Viaplay Group has named Roger Lodewick as SVP and CEO Viaplay Netherlands, effective immediately.
Lodewick has a successful 20-year executive track record spanning a wide range of global gaming, entertainment, media and sports businesses, and joins from ESL FACEIT Group, the world’s largest esports and gaming festival company, where he was President Sports Games. In his new role, he will hold commercial and operational responsibility for the Viaplay streaming service in the Netherlands and report to Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group EVP and Chief Sports & Business Development Officer.
Roger previously spent four years heading up portfolio businesses owned by esports and gaming investment company Modern Times Group (MTG), holding the positions of CEO of DreamHack Sports Games and Co-CEO of DreamHack.
Prior to MTG, Roger worked for 12 years as a Media Sales & Product Executive at TEAM Marketing AG, the exclusive global marketing agency for the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. In his role, Roger held responsibility for media rights sales for these competitions in multiple European territories and sub-Saharan Africa, and was part of the team who transformed the UEFA Cup into the UEFA Europa League and centralised its commercial rights to UEFA.
In the Netherlands, Viaplay is the home of popular premium live sports such as Formula 1, Premier League football and PDC darts.
Peter Nørrelund, Viaplay Group EVP and Chief Sports & Business Development Officer said: “Roger brings the proven commercial, operational and strategic know-how to take our Dutch business to the next level. We have an outstanding sports streaming product that is profitable and continuously growing in value for fans across the Netherlands. I am very happy to welcome Roger to Viaplay as we look forward to the many opportunities ahead.”
Roger Lodewick, Viaplay Group SVP and CEO Viaplay Netherlands added: “I’m thrilled to join Viaplay and lead the team who produce and commercialise the most appealing sports offering in the Netherlands. Since entering the Dutch market just two years ago, Viaplay has made numerous bold innovations and established a world-class production set-up. The company’s country-based operating model gives us both flexibility and local ownership, and I’m confident that we can continue growing and reinforce Viaplay’s position as the benchmark in Dutch sports streaming.”
In addition to Formula 1, Premier League football and PDC darts, Viaplay’s sports rights portfolio in the Netherlands includes Bundesliga, EFL Championship and Carabao Cup football, Hoofdklasse field hockey, Enfusion kickboxing and more.