MTG Holds On to Baltic Rights for IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship

STOCKHOLM: The Modern Times Group (MTG) has extended its hold on the exclusive live broadcast rights for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship to 2017.

Infront Sports & Media has assured MTG the rights for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship and Division 1 for its free-TV channels and Viasat Sport Baltic premium pay-TV service. MTG has held these rights in the Baltics since 1999.

The TV3 and TV6 free-TV channels will bring Latvian viewers 20 live games from the 2012 IIHF Ice Hock World Championship. A total of 50 games will air on the Viasat Sport Baltic pay channel.

Hans-Holger Albrecht, the president and CEO of MTG, commented: "We are delighted to have prolonged our exclusive broadcasting rights for a further six years. This is the marquee international ice hockey right and one of the most popular sports events in the Baltics. It has consistently delivered high ratings on our free-TV channels, and been a key property in our expanding portfolio of pay-TV sports rights. We look forward to extending our successful partnership with Infront and the IIHF.”

Bruno Marty, Infront’s executive director of winter sports, added: “MTG with its multiple media platforms in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia is a first-rate partner to work with in the Baltic states. For the fans in the region, this long-term contract guarantees another six years of comprehensive coverage of the IIHF flagship events, including extensive live broadcasts.”