Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) will launch its Viaplay streaming service in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in the first quarter of 2021.
The service will be available to customers in all three Baltic countries through direct subscriptions and via third-party partnerships.
NENT Group notes that less than 20% of the 2.8 million households Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania currently pay for a subscription video streaming service, compared with over 50% in the Nordic region, and most households already have high speed fixed and mobile broadband connections that are being upgraded further. This, combined with NENT Group’s ability to scale in a fast and cost-efficient way, makes each of the three markets ideal for the launch of Viaplay’s streaming service.
Its offer will include NENT Group’s portfolio of Viaplay original series, of which a further 30 are being premiered this year. New local originals for the Baltic markets will be developed by NENT Studios and with third-party production companies. The offering will also include international movies, series and kids content, as well as a live sports package that will initially be built around motor racing, football and ice hockey and include multi-year rights to Formula One motor racing, Bundesliga German football and NHL ice hockey. Further details about the full Viaplay Baltic content offerings, package prices and launch dates will follow closer to launch.
Viaplay’s users can simultaneously stream on multiple devices, watch movies and series in offline mode, and create multiple personal profiles. In addition, the service provides electronic sell-through (EST) and transaction video on-demand (TVOD) services.
Commenting on the development, Anders Jensen, NENT Group president and CEO, said: “Expanding Viaplay to the Baltic countries is a natural next step. These markets are close to home, relatively under-penetrated, growing fast, and we will have a truly unique content offering that addresses all three markets together. We have built Viaplay into the number one Nordic streaming service and have recently expanded successfully to Iceland. We see huge potential in the Baltics for our unique combination of high-quality Viaplay originals, award-winning films and series, premium kids’ content and world-class live sports. Our highly agile operating model and cutting-edge technology are built to scale effectively and efficiently. We have already secured key content rights for the markets at very competitive prices, and look forward to bringing our great value for money storytelling experiences to viewers in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania early next year”.
