Viaplay Sport wins over winter sports fans in Sweden – here’s the strategy behind the success
Alright, let’s have a proper chat about what went down over the weekend. When Emma Ribom was forced to throw in the towel in Falun – a real shock to the system for those of us standing out there in the cold – my phone lit up. My contacts in production confirm that Viaplay Sport Live pushed the news out faster than any traditional broadcaster. That’s no accident. It’s a calculated strategy to own the winter sports scene in Sweden.
We watch sport – not TV guides
It’s easy to get caught up in broadcasting rights deals. Sure, they’re the foundation. But the real value lies in the user experience. When I chat with the developers behind the latest version, Viaplay: Film, TV & Live Sport - Version 8.23 - iOS, there’s one thing they’re genuinely proud of: the seamlessness. You know the drill – you’re watching the biathlon, and right after the finish line, a thriller recommendation pops up. It’s no coincidence that Viaplay combines films, series, and sport. It’s a deliberate move. They want us to stick around.
And it’s working. Just look at the chatter over the weekend. Everyone was talking about Ribom’s shooting, the cross-country skiers’ peak form. And where did they go for the analysis? Not to linear TV guides. They went to Viaplay Sport. My sources point to an explosive surge in engagement – not just in viewership numbers – every time there’s a dramatic withdrawal or a shock result from Norway. You log in for the urgency, but you stay for the ecosystem.
The app that became the hub for Winter Studio 2.0
Let me break down a few key points insiders highlight as crucial to Viaplay Sport Live now winning the market:
- Push notifications with purpose: They don’t spam you. When they cut through the noise, it’s because something has actually happened – like a late withdrawal in Falun.
- The archive: Missed the start because of work? No worries. The whole race is up on the Viaplay app within seconds.
- Cross-pollination: They promote Premier Sports-inspired documentaries between broadcasts. It ties the whole sporting year together.
This isn’t rocket science, but it does require having the guts to prioritise over old-school TV production. And that’s exactly what they’ve done.
The unsung hero behind the scenes: The Premier Sports model
Now, let’s not forget the commercial side of things. I often hear people ask where the line is drawn with international players like Premier Sports. The truth is, they’re not a threat, but more a source of inspiration. Premier Sports has proven you can make serious money by niching down hard on specific leagues. What Viaplay is doing, according to my production contacts, is applying the same logic – but on a bigger scale. They niched down on us in the north, on winter sports. And now they’re reaping the rewards as we head into the most intense part of the season. Remember where you heard it first: this winter’s viewing figures are going to go through the roof.