Dutch public broadcaster NOS has acquired the rights to International Skating Union events until the end of the 2022-2023 season ©Getty Images

Dutch public broadcaster NOS has acquired the rights to International Skating Union (ISU) competitions in The Netherlands up until the end of the 2022-2023 season, it has been announced.

The deal was brokered by Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company.

The agreement includes extensive live rights for all ISU Speed Skating Championships, ISU Short Track Speed Skating Championships and World Cups, as well as highlight rights for all ISU Figure Skating events.

"Professional speed skating is part of the Dutch culture and therefore very important to the NOS," Gerard Timmer, chief executive of NOS, said. 

The success of Dutch speed skaters at events like the Olympics has made the sport hugely popular in The Netherlands and a big ratings draw for broadcaster NOS ©YouTube
The success of Dutch speed skaters at events like the Olympics has made the sport hugely popular in The Netherlands and a big ratings draw for broadcaster NOS ©YouTube

"We are very pleased that, with this new agreement signed, we can continue to broadcast the national and international skating competitions for the years ahead."

Jan Dijkema, the ISU's Dutch President, hailed the deal because it meant his organisation's top events would remain on public television.

"Given the huge popularity of speed skating in the Netherlands and the ISU's long-standing relationship with NOS, we are pleased to see Infront secure this important agreement," he said. 

"It guarantees that the ISU events remain available on free-to-air TV,  leveraging the high-quality standard and production that NOS offers."