Infront Sports & Media has announced the purchase of the Nordic sports marketing company, Sponsor Service Finland Oy.

Zug, Switzerland, 22 September, 2003: Infront Sports & Media, the Zug-based international sports marketing company that handles global television sales and production for the FIFA World Cup™, has announced the purchase of the Nordic sports marketing company, Sponsor Service Finland Oy.

 

The acquisition, which is in line with Infront's long-term growth plan to develop in the areas where the company already has a track record, will strengthen the company's operations in the Nordic region and increase its focus on winter sports. Infront already has long-term international marketing partnerships with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the European Handball Federation (EHF) and these will be complemented by Sponsor Service's representation of the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation and the Finnish Handball Federation.

 

Other common ground includes strong local and international connections with skiing and the relationship will also take Infront into new areas, such as the cultural sector. Sponsor Service Finland is also active and successful in sponsorship and hospitality, which are also of interest to Infront.

 

Infront will have an initial 60% shareholding in Sponsor Service Finland Oy, Helsinki, with plans to increase its holding in future. The key personnel, including owners Harry Harkimo (Chairman) and Mikko Vanni (Managing Director), will remain in place. The company is being renamed Infront Nordic Oy.

 

Infront CEO Oscar Frei said: "We welcome Sponsor Service Finland to the Infront Group and we are excited at the prospect of this new infusion of expertise, clients and federation business. 'Infront Nordic' starts under its new name as a successful, well-established sports marketing company with good clients. Together, I believe we can make a significant impact on the Nordic marketplace and also increase our expansion into winter sports."

 

Mikko Vanni commented: "Our relationship with Infront will create new ways of co-operating with major events in Nordic countries. It also gives excellent potential to utilise and extend the well established and successful concepts being used in Finland and other Nordic countries for World Championship and World Cup level events".

 

Infront Nordic will be an active subsidiary of Infront Sports & Media AG and will assist in achieving the company's objective of building a strong Nordic base. An integration plan is being put in place to maximise the benefits of the new structure. It will be followed by other developments in the Nordic region, to be announced soon.

 

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For further information, please contact:

Infront Sports & Media AG

John Kristick

Tel. +41-41-723 15 15

 

info@infrontsports.com