Talk:Infront Sports & Media/draft
| Headquarters | , |
|---|---|
Key people | Benoît Bassi Chairman of the Board |
Number of employees | 500 |
| Website | infrontsports.com |
Untitled[edit]
Infront Sports & Media is a sports marketing company based in Zug, Switzerland. The company handles the media and marketing rights for international sports events and federations and also provides sports services - such as advertising, sponsorship and hospitality.
History[edit]
Infront was created from the purchase of the former KirchSport AG by the late Robert-Louis Dreyfus on 31 October 2002. It was officially incorporated in 2003. The company originated from a merger of two existing Swiss-based marketing companies, CWL and Prisma Sports & Media. Infront's origins are in the football business but in 2005 the company lost a majority of its FIFA business and subsequently diversified. Today the company is divided into Summer and Winter sports properties in line with the Olympic differentiation. Until 2011 it was owned by a consortium of shareholders, including significant majority shareholder Jacobs Holding AG.[1] In September 2011 – European private equity firm Bridgepoint reached an agreement to acquire the company.[2][3][4]
Services[edit]
Infront Sports & Media supports sports rights holders with global media rights distribution, marketing concepts and sponsorship sales for sporting events as well as media production[5] (host broadcasting, post production and archive management). The subsidiary Host Broadcast Services has produced the television and radio signals for the FIFA World Cup since 2002[6] amongst other international events. Infront also provides hospitality and catering,[7] stadium advertising,[8] event management and other related services.[9]
Infront Sports & Media consists of subsidiaries specialising in different geographic regions (e.g. China, Germany, Italy) as well as services (e.g. Infront Hospitality Management and Football Media Services).[10]
Notable projects[edit]
Infront is often associated for its work in Winter sport, the company represents six of the seven Olympic winter sport federations at international level,[11] including the IIHF for ice hockey[12] and the IBU for biathlon. It also manages media and/or marketing rights to most of the FIS World Cup events.[13] In summer sport, Infront has recently diversified into mass participation and endurance sports – including Ironman events[14] and the UCI World Championships in cycling.[15] It is also a partner for the EHF EURO in handball[16] and the CEV European Championships in Volleyball. In China, Infront represents the CBA League and the national team, Team China Basketball.[17]
In football, Infront has supported the FIFA World Cup for many years and today distributes the Asian media rights and manages the host broadcast production.[18] This became controversial as the President and CEO of Infront Sports & Media Philippe Blatter is the nephew of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.[19] Besides its partnerships with FIFA and UEFA, it works with the German Football Association (DFB)[20] and the Italian Lega Serie A.[21] Fourteen clubs in Germany and Italy are also part of the portfolio, including AC Milan and FC Schalke 04.
References[edit]
- ^ Jacobs Foundation. "Jacobs Foundation website". Jacobsfoundation.org. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ Helia Ebrahimi. "Bridgepoint Buys Swiss Sports Rights Company". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
- ^ "Bridgepoint Reaches Agreement to Acquire Infront Sports & Media AG". Bridgepoint.eu. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of sports marketing group Infront by Bridgepoint". Europa.eu. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
- ^ "WTC to offer Magazine Programming to Ironman Series". isportconnect.com. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
- ^ "With HBS towards the start of the 2010 FIFA World Cup". liveproduction.tv. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ {{cite web |url=http://www.stadia-magazine.com/news.php?NewsID=13102 |title=Kofler and Infront Hospitality in hospitality business alliance|publisher=stadia-magazine.com|
- ^ "SV Sandhausen names_Infront_as_exclusive_marketing_partner". stadia-magazine.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ "Four Hills Tournament introduces single brand identity". liveproduction.tv. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
- ^ "FIFA appoints Infront as Exclusive Sales Representative for Asian Broadcast Rights". liveproduction.tv. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- ^ David Cushnan. "Eurosport Renews Major Winter Sports Package". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
- ^ Adam Fraser. "Infront Signs Skoda to Record Breaking IIHF Deal". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 16 May 2011.
- ^ David Cushnan. "Infront re-ups with Finnish Ski Association". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ "World Triathlon Corportion Partner with Infront to Attract Sponsors". isportconnect.com. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
- ^ James Emmett. "UCI Set for Commerical Growth after Infront landmark deal". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
- ^ Adam Fraser. "Handball is Big Business Across Europe". sportspromedia.com. Retrieved 11 December 2009.
- ^ Matt Cutler. "Infront to Continue Forward Momentum of Chinese Basektball". sportsbusiness.com. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
- ^ "FIFA appoints Infront as Exclusive Sales Representative for Asian Broadcast Rights". liveproduction.tv. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- ^ David Bond. "Fifa criticised after TV rights handed to Sepp Blatter's nephew". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
- ^ Matt Cutler. "DFB Expands Infront Media Rights Partnership". sportsbusiness.com. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
- ^ "Football made in Italy". sportelmonaco.com. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
External links[edit]
Category:Articles created via the Article Wizard
Category:Companies based in Zug
Category:Companies established in 2002
Category:Sports management companies
Category:Media companies of Switzerland
Category:Privately held companies of Switzerland