a local group.”
The agreement will not impact the previously reported negative cash effect of approximately SEK 2.2 billion relating to Viaplay Group’s exit from its non-core international operations over the coming years.
Viaplay Group’s sports rights in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania include Premier League, UEFA Champions League and men’s national team football, Formula 1, NHL ice hockey and more. All sports content will remain available on Viaplay until the subscriber transfer to Go3 is completed. Viaplay’s original non-sports content will become available on third-party platforms in the Baltic region as and when agreements are signed, either through content sales or Viaplay Select partnerships.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Viaplay Group AB (publ) is the international entertainment provider. Our Viaplay streaming service is available direct-to-consumer in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and Canada. Every day, millions of customers enjoy our unique entertainment offering, including acclaimed Viaplay Series, Films and more, and an unrivalled line-up of premium live sports. In addition, our innovative Viaplay Select branded content concept makes Viaplay’s compelling storytelling available to partners around the world. From streaming to TV channels, radio stations and production companies, our purpose is to tell stories, touch lives and expand worlds. Viaplay Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (‘VPLAY B’).
About TV3 Group
TV3 Group, the leading media group in Baltics, is a portfolio company of Bite Group and Providence Equity Partners, a global premium asset management company. TV3 Group owns and operates the leading commercial free-to-air channels in Baltics, the largest DTH and OTT platforms, premium film and sport channels, as well as a portfolio of leading commercial radio channels.
About Go3 television
Go3 television was launched in December 2019 and has achieved massive growth penetrating 20% of total households in Baltics. This success has positioned Go3 ahead of international giants in subscriber count, as recognized by market research company Dataxis.
Go3 television focus on international, including Hollywood blockbusters from the biggest studios, such as discovery+, Paramount+ and HBO, and local content, offering over 250 exclusive originals for Lithuanians, Latvians, and Estonians on various devices.
Go3 television provides a unique content selection, including VOD libraries, selection of TV channels with the option to watch content after the live broadcasting with no ads, and the elite sports broadcasts from La Liga, Ligue 1, Italian Serie A, NBA, Euroleague, EuroCup, Liga ACB, UFC, Glory, ATP Tennis, WRC, NCAA, Basketball Champions League, Betsafe-LKL, FIBA National Teams competitions, ERC, Moto GP, MXGP and Extreme E among others, allowing viewers to customize their experience and pay for their preferred content.
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