Viaplay completes UK business sale & strikes Talpa linear partnership

Rebus (Source: BBC, Mark Mainz, Eleventh Hour Films)

Viaplay Group will complete the sale of its UK direct-to-consumer business to SSBL Limited, which trades as Premier Sports, on 4 April.

Dublin-based Premier Sports was the previous owner of Viaplay’s UK business, which includes the namesake streaming service and two linear channels.

It sold its business to the Nordic group for $36m in 2022 in what Viaplay at the time described as a “significant acceleration” of its UK entry plans. Premier Sports revealed that it would be buying back the business late last year. Current Viaplay sports customer subscriptions will be automatically transferred to Premier Sports.

Embattled Viaplay confirmed it would close the service in the UK last year, in a bid to downsize operations and cut costs.

Recently the streamer’s first UK commission, the crime drama Rebus, was acquired by local public broadcaster the BBC ahead of its exit from the country.

In related news, Viaplay has also struck a linear TV partnership with Talpa Network in the Netherlands. The deal, which takes effect from 5 April, will see Talpa Network’s SBS9 channel rebrand as Viaplay TV.

The channel will show selected content from the Viaplay streaming service’s sports offering. Viaplay TV’s first live broadcast will be the second free practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix. Upcoming April’s highlights includes live Premier League football, highlights from the Chinese Grand Prix and live PDC Premier League Darts in Rotterdam.

In addition to selected live sports and reruns from Viaplay, Viaplay TV will feature Dutch and international series and films from Talpa Network’s entertainment offering.The channel is available to audiences across the Netherlands through all major TV distributors.

Viaplay Group and Talpa Network will share the revenues from the partnership.