Premier Sports, a renowned broadcaster, has regained the broadcast rights for Scotland internationals and domestic cup games. The rights were previously sold to Viaplay but have now been returned due to Viaplay's imminent withdrawal from the UK market.
In a significant turn of events, Premier Sports has announced that it will once again be broadcasting Scotland men’s internationals, Scottish Cup and League Cup games. This comes after the company successfully reclaimed its broadcast rights from Viaplay.
Viaplay had initially acquired these rights with plans to show all matches involving the Scotland men’s national team from 2024 to 2028. This included qualifiers for upcoming major tournaments such as the World Cup and European Championships.
Moreover, Viaplay was also responsible for broadcasting Scottish League Cup matches exclusively while sharing Scottish Cup coverage with the BBC.
Premier Sports set to announce plans for its own new streaming platform
However, due to financial difficulties and a strategic decision taken to focus on its core Nordic market, Viaplay decided in July that it would exit the UK market.
Premier Sports expressed their delight at the news that they will make a shock return to the Scottish sports broadcasting market in early 2024.
They offered assurances of a "seamless" transition process away from Viaplay, as the same Premier Sports channels previously used by Viaplay will continue to be active on Sky and Virgin.
The company is also set to announce details about its new streaming service soon which is expected to further enhance viewer experience across different platforms.
It had previously operated a live-streaming service called Premier Player. However, it is unknown whether this platform will rise from the ashes or whether a whole new app will emerge in place of Viaplay.
Viaplay set to give up all the sports rights it bought from Premier Sports
Beyond football, this change also affects rugby fans as Viaplay held exclusive rights for United Rugby Championship broadcasts involving Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby.
These rights have now also been transferred back to Premier Sports along with football coverage.
In addition to regaining previous sports coverage lost in their deal with Viaplay, Premier Sports will also take over Viaplay’s coverage of La Liga matches, NHL and NASCAR programming.
The company has expressed its intent to add more sports to its offering, thereby expanding its portfolio and providing a wider range of options for sports fans.
The return of Scotland national team and domestic cup games to Premier Sports is a significant development in the broadcasting landscape.
It promises an enhanced viewing experience for sports fans while also ensuring continuity in coverage despite Viaplay's exit from the UK market.
Premier Sports is truly back with a bang on the UK market.
