Russian state-controlled commercial broadcaster Channel One has agreed a six-year deal with the International Ice Hockey Federation for rights to its annual World Championship.
The agreement runs from 2018 to 2023 and will commence with this year’s edition of the national team tournament, which is being hosted in the Danish cities of Copenhagen and Herning from May 4-20.
For this year’s event, Channel One will provide live television coverage of all of Russia’s games, while the tournament will also be live streamed via an online platform and the broadcaster’s mobile apps.
The national team enters the World Championship after the Olympic Athletes from Russia squad claimed gold in the men’s ice hockey competition at the 2018 winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
Russia finished third in the 2017 IIHF World Championship held in Paris, France and Cologne, Germany.