KHL extends Lagardère Sports partnership

The Lagardère Sports agency has renewed an agreement with the Kontinental Hockey League to continue distributing the international media rights for the ice hockey competition.

Lagardère Sports’ new agreement with the league will cover the four seasons from 2017-18 to 2020-21. The deal includes media rights outside of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The agreement covers rights across all broadcasting platforms, as well as KHL data and betting rights on an international basis.

Sergey Dobrokhvalov, KHL marketing and communications vice-president, said: “Being a leader in global sports marketing with vast media rights experience and passion for our sport, the company will further help us increase the KHL distribution worldwide. KHL television rights are already sold to over 30 countries in the world, and we hope that this number will continue to grow in the near future.

“The league has undergone comprehensive development over the last seasons, and we appreciate Lagardère Sports’ contribution to this ongoing process. I am convinced that our enhanced cooperation will remain mutually beneficial and will present a great opportunity to foster the League’s promotion on the international media market.”

Lagardère Sports has been a partner of the KHL since the league’s inception in 2008. The majority of KHL teams are based in Russia, although the league also has representation from Belarus, China, Finland, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Slovakia.