Viaplay have pulled out of all UK sport coverage as part of a raft of cost-cutting measures, leaving Scotland national team games facing a blackout.Despite this latest development, we can reveal Viaplay will continue to show League Cup games on their streaming service as they attempt to sell their UK business or partner up with another company. What is not clear is whether Scotland national team games – with Viaplay’s deal done centrally with UEFA – will still be shown by the Nordic broadcaster. It also has a deal to show the Scottish Cup until next year alongside BBC Scotland. Viaplay, who acquired Premier Sports and took over the sponsorship of the tournament, show the competition exclusively live – with Motherwell v Queen’s Park due to be beamed live on Saturday – as well as agreeing a deal to show Scotland matches until 2028.Fears emerged within Scottish football after it emerged Viaplay were carrying out a strategic review after funning into financial difficulties but Record Sport exclusively revealed SPFL chiefs were calm having been paid up in full for this season, and securing legal guarantees for future funding in a rights package that runs until the summer of 2027.Now the Scandinavian streamers have confirmed they will end all broadcasting in Britain, the USA and Canada as they lay off 25 per cent of staff. Viaplay CEO Jorgen Madsen Lindemann said: “We are today announcing a new strategy and plan, which includes, but is not limited to, focusing on our core Nordic, Netherlands and Viaplay Select operations (which make available a wide range of Viaplay series, films and documentaries through partners around the world); implementing a new operational model; downsizing, partnering or exiting our other international markets; rightsizing and pricing our product offering in the Nordics; undertaking a major cost reduction program; and conducting an immediate strategic review of the entire business to consider all options, including content sublicensing, asset disposals, equity injections or the sale of the whole group.”And they later added in a statement: "We have initiated a review for our International markets, including the UK, where we will seek optimal solutions for our operations, including partnerships. Until then it is business as usual, what our customers can watch on Viaplay today will be there tomorrow."
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