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Viaplay Extends UFC Broadcast Deal in the Nordics

Sweden video streaming platform Viaplay has renewed their Nordics exclusive streaming rights with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). By: Dylan Low

This means Viaplay will continue owning rights to the popular MMA franchise, with the streaming service to showcase more than 40 live UFC events annually with local language commentary in Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway.

This new found agreement is inclusive of broadcast of all UFC numbered events and Fight Nights. The most recent UFC event shown on Viaplay took place last weekend, which was UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev Vs. Walker 2.

The Nordic-based streamer will also feature preliminary bouts from all events when a Nordic fighter is competing. UFC’s current roster comprises of regional fighters such as Alexander Gustafsson, Pannie Kianzad and Josefine Knutsson (Sweden), Nicolas Dalby, Damir Hadžović and Mark Madsen (Denmark), and Jack Hermansson and Ivana Petrović (Norway).

Viaplay shareholders Canal+ Group and Czech investment group PPF own 29.3% of the company in conjunction with a recent restructuring plan. The move comes following Viaplay’s departure in markets of the Baltics, Poland and the UK, coupled with the selling of its Central and Eastern European production company Paprika Studios in December to deal with growing revenue losses.

Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group EVP and chief sports & business development, commented, “No MMA promotion attracts a bigger audience than UFC, in the Nordic region or worldwide. Extending our long-term partnership with UFC reflects our commitment to offering the most relevant sports to our viewers, and to supporting MMA’s ongoing growth. We look forward to bringing spectacular fight action to even more fans over the coming years on Viaplay as part of our unique live sports portfolio.”

David Shaw, UFC executive vice president of international and content, continued, “We have had a long partnership with Viaplay and we really couldn’t ask for a better counterpart to help grow our brand in the Nordics. Their passion and dedication to UFC has been instrumental to our business, and we look forward to continuing to build stars and deliver the best MMA events in the world to our fans in the Nordics.”

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