Finland

Modern Times Group, the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster, has struck its latest major football rights deal by reaching agreements for a host of English club competitions in the Nordic markets of Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.

Finnish telecommunications company Telia has acquired rights to the SM-Liiga, the top division of ice hockey in Finland.

SM-Liiga, the top division of ice hockey in Finland, will require a new rights partner from the 2018-19 season after media group Sanoma said its commercial and pay-television broadcaster, Nelonen, will not extend its contract.

MotoGP will be shown live in Finland again this season after a one-year hiatus, although it will be earning about 60 per cent less than from its last live rights deal in the country.

Pay-television broadcaster MTV Finland has acquired rights for the MotoGP motorcycle-racing world championship.

Finnish commercial and pay-television broadcaster MTV3 acquired a package of ice hockey rights from Infront Sports & Media, negotiating a slightly reduced fee, as local broadcasters wait on the upcoming sale of domestic ice hockey rights.

Finnish commercial and pay-television broadcaster MTV3 has extended rights deals with the Infront Sports & Media agency covering a range of top ice hockey events.

The Commercial Sports Media agency is confident it can grow the value of SM-Liiga domestic media rights despite a tricky local market. CSM was last week appointed as the top-tier Finnish ice hockey league’s adviser.

Multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group has acquired exclusive rights in the Nordic region to the 2020 European Handball Championships.

SM-Liiga, the top division of ice hockey in Finland, has appointed the Commercial Sports Media agency to aid its upcoming media rights sales process.

Media company CSI Sports has agreed a deal with Nordic pay-television operator DNA to carry its Fight Sports pay-television channel in Finland.

Finnish telecommunications company Elisa has acquired rights for Liga ACB, the top division of basketball in Spain.

The Infront Sports & Media agency has extended its media and marketing partnership with the Finnish Ski Association until the 2025-26 season, while public-service broadcaster YLE has sealed a five-season extension to its deal covering Nordic skiing events.

Niclas Ericson, director of TV at Fifa, will leave his role at football’s global governing body at the end of this year.

Finnish public-service broadcaster YLE has acquired rights for the Ski Classics long-distance championship.

YLE will pay a 10-per-cent increase for media rights in Finland to the Olympic Games of 2018 and 2020, despite being unable to secure coverage of some of the most valuable events.