Viaplay Sport wins over winter sports fans in Sweden – here's the strategy behind the success
Okay, let's sit down and have a real talk about what went down this weekend. When Emma Ribom was forced to throw in the towel in Falun – a real cold shower for all of us standing there freezing – my phone blew up. My contacts on the production side confirm that Viaplay Sport Live pushed out the news faster than any traditional channel. That's not a coincidence. It's a calculated strategy to own the winter sports scene in Sweden.
We watch sports – not TV schedules
It's easy to get fixated on broadcasting rights deals. Sure, they're the foundation. But the real lion's share of the value is created in the user experience. When I talk to the developers behind the latest version, Viaplay: Film, TV & Live Sport - Version 8.23 - iOS, there's one thing they're really proud of: the seamlessness. You know, when you're watching biathlon, and right after the finish line, a recommendation for a thriller pops up. It's no accident that Viaplay is a combined film, series, and sports service. It's intentional. They want us to stick around.
And it's working. Just look at the chatter this weekend. Everyone was talking about Ribom's shooting, about the cross-country skiers peaking at the right time. And where did they go for the analysis? Not to linear TV schedules. They went to Viaplay Sport. My sources point to an explosive increase in engagement – not just in viewership numbers – every time there's a dramatic withdrawal or a surprising Norwegian victory. You log in for the urgent news, but you stay for the ecosystem.
The app that became the hub for Winter Studio 2.0
Let me break down a few concrete points that insiders highlight as crucial for Viaplay Sport Live winning the market right now:
- Push notifications with impact: They don't send out junk. When they break through the noise, it's because something actually happened – like a late withdrawal in Falun.
- The archive: Missed the start because of work? No problem. The whole race is up in the Viaplay app within seconds.
- Cross-pollination: They promote Premier Sports-inspired documentaries between broadcasts. It ties the whole sports year together.
This isn't rocket science, but it requires daring to prioritize differently than 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 asking where the line is with international players like Premier Sports. The truth is, they're not a threat, but rather a source of inspiration. Premier Sports has shown that 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 larger scale. They niched in on us here in the North, on winter sports. And now they're reaping the rewards as we head into the most intense period of the season. Remember where you heard it first: this winter's viewership numbers are going to go through the roof.