Viasat extends Hockey deal

Modern Times Group’s pay TV arm Viasat Broadcasting has extended the exclusive pay TV broadcast rights and acquired online rights for the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Viasat has also acquired the exclusive free TV rights for Latvia, from the start of the 2012-2013 season and until the end of 2014-2015 season. 


Viasat will broadcast more than 180 KHL games every season on its pay TV sport channel Viasat Sport Baltic in the three countries. The amount of games shown will increases by more than 50% under the new agreement. Viasat has held the rights for KHL since 2009.

Kaspars Ozolins, CEO of MTG Baltics, said, “It is another major step for Viasat in the Baltics to have prolonged and expanded the rights for this popular sports property as we always aim to provide our viewers with the best sports events available. Ice hockey is enormously popular in Latvia and KHL is the strongest hockey league in Europe. Latvia’s Dinamo Riga is the country’s most high profile sports team due to their consistent strong achievements in the KHL.”