The sports and entertainment agency heavyweight IMG is in the early stages of a consultation process which could see as many as 35 layoffs made at its studios arm in the UK.
Last week, IMG internally sent out a proposal which – while still very much in the initial stages of being worked through – might see between 25 and 35 employees laid off, Sportcal (GlobalData) has learned. Currently, the IMG Studios wing employs around 650 production staff.
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Sportcal understands that whatever the eventual results of the process, neither Premier League Productions (the English top-tier soccer league’s content arm for overseas) nor European Tour Productions (through which IMG produces top-tier DP World Tour golf coverage) will be materially impacted.
Other top-tier rights-holders IMG Studios works with include US soccer’s MLS and Saudi Pro League, UK golf’s R&A, mixed martial arts’ Ultimate Fighting Championship, and basketball’s EuroLeague. The IMG Studios arm is currently based at Stockley Park in West London.
Sportcal understands IMG is evaluating the need for layoffs as a result of the general downturn in the UK economy (which is now officially in recession), and less-than-ideal market conditions.
The consultancy process around possible layoffs comes just after IMG hired James Clement as senior vice president for tech and operations at its studios division.
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By GlobalDataThe Stockley Park facilities are home to four studios, nine live galleries, and over 45 edit suites. In total, it covers over 35,000 hours of content each year.
Ex-Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis has been in charge of IMG’s global content production business since October 2021.
IMG has been owned by US-based Endeavor since 2014, with Endeavor having paid $2.4 billion at that point for the acquisition.
In June last year, Endeavor concluded the sale of the IMG Academy to private equity group EQT. The deal, which was originally agreed in April 2023, was valued at $1.25 billion.
