Premier Sports, trading as SSBL Limited, has successfully completed the acquisition of Viaplay's UK direct-to-consumer sport business. The deal was finalized on 4 April, marking a significant milestone in the sports broadcasting industry.
Interestingly, this isn't Premier Sports' first encounter with this particular business. The company had initially run the operation in the UK before it was acquired by Viaplay in 2022. However, after experiencing financial setbacks and deciding to shift its focus towards the Nordics and Netherlands markets last year, Viaplay announced its plans to exit from the UK market.
The return of Premier Sports was officially announced in November last year and is now confirmed. This marks a full circle for both companies as Premier Sports reclaims its former territory.
Premier Sports back with enhanced services and broad coverage
Premier Sports is not only returning but also expanding its services. It will be relaunching on Sky, Virgin, Amazon Prime and Apple platforms while simultaneously launching an enhanced streaming service on 9 April.
The company holds exclusive rights to a number of high-profile sports events, such as La Liga, the Scottish FA Cup, the Scottish League Cup, Scotland national team games, the United Rugby Championship, the NHL, and NASCAR, among others.
This broad coverage ensures that fans have access to their favorite sports events across multiple platforms.
Smooth transition for customers assured by Premier Sports
In terms of customer experience during this transition period, there's good news for current subscribers. The Irish authorities have given final clearance for the deal which includes both the streaming platform and two linear channels. Current sports customer subscriptions will be automatically transferred to Premier Sports subscribers without any disruption or changes in content line-up.
This means that customers can continue enjoying their favorite sporting events without having to worry about subscription changes or content alterations due to this acquisition.
The acquisition of Viaplay's UK direct-to-consumer sport business by Premier Sports marks a significant shift in the sports broadcasting landscape. With its return to familiar grounds and enhanced services, Premier Sports is poised to provide an even better viewing experience for sports fans and betting enthusiasts alike. The seamless transition process also ensures that current subscribers can continue enjoying their favorite sports content without any disruptions.
