Banijay Group’s Post

The Raptors-Jays-Leafs may IPO after the Rogers acquisition, but what does that mean for the future of sports and fan engagement? The Financial Post suggests that this could be revolutionary to sports, enabling fans to invest directly in their favourite teams, and creating deeper fan connections. However, this could shift fan support from being purely emotional to being financially driven. In my view, this will necessitate more careful decision-making from teams, as their choices will not only affect fan loyalty but also carry significant financial implications that could impact stock prices. As we look to the future, will this increase fan engagement, or will this turn sports into a stock market game? #FanEngagement #SportsBusiness #IPO

Over the past year, Already Media has made a number of acquisitions. We acquired the legendary poker website PokerListings. And recently announced the acquisition of media website Sports Khabri. Our next focus is on acquisitions in the Latam region. We’ve found that when entering a new GEO, there’s a huge learning curve. Not only are you presented with a new language. But there’s a culture that drives user behaviour. And through research you can slowly begin to understand it. You’ll never understand it to the level of someone who has been immersed in that culture for their entire life, though. So traffic is just one of many factors when looking for good acquisition targets. We’re also heavily considering: - What in-house knowledge and expertise can this give us for the GEO? Because when you think about it like that... You’re not just acquiring one product. You’re acquiring the capability to build new products in those GEOs too. If you have sites in LatAm that you think may be interesting to us, reach out :)

The strongest-ever first half of a year in sports M&A... 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 $𝟮𝟳𝗕 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝟮𝟮𝟱 𝗠&𝗔 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: • Canal+’s $1.9B offer for MultiChoice • DraftKings’ $750M acquisition of Jackpocket • Liberty Media’s $4.6B acquisition of Dorna Sports • Merger of Disney India and Reliance Media assets • Silver Lake’s $13B acquisition of the remainder of Endeavor Numerous high-profile deals of H1 2024 signal a greater appetite in the sports tech market (and more liquidity for late-stage companies). View Drake Star's full report here: https://lnkd.in/ee7WDamm

Kabaddi, a traditional Indian sport, has seen significant emergence in the sport and entertainment industry in India over the past few years. This rise in popularity can be attributed to several key factors: 1. Pro Kabaddi League (PKL): The introduction of the Pro Kabaddi League in 2014 played a crucial role in popularizing the sport on a larger scale. The league format, with teams representing different cities, brought in a new level of professionalism and competitiveness to Kabaddi, attracting a wider audience. 2. Television Coverage: The broadcast of Kabaddi matches on television channels such as Star Sports and Doordarshan has helped in reaching a wider audience across the country. The increased exposure on TV has aided in building a fan base and generating interest in the sport. 3. International Success: India's success in international Kabaddi tournaments, such as the Asian Games and Kabaddi World Cup, has also contributed to the sport's popularity. The dominance of Indian Kabaddi teams has garnered national pride and further boosted the sport's profile. 4. Corporate Sponsorship: With the growth of the Pro Kabaddi League and increasing viewership, corporate sponsors and advertisers have shown interest in associating with the sport. This has brought in investment and resources, leading to better infrastructure, players' facilities, and overall growth of Kabaddi. 5. Grassroots Development: Initiatives to promote Kabaddi at the grassroots level, such as school competitions, local tournaments, and coaching programs, have helped in nurturing young talent and building a strong foundation for the sport's future. Overall, the emergence of Kabaddi in the sport and entertainment industry in India can be attributed to a combination of professional leagues, television coverage, international success, corporate sponsorship, and grassroots development efforts. With continued support and investment, Kabaddi is likely to further establish itself as a popular sport in India and beyond.

A Latham team led by London partners Samuel Newhouse and Hector Sants, advised DAZN on an agreement to acquire Foxtel, one of Australia’s leading media companies. The transaction represents the fifth $1bn+ deal the London M&A team has advised on in recent weeks. https://lw.link/d7s61X Recent $1bn+ deals include advising TI Fluid Systems on the £1.039 billion acquisition by ABC Technologies; Anglo American on the US$3.775 billion sale of its steelmaking coal business, and on the sale of its 33.3% minority interest in Jellinbah for A$1.6 Billion (approximately US$1.1 billion); and Miniclip on its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Easybrain.

Following Shari Redstone’s sale of Paramount to Skydance and RedBird Capital Partners, the future looks bright. With a $1.5 billion cash infusion, the new Paramount aims to become a premier creative-first destination, fostering stability and attracting top talent. Learn more about how this merger positions Paramount for growth and competitiveness in the evolving media landscape in Matt Donnelly’s article for Variety: https://lnkd.in/gxVwryhb #ParamountSkydance #EntertainmentNews

The transformation of the media sector is in full effect. While challenging, several trends such as influencer-led advertising or esports create opportunities in the M&A market. How do these trends impact the deal environment in this industry? What is the current status of the market and how will it evolve? 🤔 In MediaTalk, you’ll read how high interest rates, political uncertainty and valuation gaps have led many to shift from large-cap deals to smaller, more manageable mid-market transactions. 👉 Download the report and discover emerging opportunities this year: https://okt.to/zr89Ud #MergersandAquisitions #MediaTalk #Media

Paramount stock jumped on Wednesday, gaining about 7% after The Wall Street Journal reported the media giant's proposed merger with Skydance Media is back on the table in a new form. Shari Redstone, who controls Paramount through her family's holding company National Amusements, ended merger talks with Skydance in June after months of back and forth talks. Under the new proposed agreement, according to the Journal, Skydance would purchase National Amusements for $1.75 billion and then merge with Paramount, which owns a slew of media assets, including CBS, BET, SHOWTIME, and MTV, along with its namesake studio business and streaming platform. The two sides have also agreed to a 45-day "go-shop period," which allows other potential bidders to submit offers. "It's just a whole lot of uncertainty," Bloomberg Intelligence senior analyst Geetha Ranganathan said of the new deal in an interview with Yahoo Finance, adding the terms are "not very clear at this point." More: https://lnkd.in/exGAphde #yahoofinance #finance #entertainment #money #stocks #investing #markets

Digitalbox plc (AIM:DBOX) has unveiled the acquisition of three entertainment websites from GRV Media Ltd, adding CelebrityTidbit.com, RealityTidbit.com, and TheFocus.news to its portfolio. The deal includes the transfer of eight GRV employees to Digitalbox, helping ensure a smooth transition over the next three months under a transitional services agreement. It also supports Digitalbox’s “verticals strategy,” which focuses on developing entertainment websites with dedicated fan bases that drive high engagement, an approach valued by platforms like Google and Facebook. In August, the strategy kicked off with the launch of Emmerdale Insider, and Digitalbox plans to continue expanding with further launches and acquisitions. The new sites will complement existing Digitalbox brands such as Entertainment Daily and The Tab. Though the new operation would contribute less than 3% of Digitalbox’s 2023 revenue, it is expected... More at #Proactive #ProactiveInvestors http://ow.ly/MvGk105O7Ue

Bronfman Joins Forces with Roku for Potential Last-Minute Paramount Bid - Another 25th hour surprise could be in store for Paramount as Edgar Bronfman Jr. is reportedly still exploring a bid for the media giant, even as the go shop period on their merger with Skydance Media comes to a close. Bronfman is reportedly partnering with Roku, along with private equity firm Fortress Investment Group, and Steven Paul who was considered a possible suitor for Paramount after the last Skydance deal collapse. While Paul had already expressed interest, and a private equity group for financing make sense, Roku is a surprising addition to the mix. Best known as a streaming device maker, the company is also a big player in advertising and operates the Roku Channel a FAST and premium channel service on its devices. While the Roku Channel was one of the earliest FAST platforms, it’s quickly been overtaken by cross-platform rivals like Paramount-owned Pluto TV. Thus Roku could benefit from taking over a competitor in the FAST space, and bring some streaming tech expertise to the mix with two media-savvy partners in Bronfman and Paul. #freecast corp.freecast.com https://lnkd.in/eZ7i9RYd