International streaming company Viaplay Group AB has agreed to acquire Premier Sports, a U.K.-based sports streamer and TV channel operator. The transaction values Premier Sports at £30 million (€35.2m) on a cash and debt-free basis, said Viaplay in a statement.
The move comes ahead of the launch of Viaplay’s streaming service in the U.K., this autumn. Premier Sports’ U.K. sports rights include LaLiga, Scottish Cup, Scottish League Cup and Coppa Italia in football; United Rugby Championship, Rugby Football League and Top 14 in rugby; NASCAR motorsport; and the Elite Ice Hockey League.
In addition to content and distribution, the acquisition will deliver synergies with Viaplay in sports production, the company said. All Premier Sports platforms will receive Viaplay branding. The content line-up for the TV channels will be expanded “in due course” to include Viaplay’s broader series and film offering, added Viaplay.
Premier Sports currently has 222,000 paying subscribers to its pay-TV channels Premier Sports 1 and Premier Sports 2 and streaming service Premier Player. It also operates FreeSports, an advertising-funded television channel. Premier Sports, majority owned at present by Setanta Sports, saw revenues increase by around 33 percent in 2021 to £26.4 million (€31.0m). Founded in 2009, the company is based in Dublin. All its 23 full-time employees are expected to join Viaplay Group after the closing of the transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval.
Viaplay Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. Its streaming service is available in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, the U.S. and the Netherlands, and it is expanding into the U.K. in 2022, followed by Canada, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2023. This will bring its market presence to at least 21 countries by the end of 2023.
