Viaplay Group has sold its UK direct-to-consumer (DTC) business to SSBL Limited, the company behind Premier Sports.
The proposed transaction was announced by Viaplay last December and has now received final clearance from the Irish authorities.
Dublin-based Premier Sports was the previous owner of the UK business, which comprises a streaming service and two linear TV channels.
Viaplay’s sports customer subscriptions will be automatically transferred to Premier Sports, with the sports content line-up remaining unchanged.
Crisis-hit Swedish streaming group Viaplay announced last year that it would focus on its core Nordic markets.
Premier Sports will rebrand Viaplay Sports 1 and 2 under its own name, and will return to Sky, Virgin, Amazon Prime and Apple on 9th April, as well as launching an enhanced streaming service.
Premier Sports has a rights portfolio that includes La Liga, the Scottish FA Cup, Scottish League Cup, Scotland’s national team games, United Rugby Championship, NHL and NASCAR.
US writers call on Hollywood studios to take action against AI firms
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called on Hollywood studios to “come off the sidelines” and prevent tech companies from allegedly using its members’ works to train AI platforms.
Arte joins European Broadcasting Union
Arte, the Franco-German public service broadcaster, has become the newest member of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Lee Walters appointed Chair of BAFTA Cymru
BAFTA has named Lee Walters as Chair of its Wales branch BAFTA Cymru.
Paris 2024 audience hit five billion – IOC report
Around five billion people, or 84% of the potential global audiences, followed the Olympic Games Paris 2024, according to research conducted on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
ITV strikes partnership deal with YouTube
ITV is to make hundreds of hours of its programmes available to viewers on YouTube.