MTG acquires EPL Baltic rights

Broadcaster Modern Times Group has announced that its Nordic pay-TV unit Viasat Broadcasting has acquired the exclusive broadcasting rights to the English Premier League (EPL) in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania for the next three seasons.

MTG currently has the exclusive broadcasting rights to EPL matches in Sweden and Bulgaria. It also has the non-exclusive rights to broadcast the EPL in Denmark through its TV 2 Sport joint venture, which is due to launch two TV 2 Sport Premier League channels. MTG has also signed an agreement to carry the three TV 2 Premier League HD channels on its DTH satellite pay-TV platform in Norway.

MTG will broadcast EPL matches in the three Baltic countries from the start of the 2010/11 season on August 14 until the end of the 2012/13 season. The matches will air on the Viasat Sport Baltic pay-TV channel, as well as on a new dedicated Viasat Premier League HD channel, which will be launched on Viasat’s satellite platform in the Baltics on August 13. MTG will broadcast all 380 EPL matches each season, and will offer both local language and English commentary.