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SBS9 will be renamed Viaplay TV starting next Friday. The Swedish streaming company will have a position on the open net. It provides a sports channel for Talpa.

Besides Formula 1, darts from the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) and soccer matches from the English Premier League and German Bundesliga, international series and films, as well as homegrown entertainment, can be seen on Viaplay TV.

The parties plan to expand the sports offerings, but do not specify which sports or disciplines. Viaplay also has broadcasting rights to soccer in other countries, rugby and martial arts.

The cooperation initially runs until the end of the year. It appears that the parties intend to extend beyond that, as Talpa intends to grow the channel and Viaplay benefits from continued attention to the sports it itself offers behind the subscriber lock.

Roger Lodewick, CEO Viaplay Netherlands, tells Emerce, "We see the partnership as a showcase for our services. What comes on TV, we deal with that selectively. There are certainly attractive matches among them. In terms of Formula 1, for example, the integral broadcasts of the grands prix of Japan and China."

The Swedish company is in the race to regain the broadcasting rights of Formula 1 in the Netherlands for the period starting in 2025.

"People have an opinion about Viaplay, but now they can see what we really do. The cooperation with Talpa is marketing, but also a source of income."

Lodewick did not elaborate on the financial details of the deal. Viaplay corporate does this by cooperation usually by virtue of sharing ad revenue.

Viaplay TV kicks off with the Formula 1 GP Japan. With the second free practice and a re-run of the Formula 1 talk show Shakedown Japan live on Friday, April 5, qualifying a day later at 1 p.m. and the race on Sunday, April 7, also at 1 p.m.

All Viaplay sports content shown on Viaplay TV will remain available fully streaming on Viaplay.

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