- The Chinese Real Estate Group Wanda and three partners take the sport marketer Infront from Switzerland The company is well wired -. Among others, the former football star Günter Netzer on the board and a nephew Fifa boss Sepp Blatter as head.
- The Chinese hope to gain from the acquisition obviously Protect aid going to attract major sporting events in the country.
From Caspar buses
The management is quite prominent as the former German professional footballer and sports commentator Günter Netzer, 70, sits on the board. And as president and head of the company since 2005 is Philippe Blatter, 50. The former McKinsey consultant is a nephew of so powerful and controversial president of the International Football Association FIFA, Sepp Blatter, 78. Infront Sports & amp; Media is headquartered in the Swiss tax haven train is one of the largest sports marketing agency in the world. In many major sporting events and a number of well-known sports clubs, the Swiss blend with the background – and earn it. The market is lucrative and fast growing, the returns are considered to be high.
So high that it is now possible investors from China cost more than a billion euros to enter Infront. It is the first really big investment from Asia to the European sports market. The Wanda Group, one of China’s largest real estate companies, has negotiated for several months. Now Wanda takes 68.2 percent of Infront shares, the rest goes to three other unnamed investors. So far, Infront belonged to the private equity firm Bridgepoint, who also holds the Munich eyewear manufacturer Rodenstock.
focus on football, activities in many sports
“Infront is a rare commodity in its industry,” Bridgepoint said Partner, Robert Xavier. Apparently so rare that even the price is right. Bridgepoint receives 1.05 billion euros. At his home in 2011, the investor had paid estimated 550 million euros – a very good deal so. Infront made in 2014 with 600 employees generated sales of about 800 million euros. About the size of profits silent management, one is profitable, it’s only.
basketball in China: Infront sport in China for ten years and has thus contributed to the rising popularity.
(Photo: Ed Jones / AFP )In many sports Infront operates. For some time the basketball league is already marketed in China, even in winter sports, the Swiss are active. However, a focus on the football field. Infront is about to football rights for the Fifa, for the German and Italian Football Federation. Among other things, Infront will continue to promote the DFB Cup in Germany, which was adopted in January. “Our clear goal is to continue trusting existing partnership with Infront and expand. Together, we aim to further strengthen its position the successful cup competition nationally and internationally,” said two weeks ago DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach. Even with a number of clubs, the Swiss are in business, with Lazio, with Inter and AC Milan with for example. In Germany Infront is counting on traditional clubs that have a good name, but are sporty only moderately successful. Its customers include Werder Bremen, 1. FC Köln, SC Freiburg, Hansa Rostock, Paderborn, Alemannia Aac hen Fortuna Dusseldorf and soon 1860 München. Unclear are the consequences of the introduction of the Chinese
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“The company’s strategy will not change” stressed on Tuesday a Infront spokesman. “Wanda identify fully with our long-term vision, our corporate culture and our ambitious growth plans and will actively support this,” stated Infront boss Blatter. The Chinese want to make Infront number one in the global sports marketing.
Wanda was founded in 1988 and operates throughout China commercial real estate, hotels, cinemas and department stores. Among other things, China’s largest cinema chain belongs to the company. Wanda wants to promote its expansion abroad, thereby increasing its sales within five years at 16o billion dollars. Only recently, the Chinese have involved in Spanish football club Atlético Madrid with 20 percent. The club was last year at least in the final of the Champions League.
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Apparently, sports political interests in the background
There may be in the billion-dollar business but also political interests in the game. Wanda Supervisory Board Chairman Wang Jianlin said, Infront was “well positioned” to “actively support” China in his Applications for major sporting events. Beijing applies after the 2008 Summer Olympic Games now at the Winter Games in 2022. The country also dreams of someday align the soccer World Cup. In addition, the acquisition of Infront wear help to promote the development of Chinese sports, Wang said.
In all these ambitions so Infront could help with his good relations. The company has been around since 2003, it has emerged from the former Kirch Sports, the sports marketing media group of Leo Kirch. Post-bankruptcy rose, among others, Robert Louis-Dreyfus, which later sold to the Jacobs Holding, which then passed the company to financial investor Bridgepoint. Infront is also involved in the marketing of the next World Cup in Russia and Qatar. Host the Fifa. So there is much in the family
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