Nordics

Norwegian commercial and pay-television broadcaster TV2 has struck a sublicensing agreement for Uefa Champions League rights with Modern Times Group in a deal that ends the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster’s exclusive hold on the club football competition in the country.

Modern Times Group, the multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster, has extended its rights to the Uefa Champions League club football competition in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

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

Swedish investment firm Kinnevik has acquired an 18.5 per cent stake in Swedish cable-television operator Com Hem in a deal that makes it the biggest owner of the company.

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.

The Swedish football league earned an increase of about 120 per cent in the value of its media rights last month as Discovery continued its strategy of buying domestic football league rights in Scandinavia.

The Norwegian Football Federation, Norsk Toppfotball and Fotball Media have taken legal action against commercial and pay-television broadcaster TV2 in the belief it has infringed rights regulations for coverage of the Eliteserien, the top division of domestic football.

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.

International sports broadcaster Eurosport has acquired rights in Sweden to the Allsvenskan, the top tier of club football in the country.

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

The Discovery Networks Sweden division of international media and entertainment company Discovery Communications has secured domestic rights to the Allsvenskan, the top division of Swedish football, according to multiple reports.

The Swedish football league is likely to double the value of its rights as media groups Bonnier and Discovery go head to head in an ongoing tender.

Uefa will earn just under €3.5m for national team rights from 2018-19 to 2021-22 in Iceland RÚV will pay about €850,000 for rights to 24 first- and second-party Iceland matches 365 will pay €2.6m for

The Infront Sports & Media agency has secured a series of rights deals for upcoming seasons of the Champions Hockey League pan-European ice hockey club competition.

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.

International media company Discovery Communications has agreed distribution deals with telco TDC in Denmark and Norway.