FIS launches its own free streaming channel. A new market could emerge for Nordic sportstech.
FIS plans more than 600 hours of live winter sports on an advertising-supported North American channel. Nordic technology suppliers could find opportunities behind the broadcasts.
<p><strong>FIS is launching an advertising-supported channel offering more than 600 hours of live winter sports in North America. The initiative combines media partnerships with direct distribution. For Nordic sportstech companies, the infrastructure behind the broadcasts could be equally significant.</strong></p> <h2>A round-the-clock channel without a subscription</h2> <p>In its <a href="https://www.fis-ski.com/inside-fis/news/2026-27/fis-world-cup-enters-new-era-of-broadcast-distribution-in-north-america">21 October announcement</a>, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation said Ski & Snowboard World Cup would begin rolling out in the United States and Canada in November 2026. Developed with C15 Studio, the channel will run around the clock without requiring a separate subscription.</p> <p>The model is free ad-supported streaming television, or FAST. Viewers watch a scheduled television channel delivered over the internet, with advertising funding access. FIS names platforms including Prime Video, Fire TV, Google TV, Plex, The Roku Channel and Xumo Play. Rollout is gradual; the announcement does not guarantee simultaneous availability on every service in both countries.</p> <p>Programming will include World Cup competitions across skiing and snowboarding disciplines, alongside documentaries, archive races and behind-the-scenes features. The figure of more than 600 hours refers to premium live coverage across the season, not the channel’s total running time.</p> <h2>Rights sales are not disappearing</h2> <p>FIS is not announcing an end to traditional media rights agreements. The US structure also includes an expanded partnership with U.S. Ski & Snowboard and NBC, plus a new YouTube channel. In Canada, CBC and its Gem streaming service form part of the wider coverage.</p> <p>Unlike subscription-based sports broadcasting, FAST shifts the immediate payment burden from the viewer to the advertiser. Advertising demand, viewing time and distribution therefore matter to the economics. Potential household reach is not the same as an active audience. Nor does free distribution automatically give a federation a direct, logged-in customer relationship.</p> <p>In NST’s assessment, the approach offers FIS more ways to present its sports and sustain interest between competitions. How much audience insight and commercial control it gains will also depend on platforms and agreements. The announcement does not disclose those arrangements in detail.</p> <h2>The technology has to work throughout the season</h2> <p>A continuous channel needs more than a strong camera product. Live feeds, archives, scheduling, rights information and publishing must work together. Cloud-based video workflows and remote production could make content from multiple venues easier to manage, without removing the challenges of weather, connectivity or production quality.</p> <p>AI-assisted highlight generation could shorten the time between an incident and a usable clip. Live graphics and performance data can explain differences that are difficult to see. Multilingual commentary and localized content could help a production travel across markets. Editorial oversight, reliable data sources and usage rights remain essential.</p> <p>These are NST’s examples of relevant technology capabilities, not confirmed FIS procurement requirements. The announcement does not set out the complete technical architecture, supplier chain or any competitive tender for the channel.</p> <h2>Nordic companies already serve parts of the value chain</h2> <p><a href="https://www.spiideo.com/">Spiideo markets</a> automated sports video capture, analysis and live production. <a href="https://www.forzasys.com/">Forzasys describes Forzify</a> as a live and on-demand video platform supporting functions including search, editing, annotation and distribution. <a href="https://www.joymo.tv/">Joymo offers</a> streaming, video management and analytics for customers including sports organizations.</p> <p>These examples demonstrate existing Nordic capabilities, not contracts with the new FIS channel. They also do not establish that any product can meet international winter sports requirements without adaptation. Turning a relevant capability into a sale requires integration, demonstrated quality, workable commercial terms and clear rights arrangements.</p> <h2>Norway has a separate rights agreement</h2> <p>The announced channel is for North America, not Norway. For international readers, the distinction matters: Norwegian winter sports broadcasting operates within its own territorial agreements. <a href="https://presse.viaplaygroup.no/post/viaplay-sikrer-rettighetene-til-a-vise-vintersport-til-2030-og-h">Viaplay and TV 2 announced</a> that they would share World Cup rights in cross-country skiing, Alpine skiing, Nordic combined and ski jumping from 2026/27 through 2029/30, excluding events held in Norway.</p> <p>It would therefore be misleading to present FAST as a replacement for Norwegian broadcasts. FIS Chief Commercial Officer Stefan Brütsch describes expansion into other markets as a possible next step, not a confirmed Norwegian launch. The immediate Norwegian relevance is a changing international distribution and supplier landscape, rather than evidence of a threat to the existing agreement.</p> <h2>A market to watch, not an order book</h2> <p>In its <a href="https://www.fis-ski.com/inside-fis/news/2026-27/fis-council-makes-sports-focused-decisions-addresses-financial-situation">1 October financial update</a>, FIS said it remained solvent and debt-free but needed to reduce costs and generate additional revenue following a decline in equity. That provides business context. The sources do not establish that financial pressure caused the FAST initiative.</p> <p>Useful indicators now include actual service availability, audience engagement and any confirmed territorial expansion. Audience analytics, fan engagement and advertising technology could become important alongside production tools. For suppliers, the practical question is which functions sit with C15 Studio, distribution platforms or FIS itself, and where external opportunities become accessible.</p> <p>Nordic winter sports already supplies athletes and compelling content to global audiences. The new channel also makes it worth examining whether Nordic technology companies can supply more of the infrastructure behind that distribution. That is a strategic opportunity, not an assumption that contracts are available or already secured.</p> <p><em>Source-based reporting and NST analysis. Sources checked on 24 October 2026. No new interviews were conducted.</em></p>