Viaplay Sport wins over winter-sports Sweden – here's the strategy behind the success
Right then, let's have a proper chat about what went down over the weekend. When Emma Ribom was forced to pull the pin in Falun – a real gut punch for those of us standing out there freezing – my phone lit up. My contacts on the production side confirm that Viaplay Sport Live pushed the news out faster than any traditional channel. 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 fixated on broadcasting rights deals. Sure, they're the foundation. But the real lion's share of the value comes from 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 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 chatter 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 guides. 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 surprise Norwegian win. 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 key points that insiders highlight as crucial for Viaplay Sport Live winning the market right now:
- Push notifications with purpose: 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 worries. 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 does require being bold enough to prioritise differently from old-school TV production. And they've done exactly that.
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 with international players like Premier Sports. The truth is, they're not a threat, but rather a source of inspiration. Premier Sports has shown you can make decent 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 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: winter viewing figures are going to go through the roof.