Scandinavia

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

Norwegian commercial and pay-television broadcaster TV2 has agreed a two-season deal for rights to English club football competition the FA Cup.

Energy group SE has strengthened its position in the Danish media market by acquiring digital terrestrial pay-television operator Boxer from Swedish terrestrial broadcast transmission service company Teracom.

Modern Times Group has opted for ATP World Tour rights instead of extending its coverage of the Women’s Tennis Association Tour, TV Sports Markets understands.

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

UK commercial broadcaster Channel 4 outbid public-service broadcaster the BBC for rights to the women’s European Championship in 2017.

Swedish public-service broadcaster SVT has acquired rights for the Ski Classics long-distance skiing championship.

Viasat, the pay-television operator run by multi-territory commercial and pay-television broadcaster Modern Times Group, has extended a rights agreement in Scandinavia and the Baltic region for the MotoGP motorcycling series, while international sports broadcaster Eurosport has acquired rights in Romania to the championship.