Back in 2017, CSM advised on what became the first-ever Nordic media rights deal between a domestic premium sports property and a telecom operator. The agreement saw Finland’s premier ice hockey league, Liiga, license its media rights to Telia Company in a six-year arrangement starting with the 2018/19 season.

CSM had been appointed as Liiga’s exclusive media rights advisor in December 2016. The tender process included both domestic and international media companies, with two competitive bidding rounds taking place in early 2017. At the time, Liiga was widely regarded as Finland’s number one sports property, attracting strong interest across the market.

Telia’s proposal stood out — not only for its financial strength but also for its ambition to integrate live sports content into its broader digital ecosystem. The partnership marked a new era for Finnish sports broadcasting, positioning Telia as a key player in the live sports market while providing Liiga with an innovative partner committed to developing the league’s visibility and fan experience.

In April 2022, Liiga and Telia extended their agreement to also cover the 2024/25–2026/27 seasons, further consolidating a successful collaboration that had strengthened Finnish ice hockey’s media presence even through the challenging pandemic years.

“The prolongation of the agreement demonstrated the strong relationship between Liiga and Telia,” said Anders Wistrand, Founding Partner at CSM.

“Securing a long-term deal with an innovative partner like Telia placed Liiga in an excellent position to develop the league and increase the interest even further,” added Riku Kallioniemi, then CEO of Liiga.

Today, the broadcasting rights are held by MTV, which is now part of the Schibsted Group.