Infront
Features
OTT service could be key to Infront turning profit on World Triathlon deal
Boosting the take-up of TriathlonLive, the direct-to-consumer OTT service operated jointly by the Infront agency and World Triathlon, is seen by experts as the agency’s best chance of increasing the margins on its global rights deal with the sport’s world governing body.
Infront questions private equity as agency’s primacy in football threatened
The Infront agency has called into question the value for sports bodies of entering partnerships with private equity companies, arguing that such deals result in a “loss of control”.
Infront draws closer to skiing monopoly as it enters exclusive Swiss Ski talks
Infront has edged closer to enhancing its dominance over skiing media rights, with the agency entering exclusive negotiations with the Swiss Ski Association for international rights from 2022-23, following a hotly contested tender process.
Infront takes EHF rights hit to secure coverage in tough key markets
European Handball Federation club competition rights have decreased in value in several key markets, with incumbents dropping out to leave tough market conditions for seller Infront.
Strong interest in Norway Ski Federation rights boosts global value
The threat of competition helped the Norwegian Ski Federation increase the value of both its domestic and international rights from 2021-22, despite signing renewals in exclusive windows.
DFB-Pokal still in limbo in France despite L’Équipe rights deal
L’Équipe TV’s deal for French rights to the German DFB-Pokal covered just the climax of the 2019-2020 club knock-out competition, SportBusiness Media understands, meaning the property is still without a stable broadcast relationship in the country.
Prospect of virtual Tour de Suisse prompts rights wrangle
The Tour de Suisse cycling race may be held virtually this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But it is not certain that the Infront agency, which distributes the media rights to the physical event, will have the rights to the e-cycling equivalent.
CEV secures uplift for club betting, data rights in IMG Arena deal
The European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) secured an uplift for its club-competition betting streaming and data rights in its deal with the IMG Arena agency, but the valuation was still well below the rights-holder’s expectations for the property.
FREE | The Role of Agencies in the Media Market Report, 2020
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Media analyses the role of agencies in the media-rights market globally.
The Role of Agencies in the Media Market Report, 2020
In the latest interactive monthly data report, SportBusiness Media analyses the role of agencies in the media-rights market globally.
IBU doubles global media-rights value after exclusive EBU talks
The International Biathlon Union has doubled the value of its global media-rights in a ‘four-plus-four’ deal agreed in exclusive negotiations with the European Broadcasting Union.
EHF Champions League rescheduling hits rights round in France
The rescheduling of European Handball Federation Champions League matches to midweek is proving a sticking point in Infront’s efforts to negotiate a new rights round in France, SportBusiness Media understands.
NOS delivers uplift for International Skating Union events in key Dutch market
Dutch public broadcaster NOS increased its fee to retain rights to International Skating Union events in the Netherlands for the 2019-23 cycle, SportBusiness Media understands.
Fifa will need more than eager investors to make new club competition work
Sports marketing companies and private equity houses bidding to become the vehicle for the delivery of Fifa’s new China-hosted club competition in 2021 will face the same challenge: the competition is only likely to be successful if a Chinese company is involved.
ORF fends off aggressive Servus interest to secure skiing from Infront
Austrian public-service broadcaster ORF has fought off aggressive competition from commercial broadcaster Servus TV to seal a deal with the Infront agency for a host of major events operated by the International Ski Federation (Fis).
SPFL sees robust international rights guarantee despite betting absence
The Scottish Professional Football League has secured a strong minimum guarantee from Infront for international rights to Scottish league football. The deal is robust by historical standards, given that betting streaming rights were not included.
Infront begins to cover IIHF costs in exclusive Nordics Nent deal
Infront has sealed a big increase in value for International Ice Hockey Federation rights across the Nordics, in a deal with the Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group that will help cover the increased costs of its own recently-signed global rights agreement.
Wanda and Infront’s interests align in long-term IAAF media, marketing deal
Wanda Sports’ mass participation drive and its subsidiary Infront’s push for summer sports were the basis for their decision to push into athletics through a record 10-year agreement with the International Association of Athletics Federation, from 2020.
EHF boosts Balkan value by unifying club, national team rights
The European Handball Federation unified both its club and national team competitions in the Balkans into one new deal with Arena Sports, leading to a sharp rise in the value of its rights in the region.
Infront doubles outlay, enhances cooperation to secure long-term IIHF deal
The Infront agency has almost doubled the value of the International Ice Hockey Federation’s global media and marketing rights and promised future digital investment and collaboration to seal a 10-year agreement.
Nent lands another blow on Nordic public broadcasters with ISU deal
Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group has once again blown away competition from Nordic public-service broadcasters for winter sports content, acquiring exclusive rights to International Skating Union events from the Infront agency.
Infront may struggle to refinance EPL sub-Sahara FTA rights even at sharply reduced fee
Infront faces a challenge to refinance its spend on English Premier League free-to-air rights in sub-Saharan Africa, despite spending half as much on the 2019-22 rights compared to the 2016-19 cycle.
Caf sees political benefits of renegotiating with Lagardère, albeit at great cost
The Confederation of African Football has made good on a two-year-old promise to renegotiate its mammoth global media and marketing rights deal with Lagardère Sports, but not its promise to earn more money for its rights.
Nent makes shock move for winter sports in Nordics
Nordic Entertainment (Nent) Group has gained a foothold in winter sports in the Nordics with its shock acquisition of a host of properties from the Infront agency.