Acunmedya, a leading Turkish media group, has successfully concluded its acquisition of a 50% stake in Germany's multi-channel free-to-air (FTA) network, Sport1. The deal was finalized with Highlight Communications, the owner of Sport1.
The agreement between Acunmedya and Highlight Communications was initially struck in late February. After several months of negotiations and planning, both parties have now tied up the final version of this landmark deal.
Leadership changes at Sport1
As part of this new partnership, there have been significant changes to the leadership structure at Sport1. Matthias Kirschenhofer, one of two co-chief executives at Sport1, has been promoted to managing director. Meanwhile, Robin Seckler will continue his role as co-CEO.
Bernhard Burgener, chair of the Sport1 Medien AG board, said
“With Acunmedya we have found an outstanding strategic investor and a great partner … The cooperation offers us excellent opportunities to further expand our offering so that we can deliver even more innovative sports and entertainment content that will inspire our viewers.”
This follows last year's major restructuring at Sport1 which saw chief executive Olaf Schröder leave his position with immediate effect. He was replaced by Seckler and Kirschenhofer as co-chief executives.
An extensive content partnership
Both parties have expressed that this tie-up will result in an extensive content partnership. This means sports entertainment formats from Acunmedya will be integrated into Sport1’s programming schedule.
Last year Highlight Communications announced it was considering various options for its stake in Sport1 including either a partial or full sale. This decision led to a significant reshuffle within the network’s structure resulting in five independent profit centers being created.
Sport1 boasts an impressive portfolio when it comes to top-tier sports rights coverage. Last season alone they covered domestic soccer’s DFB Pokal cup matches along with France's top-tier Ligue 1 football league matches and premium live action from tennis, ice hockey, darts motorsport and basketball.
Acunmedya's expansion strategy
Acunmedya is best known for producing reality-TV programming in Turkey and Greece. The acquisition of a stake in Sport1 marks a significant expansion into the German market. This move aligns with the findings from the European Union's Office of Statistics last year, which revealed that there were 1.9 million Turkish citizens living in Germany at that time.
Acun Ilicali, Acunmedya Group’s founder and owner, said:
“As we collaborate with the Sport1 team, we see incredible opportunities to offer a wide range of sports and entertainment content for our German-speaking audience and create an inspiring success story with our partner.“
This deal between Acunmedya and Highlight Communications signifies an exciting new chapter for Sport1. With an extensive content partnership on the horizon, sports fans can look forward to a diverse range of sports entertainment formats being added to their viewing schedule.
