Industry observers will make immediate comparisons with the acquisition trail that led to the creation of global agency Octagon by IPG in 1999.
“Nothing is impossible,” said Martens. “It won’t be the last acquisition (WPP makes) in the sports marketing industry. WPP is committed to developing a sports marketing division and its something [WPP head] Sir Martin Sorrel is very excited about.”
According to Martens, Global Sportnet, which he founded in 1995, will remain based in Hamburg and keep the same name and management team in place.
Martens added that talks between WPP and Global Sportnet had been progressing for a matter of months rather than weeks and that the final outcome was a “fantastic feeling”.
“To a certain extent, the intention was (always) to establish something reasonably big and take it as the nucleus to make something much bigger,” Martens concluded.
Marten said he would be able to speak in more detail about the background to the deal, its reasons and future strategy when the deal is completed early next year.
