Sportfive GmbH has taken over the shares of ISPR GmbH that were formerly held by KirchMedia and Axel Springer. As a result, ISPR is being integrated as a whole into the SPORTFIVE international marketing group.

The Munich-based ISPR (with full name Internationale Sportrechte Verwertungsgesellschaft) was founded in 1991 and has developed into one of the leading sports marketing agencies. Among others, they market the worldwide television rights of the German football league. The former shareholders were Axel Springer with 49% of the shares and the Kirch group with 51%.

‘It is a strategic decision’, explains Jean-Claude Darmon, CEO of SPORTFIVE S.A.. ‘ISPR has been operative in the sports rights trade for a long time and offers an interesting portfolio and an excellent network in the European market. The business model of this agency harmonizes perfectly with our activities.’

‘It is and remains our aim to strengthen and keep developing our position in Germany and Europe’, confirms Philip Cordes, COO of SPORTFIVE S.A.. ‘We are glad that we were able to succeed in signing this contract with ISPR. After a thorough review of the legal and financial situation and subsequent to a specific valuation of the content of the company, this is the logical consequence.’

For the transaction to come into effect it is subject to the consent of the responsible anti-trust commissions and the formal consent of the former shareholders.

SPORTFIVE GmbH is the German subsidiary of the international marketing agency SPORTFIVE S.A. that was founded in 2001 and is listed on the Paris stock market. The SPORTFIVE Group covers the whole range of the sports rights trade, from stadium advertising and hospitality programmes to shirt sponsorships, stadium consulting and the sale of international TV rights. In the German market, SPORTFIVE GmbH is responsible for the marketing of professional football clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Hertha BSC Berlin and Hamburger SV. In addition to its core business football, SPORTFIVE GmbH markets the two heavyweight boxers Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko. SPORTFIVE Group also manages the worldwide TV rights of the international handball and basketball federations, VI Nations Tournament of Rugby and various football championships (English, Spanish, Italian and French).

Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information.

Caroliene Götz
Head of Public Relations
SPORTFIVE GmbH
Phone: +49 40 376 77-110
Fax: +49 40 376 77-115
E-mail: caroliene.goetz@sportfive.com