Viaplay Group appoints Roger Lodewick as SVP and CEO of Viaplay Netherlands

Viaplay Group has appointed Roger Lodewick as SVP and CEO of Viaplay Netherlands, effective immediately. In his new role, he will hold commercial and operational responsibility for the Viaplay streaming service in the Netherlands, and will report to Peter Nørrelund, EVP and Chief Sports & Business Development Officer at Viaplay Group.

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 of Sports Games. Previously, he 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.

“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,”  Peter Nørrelund commented.

“I am 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 am confident that we can continue growing and reinforce Viaplay’s position as the benchmark in Dutch sports streaming,”  Roger Lodewick added.

Viaplay is the Dutch home of popular premium live sports such as Formula 1, Premier League football and PDC darts. In September 2023, the company agreed a strategic partnership with Formula 1, supported by an innovative business model intended to grow both parties’ businesses. The partnership will deliver a richer combined offering for local viewers, including access to F1 TV Pro during the 2024 season as part of a Viaplay subscription. 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.