Modern Times Group (MTG) has acquired the exclusive rights for Viaplay and Viasat in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to broadcast the World Boxing Super Series (WBSS). WBSS is a new revolutionary bracket-style elimination tournament featuring the world`s best boxers and a total of $50 million in prize money.
Boxing Fans will have the chance to see Live coverage of the Tournament including the WBC World Champion, Mairis Briedis. The battle for Muhammad Ali Trophy in the cruiserweight division comes to Riga, Latvia on September 30 when the World Champion faces Mike Perez in their quarter-final bout at the Riga Arena.
Sandra Kraujina, Head of Sports MTG Baltics: “We are excited to be a part of this event and happy that we have a chance to bring World Class Boxing events to Baltics via Viaplay and Viasat platforms. We believe there are a great number of quality boxing fans in the Baltic States looking for unique and exciting boxing action. By signing exclusive contract with WBSS, we are responding to our viewers’ demand and we hope that not only boxing fans will find WBSS interesting to watch”.
MP & Silva’s CEO, Jochen Lösch, said: “I’m delighted that a world class media group like MTG will broadcast every fight in the World Boxing Super Series. This will be a fantastic tournament, and I’m sure boxing fans will enjoy watching this elite competition.”
Roger Lodewick, COMOSA’s Chief Commercial Officer: "Having a strong partner in the Baltics was key for us, and we feel that MTG Baltics is that partner. Boxing is very popular in the territory, and we are very confident that with MTG Baltics we have a perfect partner to bring world class boxing to the people in the Baltics.”
Media rights agreement was signed for full season, with 14 live broadcasts from September 2017 to May 2018. WBSS tournament quarterfinals will take place during the months of September and October. Tentatively, the semi-finals will be staged in January and February 2018, before the respective finals in May. MP & Silva, the sports media rights agency, acted as the sales agent on behalf of the World Boxing Super Series.
There are two divisions set for season 1, with 16 participants and two alternates for each bracket — cruiserweight and super middleweight. The knockout format of the competition will see the best boxers eventually compete for the Muhammad Ali Trophy, the greatest prize in boxing.
Millions of fans will be enjoying the action world of class boxing within 9 months’ time frame. An expert panel invited the world’s best boxers to compete, namely the top 15-ranked fighters of the four major federations: WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO.
COMOSA AG is pleased to announce that MTG (Modern Times Group) will be the exclusive home in the Nordic region of the World Boxing Super Series. Starting on 9 September, fight fans can follow every punch live as the world’s top cruiserweight and super middleweight boxers compete for the Muhammad Ali Trophy.
The World Boxing Super Series will be of particular interest to the Swedish audience this season as the quarter-final line-ups include Swedish undefeated superstar Erik Skoglund who will start his battle for the Muhammad Ali Trophy against Callum Smith in the Super Middleweight division on Saturday 16 September in Liverpool. The fights will be shown on a combination of MTG’s Nordic TV channels and streaming service Viaplay.
Roger Lodewick, COMOSA’s Chief Commercial Officer: "MTG has been a visionary and long-term partner of many sports properties and we are privileged to have them as our partner in the Nordics. With MTG’s experience and unique position as a live sport broadcaster, the market is set to enlarge the interest in boxing and to establish the World Boxing Super Series as the premium boxing product in the market.”
Peter Nørrelund, MTG EVP and CEO of MTG Sport: “This tournament is what boxing fans everywhere have been dreaming about – an elimination format with the best fighting the best for a prize named after the greatest fighter of all time. Nine of the boxers taking part have never lost a fight, and the combined record for all 16 participants is an astonishing 423 wins and 294 KOs. Get ready to rumble as we bring fantastic live fight action to our platforms across the Nordic and Baltic regions – the recent Mayweather vs McGregor fight was MTG’s most successful ever, so we are even more excited about what’s to come.”
The World Boxing Super Series is a first of its kind annual boxing tournament, and will bring together the ‘best of the best’ fighters to compete at venues around the world for the Muhammad Ali trophy, The Greatest prize In Boxing. A total of 16 elite boxers from two weight classes (Cruiserweight and Super Middleweight) will battle it out on fourteen separate fight nights in a bracket-style elimination tournament – with the winner in each division crowned in May 2018.