Sportfive was put up for sale by its owners, RTL Group, private equity group Advent International and Goldman Sachs Group. The agency holds the TV rights to some of the world’s most high-profile sporting events, including the UEFA’s Euro 2008 championship.
The sale is subject to the approval of the antitrust authorities.
Arnaud Lagardère, chief executive of Lagardère, a 20-per-cent shareholder of French pay-broadcaster Canal Plus, has always been a sports fan been and is keen to get into the sports market.
Lagardère is keen to expand its television operations and sees Sportfive as an interesting opportunity. Last month Lagardère announced that the group is to combine its magazine, audiovisual and digital publishing activities with all advertising-related domains moved into one expanded unit that will eventually also cover sports rights, combing its strengths in the media in order to take up the challenge of digital.
Analysts say Lagardère is a great buyer for Sportfive because it is not under the same pressure as private equity companies. As an advertising and media company with a strong advertising presence it can bring its advertising experience and contacts to the table, bringing significant value-added. Sportfive is a lean organisation already. But Lagardère with its creative personnel, is ideally placed to grow the agency in a competitive marketplace.
