Infront Sports & Media

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Infront Sports & Media AG
legal form Corporation
Seat Zug , Switzerland
management Philippe Blatter
Number of employees 900
Website infrontsports.com

Infront Sports & Media is an international sports marketing company based in Zug , Switzerland . Central business areas are the worldwide marketing of media and sponsorship rights for sporting events as well as media production . Infront also offers services such as sports facility advertising, hospitality and event management. Infront has more than 35 offices worldwide with a total of over 900 employees.

history

Infront Sports & Media emerged from the former KirchSport AG. In October 2002, a consortium of investors led by Robert Louis-Dreyfus took over the KirchMedia subsidiary. This was originally the result of a merger between the Swiss sports marketers CWL and Prisma Sports & Media. Infront was officially founded in February 2003 and was majority owned by Jacobs Holding AG until mid-2011 . In September 2011, the pan-European private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital took over the company. The Chinese Wanda Group acquired Infront Sports & Media at the beginning of February 2015. In November 2015, the Wanda Group announced that Infront Sports & Media and the World Triathlon Corporation would be integrated into the newly founded company unit Wanda Sports and renamed accordingly.

management

Philippe Blatter, a nephew of former FIFA President Sepp Blatter , heads the company as President and CEO . Executive Director is among others Günter Netzer , who acts primarily as an external representative.

Sports rights

One of the original focus of the company was the soccer business . Infront exclusively marketed the worldwide media rights to the FIFA World Cup 2002 and 2006. Infront sold 48 of the 64 World Cup games - including almost all of the top games - to the broadcasters ARD and ZDF . As in Japan and South Korea in 2002, the recording and transmission of the matches of the 2006 World Cup was taken over by the subsidiary Host Broadcast Services (HBS). In 2005, however, Infront lost large parts of the FIFA mandate and then embarked on a diversification strategy.

Infront is a partner of 170 associations, clubs and organizing committees in summer and winter sports.

In the field of football, Infront has been working with the German Football Association and many other European football associations, leagues and clubs since the 1970s. The clubs include 1860 Munich , Mainz 05 , Fortuna Düsseldorf , Schalke 04 , Werder Bremen , 1. FC Cologne , SC Freiburg , AC Milan , Inter Milan and Lazio Rome . Infront Sports also markets a number of associations, including the German Football Association and the Austrian Football Association. The company is also the exclusive media rights advisor and production partner for Lega Serie A and B and works with French Ligue 1. For FIFA, the company has been marketing the media rights to all major FIFA tournaments since 2007, including the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup in the Asian market. Infront has also been appointed by FIFA as distributor for the Asian media rights for all FIFA events between 2015 and 2022.

Infront is also a partner of the European Handball Federation (EHF) and the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball (CEV) for the respective European championships for men and women. In China, the company markets the national sport no. 1, basketball , on various levels - as a marketing partner of the national CBA League and the Chinese national teams.

In the Active Lifestyle & Endurance Unit, the portfolio includes the following rights: As a partner of the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), the company markets sponsorship packages for Ironman and 70.3 races, produces individual races and advises the association on the distribution of media rights. Infront also plays such an all-encompassing role as a media, marketing and production partner for the Berlin Marathon . The company is also the marketing partner of the World Marathon Majors, the six most important marathons in the world. In January 2014 Infront took over the organizer of the German company running championship B2RUN . Under the brand, 6 km races for companies and their employees are organized annually in twelve major German cities - with professional timekeeping and the finish in the stadium.

In winter sports, Infront represents all seven Olympic winter sports associations and markets major international events such as the annual IIHF ice hockey world championship . In skiing, Infront, as a partner of the national ski associations, collectively distributes the media and / or marketing rights for the majority of the FIS World Cup events - including the Four Hills Tournament . Infront was also awarded all commercial rights for the Alpine and Nordic World Ski Championships in 2019 and 2021. Infront is also involved in the world championships and world cup events of the IBU for biathlon , the IBSF for bobsleigh and skeleton, the FIL for luge and the WCF for curling . Infront is also the commercial partner of the European Ice Hockey Club Competition (EICC) for the Champions Hockey League (CHL), the new pan-European tournament in club hockey.

XLETIX was taken over in 2018 .

Host broadcast services / media production

Host Broadcast Services (HBS) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infront and is responsible for the central media production (so-called host broadcasting) and signal distribution for major international events in top-class sport. HBS was founded in 1999 as a highly specialized host broadcaster for the Soccer World Cup and continues to work closely with international associations such as FIFA for the 2002 , 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup or UEFA for the UEFA EURO 2008 and UEFA EURO 2012 together.

HBS also supported the media production of the America's Cup in Valencia as well as the Asian Games in 2006, 2010 and 2014 and the French Ligue 1. HBS also produces the BMW Berlin Marathon.

In addition to the host broadcast projects of HBS, the Infront Group produces other sporting events - including the entire Lega Serie A in Italy, FIS World Cup events , international football matches and the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship . In addition, the company develops digital solutions and prepares sports content for new media accordingly.

criticism

The rights deal between FIFA and Match Hospitality AG, in which Infront Sports & Media holds a 5 percent stake, led to requests for resignation, including from British fan associations, to Joseph Blatters. According to FIFA, the rights were put out to tender, but there are no known competitors.

In October 2015, it became known that FIFA - according to the TV magazine "Rundschau" on Swiss television - had given Infront TV rights worth millions for the soccer world championships in Russia and Qatar without a proper bidding process. These are said to be the marketing rights in the VIP segment for World Cup ticket arrangements for Match Hospitality, in which Infront holds a 5% stake. The nephew of FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, Philippe Blatter, is said to have benefited from this, although the company itself denies this and so far there is no concrete evidence of a favor. The company itself announced via the press office that Philippe Blatter was not involved in the award, i.e. neither in negotiations nor in the conclusion of contracts. FIFA denies the award without a proper bidding process and, according to Die Tageszeitung, insists on the correct award of the "best offer".

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Philippe Blatter, President & CEO, Group Management ( Memento of the original from October 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , infrontsports.com, accessed October 1, 2015 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.infrontsports.com
  2. Florian Oediger: New Big Players in the Sports Business - Part 1. In: sponsors.de. December 1, 2016, accessed February 10, 2017 . About Infront Sports & Media. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. Retrieved February 4, 2015 .
  3. Ringier and Infront join forces in Swiss sports marketing. In: Tages Anzeiger. February 28, 2011, accessed April 21, 2011 .
  4. Bridgepoint acquires Infront Sports & Media AG. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. Retrieved August 11, 2014 .
  5. Merger control: Commission clears takeover of sports marketing group Infront by Bridgepoint. In: European Commission - press release. Retrieved February 7, 2012 .
  6. Chinese investor Dalian Wanda buys Infront. In: wiwo.de. February 10, 2015, accessed February 11, 2015 .
  7. Michael Ashelm: China's new giant for the global sports business. In: faz.net. December 1, 2015, accessed January 14, 2016 .
  8. ^ Christoph Pauli: Günter Netzer: "Alemannia Aachen has imagination". In: aachener-zeitung.de. June 27, 2013, accessed December 1, 2014 . Group management. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. Infront Sports & Media AG , accessed on July 12, 2011 (English).
  9. Florian Oediger: New Big Players in the Sports Business - Part 1. In: sponsors.de. December 1, 2016, accessed February 10, 2017 . About Infront Sports & Media. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. Retrieved February 4, 2015 .
  10. DFB extends with marketer Infront until 2018. (No longer available online.) In: handelsblatt.de. November 27, 2013, archived from the original on January 20, 2015 ; accessed on December 1, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Football clubs can increase their income. In: handelsblatt.de. August 1, 2013, accessed December 1, 2014 . DFB and Infront extend partnership. In: DFB website. November 27, 2013, accessed December 7, 2015 . @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.handelsblatt.com

  11. 400 million deal with Netzer. In: bild.de. June 11, 2014, accessed April 9, 2015 . Infront of new marketing partner in Cologne. (No longer available online.) In: handelsblatt.de. June 10, 2014, archived from the original on April 19, 2015 ; Retrieved April 9, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
     @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.handelsblatt.com
  12. ^ Christian Oeynhausen: Guaranteed 400 million euro sales. In: ksta.de. June 10, 2014, accessed April 9, 2015 .
  13. David Cushnan: Infront replaces RCS as Inter Milan's marketing partner. In: sportspromedia.com. April 29, 2014, accessed April 9, 2015 .
  14. FIFA appoints Infront as exclusive sales representative for the distribution of Asian broadcast rights. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. October 27, 2011, accessed August 11, 2014 .
  15. Infront with a new unit in the area of ​​'Active Lifestyle & Endurance'. In: new-business.de. February 4, 2015, accessed February 11, 2015 .
  16. WTC and Infront enter into partnership. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. Retrieved February 3, 2012 .
  17. Berlin Marathon is upgrading media. In: Focus online . October 25, 2012. Retrieved October 25, 2012.
  18. Infront Sports & Media markets the marathon series World Marathon Majors. In: new-business.de. July 15, 2014, accessed January 30, 2015 .
  19. Infront takes over the German running series B2Run. In: new-business.de. December 16, 2013, accessed January 30, 2015 .
  20. Daniel Germann: The blessing of surprises. In: nzz.ch. May 15, 2013, accessed December 1, 2014 . Andreas Schulte: An ice hockey world championship with many winners. In: Handelsblatt. May 25, 2010, accessed April 21, 2011 .
  21. Infront strengthens its presence and covers winter sports. (No longer available online.) In: donaukurier.de. February 5, 2015, archived from the original on February 11, 2015 ; accessed on February 11, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.donaukurier.de
  22. New marketer secures touring future. In: Focus online. January 6, 2010, accessed April 21, 2011 .
  23. FIS appoints Infront to market the 2019 and 2021 FIS Alpine and Nordic World Ski Championships. In: Official website of Infront Sports & Media. June 11, 2013, accessed August 11, 2014 .
  24. Biathlon World Championships: Many winners even before the start. In: Focus online. February 28, 2012, accessed July 13, 2012 .
  25. Champions Hockey League continues to take shape. In: rp-online.de. March 1, 2014, accessed February 4, 2015 .
  26. https://gruender.wiwo.de/xletix-sportvermarkter-sichert-sich-laufserien-start-up
  27. Infront markets 'BMW Berlin Marathon'. In: new-business.de. October 26, 2012, accessed February 25, 2015 .
  28. ^ Roberto Landini: Profile: Infront Group Italy, the empire of sports rights and facilities. (No longer available online.) In: svgeurope.org. April 24, 2012, archived from the original on February 25, 2015 ; Retrieved February 25, 2015 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / svgeurope.org
  29. FIFA and MATCH Hospitality extend their contract until 2023. In: FIFA World Cup website. Retrieved February 3, 2012 .
  30. Thomas Kistner: Everything stays in the family. In: sueddeutsche.de. January 5, 2010, p. 1 , accessed April 26, 2011 .
  31. Marc Meschenmoser, Res Gehriger: Fifa is said to have given Blatter-nephew orders worth millions. In: srf.ch. September 30, 2015, accessed April 8, 2016 .
  32. ↑ Orders worth millions for Blatter nephews? , dw.de, accessed on October 1, 2015
  33. Marc Meschenmoser, Res Gehriger: Fifa is said to have given Blatter-nephew orders worth millions. In: srf.ch. September 30, 2015, accessed October 12, 2015 .
  34. ^ Andreas Rüttenauer: Mafia structures: Uncle Sepp takes care of the family. In: taz.de . November 4, 2011, accessed October 12, 2015 .