Viasat avoids World Cup blackout with fresh TV2 deal

Viasat, the Norwegian pay-television operator run by Swedish media company Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group), has staved off the threat of a blackout of Fifa World Cup matches by agreeing a new carriage deal with commercial and pay-television broadcaster TV2.

TV2 holds rights in Norway to the ongoing national team football tournament and its previous deal with Viasat was due to expire at midnight on June 30. However, a fresh long-term agreement between the companies was sealed just hours before the deadline.

TV2 has a substantial sports rights portfolio and last month extended its deal for football’s English Premier League. The contract will run for three seasons, until the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

Commenting on the new agreement, Vegard Klubbenes Drogseth, chief executive of Viasat Norge, said: “TV2’s channels are an important part of the Viasat Satellite and Viasat IPTV channel portfolio, and we have now secured our customers a complete TV product.”