V Sport Hockey
V Sport Hockey is a Viasat sports television channel centered on ice hockey coverage for Nordic audiences.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
V Sport Hockey is a specialist sports television channel associated with the Viasat sports network and focused primarily on ice hockey. Although the channel broadcasts from the United Kingdom, its principal audience has been in Sweden, with availability also extending to Finland and Norway. Its programming has centered on a mixture of domestic, European and international hockey competitions, giving it a role as a dedicated destination for viewers seeking more extensive ice hockey coverage than is normally available on general sports channels. The channel was announced on 7 May 2009 during the Men's Ice Hockey World Championship. It began broadcasting on 1 September 2009, timed to coincide with the opening of the 2009 ice hockey season. At launch, the service was distributed as part of the Viasat sports package through satellite television. It was also carried by cable and broadband networks, allowing the channel to reach subscribers through multiple pay-television platforms. Selected HockeyAllsvenskan matches were additionally made available through Viasat OnDemand, linking the linear channel with Viasat's streaming and on-demand offering. Its rights and editorial focus have included the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Sweden's HockeyAllsvenskan, the Kvalserien promotion and qualification competition, the Ice Hockey World Championship and the National Hockey League (NHL). This mix combined Swedish domestic hockey with major international and North American competitions. The channel therefore served both local fan demand and the broader Nordic market for premium hockey rights. The service's regional footprint changed over time. In 2011, it stopped operating in the Baltic states. In 2017, the channel became part of Viasport in Norway, reflecting the broader restructuring and branding of Viasat's sports services in the Nordic region. In 2020, it was renamed V Sport Hockey. The supplied brand name, V Sport Vinter, appears to refer to a related or alternative winter-sports branding, while the authoritative encyclopedia subject is the hockey channel V Sport Hockey. No reliable information in the supplied references establishes a separate legal company, founder, headquarters or current corporate owner for the channel itself.
History
V Sport Hockey originated as a dedicated Viasat ice hockey channel designed primarily for the Swedish market, while also being distributed in Finland and Norway. Its creation was publicly announced on 7 May 2009 during the Men's Ice Hockey World Championship. The announcement positioned the service within the expanding market for specialist sports channels, where a focused rights portfolio could serve committed fans more extensively than a general-purpose sports network. Broadcasting began on 1 September 2009, at the start of the 2009 ice hockey season. The channel was included in the Viasat sports package delivered by satellite and was also made available through cable and broadband networks. Its distribution model combined a linear television service with digital access: HockeyAllsvenskan games shown on television could also be accessed through Viasat OnDemand. This gave viewers more flexibility while extending the commercial value of the acquired sports rights. The programming portfolio covered several levels of the sport. Domestic Swedish coverage included HockeyAllsvenskan and the Kvalserien, while international and overseas rights included the KHL, the Ice Hockey World Championship and the NHL. The combination allowed the channel to appeal to viewers interested in Swedish club hockey, European competition, national-team events and North American professional hockey. The channel's geographic strategy changed in 2011, when it ceased operations in the Baltic states. It continued to be associated with the Nordic Viasat sports offering. In 2017, the service became part of Viasport in Norway, indicating a move toward a more unified sports-channel architecture within the regional television business. In 2020, it was renamed V Sport Hockey. The available reference material does not establish a separate corporate entity, named founder, headquarters or current executive leadership for the brand. It also does not provide enough information to determine whether V Sport Vinter was a formal predecessor, alternate label or adjacent seasonal brand; the canonical encyclopedia subject for this record remains V Sport Hockey.
- 2020
Renamed V Sport Hockey
[1]The channel adopted the V Sport Hockey name.
- 2017
Integrated into Viasport in Norway
[1]The service became part of Viasport in Norway.
- 2011
Baltic operations end
[1]The channel stopped operating in the Baltic states.
- 2009
Launch announced
[1]Viasat announced the planned dedicated hockey channel on 7 May 2009 during the Men's Ice Hockey World Championship.
- 2009
Broadcasting begins
[1]The channel commenced broadcasting on 1 September 2009 at the beginning of the ice hockey season.
Products and positioning
A specialist Nordic pay-television destination for live and related ice hockey programming, distributed through Viasat's satellite, cable, broadband and on-demand services.
Sports television channel · 2009
V Sport Hockey
A specialist pay-television channel focused on ice hockey. Its documented programming has included the KHL, HockeyAllsvenskan, Kvalserien, the Ice Hockey World Championship and the NHL. The service has been distributed through Viasat's satellite sports package, cable and broadband networks, with selected HockeyAllsvenskan matches also offered through Viasat OnDemand.
Brand decisions
2020
Renaming to V Sport HockeyOtherBackground
The channel operated within Viasat's evolving Nordic sports-brand portfolio.
Action taken
The service was renamed V Sport Hockey.
Aftermath
The hockey channel continued under the V Sport naming system.
2017
Integration into Viasport in NorwayStrategyBackground
Viasat was organizing its Nordic sports services under a broader sports-channel structure.
Action taken
The channel became part of Viasport in Norway.
Aftermath
The service was incorporated into the Viasport brand architecture in the Norwegian market.
2011
Withdrawal from Baltic operationsStrategyBackground
The channel had initially operated across a wider regional footprint that included the Baltic states.
Action taken
Operations in the Baltic states were discontinued.
Aftermath
The channel's documented market presence remained focused on the Nordic region.
Sources1 sources
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