Swiss public-service broadcaster SRG SSR has acquired rights to an additional six games from the top-tier Swiss ice hockey league from telco UPC, during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
The deal is for rights to all Ticino derby games – between HC Lugano and HV Ambrì-Piotta – from the National League. The games will be aired on the public broadcaster’s German-language (SRF), French-language (RTS) and Italian-language (RSI) arms.
UPC holds National League domestic rights in a five-season deal, from 2017-18 to 2021-22, with the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation. That deal also included rights to the second-tier Swiss League, the Regio League – the amateur championship – and matches of the men’s U-20 national team.
UPC pays around CHF30m (€28.1m/$31.9m) per season for its rights to Switzerland’s top-tier ice hockey league.
In the same 2017-22 cycle, SRG holds highlights rights to National League matches, as well as non-exclusive live rights to the two quarter-final matches, one semi-final and final from the end-of-season play-offs. Also included in the deal with the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation were all home friendly matches of the senior men’s national team.
SRG held free-to-air rights to National League matches in the previous cycle, from 2012-13 to 2016-17.
Earlier this month, SRG missed out on live Uefa Champions League coverage from the 2021-22 season, after telco Swisscom decided to sublicense a package of free-to-air rights to media and publishing group CH Media.
Swisscom owns the pay-television broadcaster Teleclub, which acquired exclusive rights to all Uefa club competitions last year.