Viaplay Sport wins over winter sports fans in Ireland – here's the strategy behind the success
Right then, let's sit down and 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 all of us standing there freezing – my phone went mental. My contacts on the production side confirm that Viaplay Sport Live pushed the news out faster than any traditional channel. That's not a fluke. It's a calculated strategy to own the winter sports scene.
We watch sport – not TV schedules
It's easy to get hung up 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 the craic, you're sitting watching the 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 deliberate. They want us to stick around.
And it's working. Just look at the chat over the 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 viewing figures – every time there's a dramatic withdrawal or a shock result from the Norwegians. You log in for the urgent news, but you stay for the ecosystem.
The app that became the hub for the modern winter sports fan
Let me give you a few concrete points that insiders highlight as crucial for Viaplay Sport Live winning the market right now:
- Push notifications with weight: They don't spam you with rubbish. 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 bother. The whole event 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 daring to prioritise old-school TV production out of the picture. And that's exactly what they've done.
The secret weapon behind the scenes: The Premier Sports model
Now, let's not forget the commercial side of this. 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 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 period of the season. Remember where you heard it first: the viewing figures this winter are going to go through the roof.