Sportfive Acquisition & Valuation

Sportfive was acquired by H.I.G. Capital in February 2020.

Sportfive acquisition price

Undisclosed

Acquired by H.I.G. Capital · Feb 2020

Key investors in Sportfive

  • H.I.G. Capital

Sportfive Overview

About Sportfive

Sportfive is an international sports marketing agency headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. It works for clubs, federations, leagues, events and brands in sports consulting, partnership sales, media rights, stadium naming rights, marketing and sponsorship activation across more than 30 sports, including football, American football, baseball, basketball, golf, handball, motorsport and esports. Clients have included Bundesliga clubs, the International Olympic Committee as media rights agent for the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics and 2014 Winter Olympics, Concacaf and CONMEBOL for digital marketing, and esports organizations such as Fnatic and Gen.G. Sportfive employs about 1,200 people. It was formed in 2001 when Canal+ and RTL Group merged their sports rights agencies Sport+ and UFA Sports, whose Bundesliga rights business dated from 1987, and it bought Munich rival ISPR in 2003. Advent International acquired it in 2004 and Lagardère bought it in 2006 for an estimated 865 million euros, later folding it into Lagardère Sports. Private equity firm H.I.G. Capital took a 75.1% stake in April 2020, restored the Sportfive name and bought the remaining shares in July 2021; acquisitions since include German esports agency Build a Rocket in 2021 and US agency Wolfe Solutions in 2022.


Founded

2001

HQ

GermanyHamburg

Status

Acquired

Customer focus

B2B

Revenue model

Services

Sportfive Acquisition

Sportfive was acquired by H.I.G. Capital for an undisclosed price on 20 February 2020.

H.I.G. Capital, through its European affiliate H.I.G. Europe, signed a definitive agreement on 20 February 2020 to acquire a 75.1% majority stake in Lagardère Sports and Entertainment from the French media group Lagardère, which kept a 24.9% minority shareholding. The transaction completed in April 2020, and in May 2020 the agency was renamed Sportfive, reviving the brand Lagardère had bought in 2006 for an enterprise value of EUR 865 million. The sale was part of Lagardère's plan to refocus on its publishing and travel-retail businesses and exit its sports and entertainment activities. Under the new ownership Sportfive became the master brand for the agency's subsidiaries, including Lagardère Sports, Lagardère PLUS, U! Sports and VIP Sportstravel. The business traces its roots to Sportfive, formed in 2001 from the sports-rights agencies of Canal+, RTL Group and Groupe Jean-Claude Darmon, which Lagardère combined with World Sport Group in Asia, IEC in Sports and other acquisitions into a single sports-marketing division in 2015. The agency sells sponsorship, media rights and hospitality for football clubs, federations and events, and advises brands on sports marketing. It is headquartered in Hamburg and has about 1,200 employees. H.I.G. bought Lagardère's remaining 24.9% in July 2021 to become sole owner.

Sportfive acquisition details
AcquirerDateType
  • H.I.G. Capital
20 Feb 2020PE buyout

Sources: hig.com, sportspro.com, en.wikipedia.org

Sportfive Funding History

Sportfive has 1 recorded secondary share sale and no primary funding rounds.

Sportfive funding rounds
DateStageInvestorsDeal Summary
Jul 2021SecondaryH.I.G. CapitalH.I.G. Capital became the sole owner of Sportfive in July 2021 by buying the remaining 24.9% minority stake held by the French group Lagardère. The purchase followed H.I.G.'s acquisition of a 75.1% majority of Lagardère Sports and Entertainment, agreed in February 2020 and completed in April 2020, after which the agency was renamed Sportfive in May 2020. The terms of the minority purchase were not published. Sportfive chief executive Stefan Felsing said the agency intended to develop and grow the business fully backed by H.I.G. Capital, and the company said the deal sent a strong signal to the market. The sale completed Lagardère's exit from the sports-rights business it had entered in 2006 by acquiring the original Sportfive for EUR 865 million. Sportfive markets sponsorship and media rights for football clubs, federations and events, runs hospitality and event businesses, and advises brands on sports marketing. The agency is headquartered in Hamburg and has about 1,200 employees across offices in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. During H.I.G.'s ownership it also acquired Global Golf Management and the esports agency Build a Rocket in 2021 and the US agency Wolfe Solutions in 2022.

Who has invested in Sportfive?

1 investor has backed Sportfive across its funding rounds, including H.I.G. Capital.


Sportfive Investors

Investors in Sportfive by funding rounds participated
InvestorHQRoundsRoleFirst check

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Acquisitions by Sportfive

Sportfive has acquired 5 companies to date.

Last acquisition by Sportfive was on November 2nd 2026. Sportfive acquired 4sports Hockey for undisclosed valuation.


Latest Acquisitions by Sportfive

4sports Hockey
BUILD A ROCKET
Brave
Rooftop2 Productions
Description
4sports Hockey is a sports management agency that represents ice hockey players. Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Switzerland, it operates in the major hockey markets of Europe and North America, with offices around the globe. Its hockey services cover contract negotiation, career planning, video analysis, training, nutrition and mental coaching. Business services for clients include banking and insurance coordination, tax consulting, retirement planning, wealth management, legal support, relocation and visa assistance, and endorsement deals. Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg is associated with the agency. The company is based in Zug.
BUILD A ROCKET is a German gaming and esports marketing agency based in Cologne and part of the SPORTFIVE sports-marketing group. It was launched in 2016 in Cologne by Alexander Albrecht and Tobias Heim, and in 2021 it was sold to SPORTFIVE, with its esports specialists continuing to work alongside SPORTFIVE staff. The agency helps brands enter gaming, esports and virtual worlds through strategy, creative campaigns, social media community management, creator and influencer marketing, event activations and broadcast productions. Its work includes Roblox and Fortnite experiences, Twitch shows and esports events for clients such as KitKat, SAP, L'Oréal Men Expert, Uber Eats, Porsche and PUMA, and the German football league DFL. Besides Cologne, it has offices in Manchester, New York, Paris and Barcelona. In November 2022 it acquired TwoReach, a creator and influencer marketing platform, to expand its creator business. It earns fees for agency services and campaign production.
Brave is a London-based creative agency producing advertising and digital experiences for clients including Panasonic, Amazon, HP, Greenpeace, and Uber. Its team presents at Cannes Lions, Advertising Week, and Eurobest, focusing on behavior-driven campaigns.
Rooftop2 Productions is an events agency delivering live productions, media content, and marketing activations for sports leagues and brands worldwide. Headquartered in New York, the company designs fan experiences for NFL teams, NBA arenas, and events like the Super Bowl, incorporating LED displays, interactive zones, and live streaming. With expertise from stadium parking to premium suites, Rooftop2 handles full-scale executions for clients including Nike and Anheuser-Busch. Operating since 2000, it produces hundreds of events yearly across North America and Europe.
HQ CountrySwitzerlandGermanyUnited KingdomUnited States
HQ City
Zug
Cologne
London
New York City, NY
Deal Date2 Nov 20269 Mar 202119 Oct 20178 Aug 2016
Valuationundisclosedundisclosedundisclosed$5M
EV/Revenue
EV/EBITDA

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Sportfive Competitors

Sportfive competitors include listed companies like Plan B Media, Hunan TV & Broadcast, CHEIL Worldwide and Entravision, and private ones like InMyShow and ShopMy.

Public and private companies comparable to Sportfive
CompanyHQStatusRevenueEBITDAValuationRevenue Multiple
Plan B MediaThailandThailandPublicly listed$284M$65M$1.1B4.2x
Hunan TV & BroadcastChinaChinaPublicly listed$651M$99M$1.4B2.8x
CHEIL WorldwideSouth KoreaSouth KoreaPublicly listed$3.4B$280M$1.5B0.3x
EntravisionUnited StatesUnited StatesPublicly listed$448M($71M)$830M-
InMyShowChinaBeijingPrivate--$1.5B-
ShopMyUnited StatesBaton Rouge, LAPrivate$80M-$1.5B18.8x

Sportfive Public Comps

Sportfive is no longer listed, but its public comps include Plan B Media, Entravision, Hunan TV & Broadcast, CHEIL Worldwide, APG SGA, Arabian Contracting Services, FS Development Investment, oOh media, Ciwen Media Co and Vector.

Last FYEV/RevenueEV/EBITDA
RevenueEBITDALast FYLTM2027ELast FYLTM2027E
Plan B Media$284M$65M4.4x4.2x19.3x9.3x
Entravision$448M($71M)2.1x-(13.2x)-
Hunan TV & Broadcast$651M$99M2.5x2.8x16.3x14.3x
CHEIL Worldwide$3.4B$280M0.3x0.3x3.9x4.0x
APG SGA$400M$53M1.8x1.7x13.6x12.5x
Arabian Contracting Services$521M$353M4.4x5.2x6.4x9.9x
FS Development Investment$153M($17M)4.0x-(37.0x)-
oOh media$478M$206M2.9x2.8x6.7x14.5x

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Common questions about Sportfive

When was Sportfive founded?Sportfive was founded in 2001.
Where is Sportfive headquartered?Sportfive is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany.
Is Sportfive publicly listed?No, Sportfive was acquired by H.I.G. Capital in February 2020.
Who acquired Sportfive?Sportfive was acquired by H.I.G. Capital in February 2020.
Who are Sportfive's investors?Sportfive's investors include H.I.G. Capital.
Which companies are comparable to Sportfive?Companies comparable to Sportfive include Plan B Media, Hunan TV & Broadcast, CHEIL Worldwide, Entravision, InMyShow and ShopMy.
How many companies has Sportfive acquired?Sportfive has acquired 5 companies, including 4sports Hockey, BUILD A ROCKET, Brave, Rooftop2 Productions and akzio!.
What was the largest acquisition by Sportfive?The $5M acquisition of Rooftop2 Productions in August 2016 is the largest acquisition Sportfive has made to date.

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