Speedway GP secures live Swedish TV deal.

Sweden's leading national broadcaster SVT is increasing coverage of world championship speedway following an agreement with Benfield Sports International (BSI).

For the first time in Sweden, SVT's digital platform SVT Extra will transmit live coverage of the FIM Speedway World Cup and for the second year, live broadcasts from all of the Speedway Grand Prix rounds, apart from the two events held in Sweden.

"SVT has been one of the GP's most supportive broadcasters and we're delighted to extend their deal to include live action from the World Cup as well as seven rounds of the Grand Prix," said John Postlethwaite, Chief Executive of Benfield Sports International. "This agreement emphasises how strong the Swedish market is for world championship speedway and we are looking forward to this partnership going from strength to strength."

"World Championship speedway is one of our most popular television sporting events in Sweden," added Rolf Porsborn, Head of Sport at SVT. "We're delighted to have secured the live rights for both the SGP Series and Speedway World Cup on SVT Extra as this will promote and build the profile of our digital channel in Sweden. The package also complements our delayed highlights programme that is broadcast on terrestrial SVT on the Saturday evening after each GP."

SVT has broadcast the SGP Series since Benfield Sports bought the rights to the Speedway Grand Prix Series in 2000. Last year the Swedish broadcaster extended their contract to transmit same day delayed highlights of the Series on terrestrial SVT until 2004.