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Infront Sports & Media
Company typeSubsidiary
FoundedOctober 2002; 22 years ago (2002-10)
Headquarters
Zug
,
Switzerland
Number of locations
35
Key people
Philippe Blatter (President and CEO)
Number of employees
1000+
ParentDalian Wanda Group (among others)
Websiteinfront.sport

Infront Sports & Media is a sports marketing company based in Zug, Switzerland. The company handles the media and marketing rights for international sports events and federations and also provides sports services such as advertising and sponsorships.

Overview

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The company has about 1000 employees in 14 countries, as of 2019.[1] The company provides media production, media rights distribution, marketing and sponsorship sales for sporting events. [2] (host broadcasting, post production and archive management).

Infront's subsidiary, Host Broadcast Services (HBS), manages television and radio signals for broadcasters at sports events such as the FIFA World Cup. [3][4]

In addition to working with FIFA, Infront has supported the German Football Association (DFB) with their national team and DFB Cup,[5][6] the Italian Lega Serie A[7][8], the Italian Football Federation,[9] and the Indonesia Super League.[10]

History

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Infront Sports & Media was founded in October 2002 in part, to sell the television and radio broadcasts for the 2002 FIFA World Cup.[11] The company originated from a merger of two existing Swiss-based marketing companies, CWL and Prisma Sports & Media. CWL was founded by Cesar Lüthi, who sold the business to the Kirch Group.[12][13] In 2005 the company lost the right to resell the TV and radio rights for FIFA in Europe, though it retained the ability to sell Asian rights, as part of a division of the rights by FIFA.[4] Infront subsidy HBS won the contract to manage the TV and radio broadcast production.[4] Two months later, the company hired President and CEO Phillippe Blatter, to replace departing chief Oscar Frei.[4] The appointment of Blatter, who is the nephew of Sepp Blatter, the then President of FIFA, was criticized by author Andrew Jennings and Transparency International.[4][14] During this time as chief executive, Philippe Blatter was able to grow the company's revenues.[15]

Infront subsidiary, Omnigon [16] helps sports and media companies, such as NASCAR, to develop mobile apps and websites.[17] Omnigon projects have included digital services to the Serie A and mobile app development for the German Football Association’s DFB Cup.[18][19] In 2019, Omnigon was re-branded as iX.co.[20]

Until 2011 it was owned by a consortium of shareholders.[15] In September 2011 – European private equity firm Bridgepoint reached an agreement to acquire the company.[21][22][23] In February 2015, Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda won an auction to purchase Infront from Bridgepoint for more than €1 billion.[24][25] In November of that same year, it was announced that Infront would merge with the World Triathlon Corporation (including the latter's Ironman brand) to form the Wanda Sports division.[26]

In summer sports, it works with the EHF EURO in handball[27] and the CEV European Championships in Volleyball.[28] As of May 2018, the EHF (European Handball Federation) extended its partnership with Infront to 2030.[29] In China, Infront represents the Chinese Basketball Association tournament and the national team, Team China Basketball.[30][31]

The company represented six of the seven Olympic winter sport federations in 2011.[32] It managed the IIHF for ice hockey as of 2011[33] and it controlled the media and/or marketing rights to most of the FIS World Cup events, as of 2013.[34] It obtained the marketing rights to the Eurpoean 26-team Champions Hockey League in 2016. [35] In 2018, it acquired all media and marketing rights for the FIS World Ski Championships until 2025.[36] Infront also has media and marketing agreements with the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) until 2021[37]
and the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) until 2022. [38]

The company started supporting mass participation and endurance sports in 2011, including Ironman events[39] and the UCI World Championships in cycling.[40] Infront marketed the BMW Berlin-Marathon as of 2012,[41] the Frankfurt marathon as of 2015,[42] the ITU World Triathlon Series as of 2018,[43] as well as the European corporate running series B2Run, which it owns.[44] Companies Infront has acquired in the running and fitness space include Threshold, BARMER Women's Run, XLETIX Challenge and Muddy Angel Run.[45] It acquired Megamarsch, a Germany-based company that organizes extreme hiking challenges, in May 2019.[46]

References

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  1. ^ Connolly, Eoin Connolly (2 February 2019). "Philippe Blatter on Wanda Sports Group's bid to become a global sports industry player". SportsPro. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  2. ^ "WTC to offer Magazine Programming to Ironman Series". isportconnect.com. Retrieved 2012-06-14.
  3. ^ "End of host broadcasting era as Tellier steps down". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  4. ^ a b c d e Carvajal, Doreen (2006-08-06). "Another Blatter on world soccer stage - Technology - International Herald Tribune". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  5. ^ Matt Cutler. "DFB Expands Infront Media Rights Partnership". sportsbusiness.com. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
  6. ^ Paul Nicholson. "Infront secures four more years to their package of German sales rights". insideworldfootball.com. Retrieved 2014-08-18.
  7. ^ "Football made in Italy". sportelmonaco.com. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  8. ^ "Italy football clubs pick adviser for TV rights negotiations". uk.reuters.com. Retrieved 2013-11-18.
  9. ^ "Reduced revenues but increased profits at Infront Italy". www.sportcal.com. 2017-08-16. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  10. ^ "ISL Musim 2015 Tak Bisa Lagi Disaksikan Melalui Antena UHF" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Ohne Kirch «in Front» | NZZ". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 2002-11-21. ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  12. ^ "Marketing-Pionier Cesar W. Lüthi gestorben". News.ch (in German). 2002-07-18. Retrieved 2019-01-30.
  13. ^ "Cesar W. Lüthi verstorben". Hockeyfans.ch (in German). 2002-07-18. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
  14. ^ David Bond. "Fifa criticised after TV rights handed to Sepp Blatter's nephew". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
  15. ^ a b Ebrahimi, Helia (2011-09-02). "Bridgepoint buys Swiss sports rights company". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  16. ^ David Lieberman. "Wanda's Infront Builds Digital Sports Muscle With Acquisition Of Omnigon". deadline.com. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  17. ^ Dan Palmer. "International Ski Federation launch new mobile app". insidethegames.bi. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
  18. ^ http://deadline.com/2016/01/wanda-infront-sports-media-build-digital-muscle-buys-omnigon-1201686858/ Wanda’s Infront Builds Digital Sports Muscle With Acquisition Of Omnigon by David Lieberman January 20th, 2016 Retrieved February 9th, 2017
  19. ^ January 20; 2016. "Infront Sports & Media Acquires Controlling 51% Equity Interest In Omnigon". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved 2019-11-05. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ McClellan, Steve (21 May 2019). "Infront Launches Sports-Focused Digital Transformation Brand iX.co". MediaPost. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  21. ^ Helia Ebrahimi. "Bridgepoint Buys Swiss Sports Rights Company". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  22. ^ "Bridgepoint Reaches Agreement to Acquire Infront Sports & Media AG". Bridgepoint.eu. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  23. ^ "Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of sports marketing group Infront by Bridgepoint". Europa.eu. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
  24. ^ Cotterill, Joseph; Massoudi, Arash; Blitz, Roger. "Dalian Wanda buys Sepp Blatter nephew's sports rights agency". Financial Times. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  25. ^ "Chinas Wanda buys sports group Infront for 1.05 billion euros". businessinsider.com. Retrieved 2015-02-09.
  26. ^ Liam Morgan. "Infront Sports & Media and World Triathlon Corporation to merge following purchase by Dalian Wanda Group". Inside the games.biz. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  27. ^ Adam Fraser. "Handball is Big Business Across Europe". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2009-12-11.
  28. ^ "Infront eyes further growth for European volleyball". www.sportspromedia.com. 2013-01-22. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  29. ^ "European handball aims for new audience with Infront and Perform partnership". www.gamingintelligence.com. 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  30. ^ Matt Cutler. "Infront to Continue Forward Momentum of Chinese Basketball". sportsbusiness.com. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  31. ^ Sun Xiaochen. "Sponsors confident in future of basketball league". chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2014-09-16.
  32. ^ Helia Ebrahimi (2011-09-02). "Bridgepoint Buys Swiss Sports Rights Company". Telegraph.co.uk.
  33. ^ Adam Fraser. "Infront Signs Skoda to Record Breaking IIHF Deal". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2011-05-16.
  34. ^ David Cushnan. "Infront re-ups with Finnish Ski Association". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2013-01-11.
  35. ^ "Champions Hockey League - das ist, wenn der Sport vor «Big Business» geht". Aargauer Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 2016-10-02. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  36. ^ "Infront retains FIS World Ski Championships rights until 2025". www.sportspromedia.com. 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  37. ^ "International Ski Mountaineering Federation extends agreement with Infront Sports & Media until 2021". www.insidethegames.biz. 2016-11-05. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  38. ^ "Infront extends media and marketing rights deal with IBSF for four more years". www.sportcal.com. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
  39. ^ "World Triathlon Corporation Partner with Infront to Attract Sponsors". isportconnect.com. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  40. ^ James Emmett. "UCI Set for Commercial Growth after Infront landmark deal". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2012-09-20.
  41. ^ "Infront to market BMW Berlin Marathon rights - SportsPro Media". www.sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  42. ^ "Infront Sports & Media to market Frankfurt Marathon - SportsPro Media". www.sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  43. ^ "ITU and Infront launch new OTT service - SportsPro Media". www.sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  44. ^ "Infront acquires corporate running series B2Run - SportsPro Media". www.sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  45. ^ "Infront acquires Threshold Sports". www.sportindustry.biz. 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  46. ^ "Sportmarketing-Konzern Infront übernimmt Startup Megamarsch". Gründerszene Magazin (in German). 2019-05-09. Retrieved 2019-08-05.
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