Premium TV merges with Inform Group
04/09/2007 |
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Premium TV, the digital sports provider, has merged with sports distributor Inform Group to create a market leading company, although its new name has yet to be finalised.
The move comes just weeks after Russian billionaire Len Blavatnik bought Premium TV from Quest Turnaround Advisors in a deal valued at £25 million.
The sports provider was initially established by NTL (now part of Virgin Media) as a way of accessing the lucrative media rights to some of the Premier League top clubs.
Today, Premium TV generates more than £30 million in digital rights for its clients, which include Chelsea Football Club and the Premier League.
The merged operation will provide both digital services with media products, including the propriety channels watchandbet.tv, mobilesport.tv and ipsort.tv.
All staff and management will be retained and the new company will be led by the combined management teams and Blavatnik’s industrial group Access Industries.
Oliver Slipper, chief executive of Premium TV, said: “The merger with Inform is an exciting development for us and our clients. It gives us the scale to create an international rights distribution network focused on digital media and build out a significant advertising and sponsorship division.”
The new business will boast an impressive client roster, including The Football Association, Scottish Premier League, England & Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia, BSkyB, ITV and William Hill.
Historically, the two companies have enjoyed a close working relationship for the past two years. No cash is involved in the merger and office relocations are currently being considered, but mad.co.uk was told there is “no mad rush” to get everything in place straight away.
Simon Denya, founder of Inform Group, added: “Combining Premium TV’s market leading production and technology capabilities with our expertise in digital rights and distribution will allow us to create valuable content plays focused on high growth markets such as betting, mobile TV and broadband streaming.”
The new company, via Inform, already holds the digital rights to Euro 2008 Qualifiers and the UEFA Cup. New advertising and media agency reviews are expected, led by marketing director James Rushton.
(Source: mad.co.uk)
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