SWEDEN GEARED UP FOR BIGGEST SPEEDWAY SEASON ON KANAL 9 AND DISCOVERY+

Fans in Sweden have less than two weeks to wait until an era-defining season of Speedway is screened through a unique broadcast arrangement between discovery+, Eurosport and Kanal 9.

Discovery Sports Events, the global FIM Speedway Grand Prix promoter, is bringing every race of the 2022 FIM Speedway GP season to viewers in Sweden however they choose to watch with live and on-demand coverage offered across streaming, payTV and free-to-air channels and platforms.

Alongside one of the largest libraries of real life entertainment content, discovery+ becomes the new streaming home of the Speedway GP in Sweden with instant live racing available while stories of the riders are told through additional localised content throughout the season. In addition, real-time insights such as rider heartbeat, reaction time and trajectory analysis, and added views from 16 pit boxes will be presented for digital viewers so they can customise their viewing experience.

Free-to-air coverage of three of the biggest Speedway GPs at Warsaw (14 May), Cardiff (13 August) and Målilla (17 September) will be available on Kanal 9 with highlights and added editorial content on Eurosport and live streaming through discovery+.

The analysis and insights from the best local experts and former riders will complement the live action for fans throughout the season. There will be even more local interest for Swedish viewers with speedway ace Fredrik Lindgren one of 15 riders battling for glory throughout the season including at the highly anticipated round in Målilla on 17 September.

One of the sport’s all-time greats, six-time world champion for Sweden, Tony Rickardsson, will also take on the role of global ambassador for speedway to drive it to new heights. He will be focussed on developing a new generation of riders as part of a new grassroots SGP4 series that will be coming to the screens of viewers in Sweden from the 2023 season. 

François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, said: “Sweden has a proud speedway heritage and has produced some of the biggest legends of the sport including our very own Tony Rickardsson, who will work to develop the sport for a new generation of riders in his role as global ambassador.

“As well as a dedicated round in Målilla on 17 September, Swedish fans have more ways to enjoy the sport they love than ever before with the broadest access offered across all platforms including free-to-air race coverage on Kanal 9, additional highlights content through Eurosport and the best digital experience through discovery+ to ensure the 2022 season reaches the widest possible audience.”

Tony Rickardsson, FIM Speedway global ambassador and six-time world champion, said: “To continue being heavily involved in speedway and to give viewers the chance to get as close as possible to the action feels fantastic. I am passionate about speedway after living it for my whole life and I believe that the sport can grow even further with the attention it deserves through the new partnership with Discovery Sports Events. 

“I look forward to working with Discovery Sports Events to give something back to the sport I love and am excited to bring my experience of the track to a new generation of viewers everywhere.”  

In 2022, all speedway categories will be unified under the new SGP brand and offered for localised coverage in Sweden including the SGP series (FIM Speedway Grand Prix), SGP2 (FIM Speedway U21 World Championship) and SGP3 (FIM Speedway U16 World Championship), with a new international entry-level SGP4 set to launch in the coming years. After the reformatted FIM Speedway of Nations (SON) takes place in 2022, next year will see the eagerly anticipated comeback of the FIM Speedway World Cup (SWC), returning to the international calendar for the first time since 2017.

The 2022 FIM Speedway season, the first of ten seasons under new global promoter Discovery Sports Events, begins on 30 April with the FIM Speedway GP of Croatia.

*Kanal 9 will offer live free-to-air coverage of the Speedway GP Warsaw (14 May), Cardiff (13 August) and Målilla (17 September)