Infront secures media rights agreement with MTG Baltics for IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship until 2017
The Baltic media group will continue to broadcast the annual tournament to fans in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia
The extended agreement comprises all IIHF World Championship events until 2017, including the tournaments in Finland and Sweden (co-hosts for 2012 and 2013), Belarus (2014), Czech Republic (2015) and Russia (2016). Furthermore it also covers all Division I Group A and Group B tournaments over the same period. In 2012, Division 1 Group A will be played in Slovenia and Group B in Poland, with the latter involving the Lithuanian team. Latvia will compete in the main IIHF World Championship and is to play its group stage games in Stockholm, Sweden. The national team of Estonia currently plays in Division II.
Highest standards in production and editing
The contract with Infront includes the exclusive rights to broadcast all 64 games of the IIHF World Championship as well as all 30 games of the two Division I tournaments and allows the MTG to distribute the licensed content via TV, radio, internet and mobile networks on a free and pay TV basis in the Baltic region. Infront, in close cooperation with the IIHF will continue to provide high-quality TV pictures and media services for the coverage. Since 2009, the IIHF World Championship has been produced in full HD quality with 20 cameras per game guaranteeing in-depth sports coverage and dynamic reporting from every angle.
Hans-Holger Albrecht, President and CEO of MTG, commented: “We are delighted to have prolonged our exclusive broadcasting rights for the IIHF World Championship 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 Winter Sports, said: “The MTG media group 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.”
About the IIHF World Championship
The 2012 IIHF World Championship takes place from 4 to 20 May 2012 in Helsinki (Finland) and Stockholm (Sweden) and will attract hockey fans to television screens around the world. In 2011 the IIHF World Championship in Slovakia was broadcast by over 70 channels in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide. It achieved over 3,000 broadcast hours and a record cumulative audience of more than 800 million viewers.
Infront Sports & Media is the exclusive marketing partner of the IIHF for all commercial rights to the IIHF World Championship and the annual Division 1 tournaments (groups A and B). In addition, the company undertakes various services for the IIHF World Championship – including host broadcast production, design services, customer support and on-site VIP hospitality.
About MTG
Modern Times Group is an international entertainment broadcasting Group with the largest geographical broadcast footprint in Europe. MTG's Viasat Broadcasting operates 29 free-TV channels in 11 countries and 38 pay-tv channels in 34 countries. The pay-tv channels are distributed on Viasat’s own satellite platforms in 9 countries, as well as on third party broadcast networks (including cable, satellite and IPTV) and over the open internet. MTG is also the largest shareholder in Russia’s leading independent television broadcaster (CTC Media – Nasdaq: CTCM).
Modern Times Group is a growth company and generated SEK 13.1 billion of sales and SEK 2.4 billion of operating income in 2010. MTG’s Class A and B shares are listed on Nasdaq OMX Stockholm’s Large Cap index under the symbols ‘MTGA’ and ‘MTGB’.
About Infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media, based in Zug, Switzerland, has grown impressively in recent years to become one of the leading international sports marketing groups in the world. Known for its high standards of delivery, the company covers all aspects of a successful sport event – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operations. As a key player in winter sport, football and other summer sports, Infront enjoys long-lasting partnerships with 120 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. With an experienced and passionate team of 500 staff in 20 offices across 10 countries, the Group helps to annually deliver more than 2,300 event days of top class sport around the world.
For further information, please contact:
Jörg Polzer / Nike Möhle
Corporate Communications
Infront Sports & Media AG
Tel. +41-41-723 15 15
Fax +41-41-723 15 16
press infrontsports.com
www.infrontsports.com
Matthew Hooper
Head of Corporate Communications
Modern Times Group
Tel:+44-7768-440 414
press mtg.se
www.mtg.se
