Media & Entertainment Acquisitions in 2019

Affiliates of Apollo Global Management completed the acquisition of a majority interest in Cox Media Group from Cox Enterprises, with Cox retaining a minority stake. The deal transfers ownership of CMG’s television and radio stations, Ohio newspapers, CoxReps and Gamut digital/OTT advertising businesses to the Apollo-backed company, which will continue to operate as Cox Media Group headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Pixellot has acquired VidSwap to add game analysis and video breakdown capabilities to its AI-automated sports production platform, creating an end-to-end automated video and data solution for teams, coaches and broadcasters. The deal integrates VidSwap’s coaching and editing tools into Pixellot’s automated production and OTT offering, enabling improved scouting, player development workflows, and data-driven AI improvements.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) acquired Silvergate Media (via Silvergate Topco Limited) from Silvergate's management team and Shamrock Capital for approximately $195 million. The deal gives SPT full control of Silvergate's children's IP and production capabilities (and a minority stake was acquired in Silvergate BP Bidco Limited), supporting Sony's strategic expansion into the kids' genre and global children's content.

Reorg, a New York-based financial media and technology company, has acquired Dai1 Media, a subscription-based news service focused on special situations and distressed investing in China. The acquisition expands Reorg's Asia coverage and brings Dai1's editorial team and specialized China expertise into Reorg's global offering; terms were not disclosed.

Imagesound, an ECI Partners-backed provider of curated in-store music and AV services, has acquired Amazing Instore from the Amazing Media Group as a bolt-on to its platform. The deal expands Imagesound's catalogue and retail music offering, adding Amazing Instore's catalogue (used in over 2,000 stores) to Imagesound's global footprint of 50,000+ locations.

iMedia Brands, Inc. announced the acquisition of OTT/app technology provider Float Left Interactive and heritage leather goods brand J.W. Hulme to accelerate its interactive media and e‑commerce strategy. The deals — largely financed with iMedia stock — are intended to expand iMedia’s OTT/content delivery capabilities and provide new branded merchandise and programming opportunities for its ShopHQ platform.

Gemspring Capital (with participation from Everberg Capital) completed an investment in Crafty Apes, a full-service visual effects and post-production company with studios in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York. The transaction is intended to support geographic expansion, team investment and continued growth serving film, television/streaming and commercial production clients.

SOOOH Venture has acquired Suurland Outdoor from DTG (a company of the European Directories Group, part of the Triton III portfolio). Suurland Outdoor, headquartered in Eindhoven and founded over 35 years ago, operates a leading out-of-home (OOH) advertising network in the Netherlands with more than 2,000 analogue and digital boards; financial terms were not disclosed.

NorthEdge Capital has completed a £90 million acquisition of Catalis Group, investing £46.6 million via its acquisition vehicle Project Sword Bidco. The transaction backs Catalis's global expansion—including a new Testronic site in New Orleans—and supports growth across its Curve Digital publishing and Testronic QA divisions, with Vespa Capital and CEO Dominic Wheatley reinvesting significant shareholdings.

Picture Head Holdings, a portfolio company backed by Trive Capital and Five Crowns Capital, acquired UK-based The Farm Post Production and Vancouver-based Finalé Post. The acquisitions expand Picture Head Holdings’ global post-production footprint and capabilities to better serve feature film, television, broadcast and streaming customers across Europe and Canada.

New Frontier Data, a Washington, D.C.-based cannabis data and analytics firm, has acquired Civilized Worldwide Inc., a cannabis lifestyle media and events platform. The acquisition combines New Frontier's analytics capabilities with Civilized's consumer engagement, content and events to broaden New Frontier's market offering and deepen connections with cannabis consumers and brands.

Northstar Travel Group has acquired CAT Media, a UK-based multiplatform B2B marketing, information and events business serving the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry. The acquisition expands Northstar's UK and European footprint and combines CAT Media's titles and events with Northstar's existing meetings and events portfolio.

Northstar Travel Group has acquired travAlliancemedia, a marketing services, digital media, events and information business serving the retail travel advisor community and owner of brands such as TravelPulse, Agent at Home and Agent Studio. The deal expands Northstar's portfolio of marketing services, online media, events and SaaS tools for travel advisors; travAlliancemedia founder Mark Murphy will become an advisor to the combined business.

Northstar Travel Group acquired Buying Business Travel from Panacea Media to expand its UK and European presence in the corporate travel media market. The acquisition brings Buying Business Travel's magazine, events and awards portfolio under Northstar's BTN Group to complement Northstar's existing business travel brands and events.

Thomson Reuters has acquired FC Business Intelligence (FCBI), a global B2B events and conferences specialist previously backed by LDC. FCBI will be rebranded as Reuters Events and integrated into the Reuters News division to expand Reuters' events and industry-facing content and capabilities.

Whistle, a New York-based sports and entertainment media company, acquired Santa Monica-based mobile-first content studio Vertical Networks. The deal expands Whistle's mobile- and Snapchat-focused content capabilities and brings Vertical Networks' properties and team into Whistle; Vertical Networks' stockholders (including affiliates of Elisabeth Murdoch and Snap) became stockholders of Whistle.

Capital A Investment Partners has taken a substantial stake in The Rental Group, the Dutch market leader in audiovisual (AV) and IT equipment rental formed by Allrent and Easy2rent. The investment is intended to accelerate growth, professionalize the business and roll out The Rental Group's Allrent/Easy2rent formula across Europe through a buy-and-build strategy.

IYUNO Media Group and BTI Studios have merged into a single company operating under the IYUNO Media Group brand, with the combined business headquartered in London. The merged company will be backed by investors Shamrock Capital, Altor and SoftBank Ventures Asia to accelerate global expansion and technology-enabled localization services (dubbing, subtitling and related post-production).

Bowlero Corp announced the acquisition of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) on September 10, 2019. The purchase brings Bowlero’s bowling-center and entertainment expertise together with the PBA’s professional competition, media partnerships and fan base to expand the sport’s visibility and content offerings.

Charlotte-based private equity firm Falfurrias Capital Partners acquired a majority equity interest in Industry Dive, a Washington, D.C.-based B2B media and digital publishing company. The partnership will support Industry Dive’s plans to scale its B2B journalism, business intelligence, and sales and marketing products into new audiences and industry verticals while the co-founders remain in leadership roles.

Yankee Global Enterprises, together with strategic partners Sinclair Broadcast Group and Amazon and financial investors RedBird Capital, Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and Mubadala Capital, purchased the 80% of the YES Network not already held by Yankee Global from The Walt Disney Company at a reported enterprise value of $3.47 billion. The consortium aims to expand distribution, strengthen the network's sports content capabilities and leverage partner expertise to grow YES across traditional and digital platforms.

Her Campus Media has acquired College Fashionista from founders Amy Levin Klein and Melissa Levin. The acquisition brings College Fashionista's college‑aged influencer community and digital content under the Her Campus Media portfolio to strengthen the buyer's reach into the college audience and expand its social, digital, and marketing capabilities.

Screen Engine/ASI (a portfolio company of The Wicks Group) has acquired ticktBox, a San Diego–based digital marketing and ticketing platform that operates the consumer brand Gofobo. The acquisition combines ticktBox's multi-million-member moviegoer database and SaaS platform with SE/ASI's proprietary data assets to expand product capabilities for film, television and streaming clients; Five Points Capital provided unitranche financing to support the transaction. ticktBox co-founders Andrew Ly and Ian Bonewitz will remain as co-presidents and the business will operate as a division of SE/ASI.

LDC has invested a minority equity stake in Plimsoll Productions in a deal valuing the UK-based TV production company at around £80 million. The investment will support Plimsoll's growth plans — including further investment in natural history and documentary divisions, development of intellectual property, and expansion into the US and other global markets — while founder Grant Mansfield remains CEO.

Mesmerize, a portfolio company of The Beekman Group, has acquired Pharmacy Health Network (PHN), the only out-of-home digital network dedicated to retail pharmacies. Mesmerize will scale the existing 1,100 PHN locations nationwide, expand the network into doctors' offices and community-based organizations under the Mesmerize Health Network brand, and retain Respario to operate and deploy the digital signage.

Hackman Capital Partners, in a joint-venture with an investment partnership led by Square Mile Capital Management, acquired The MBS Group — a global film and TV studio real estate and production services platform — from The Carlyle Group for $650 million. The deal includes the Manhattan Beach Studios real estate asset and MBS's multinational production services business with a network of partner studios and approximately 259 stages across major production markets.

Naylor Association Solutions, a portfolio company of RLJ Equity Partners, has acquired TechMedia, the producer of the Digital Summit conference series. Brookside Mezzanine Partners provided subordinated debt to support the transaction; TechMedia co-founders Eric Gregg and Scott Hedrick joined Naylor's management team following the acquisition.

Sony Pictures Entertainment, via its division Sony Innovation Studios, acquired Nurulize, a Los Angeles–based virtual production software developer known for its Atom View volumetric/real-time collaboration tools. The acquisition brings Nurulize's technology into Sony Innovation Studios' virtual production workflow to strengthen capabilities for film, television, gaming and other immersive entertainment experiences.

ALM has acquired the Australian General Counsel Summit from Connect Media, expanding its global events portfolio into Australia. The Summit, held in Sydney and attended by over 250 senior in-house legal executives, will become part of ALM's worldwide suite of legal events and membership offerings.

Ithaca Holdings LLC, led by Scooter Braun, has acquired Big Machine Label Group from founder Scott Borchetta. The deal, supported by an additional equity investment from The Carlyle Group, transfers BMLG's artist roster, distribution deals, publishing assets and owned masters to Ithaca while Borchetta remains BMLG President and CEO and takes a minority stake in Ithaca.

Cherry Hill Programs, a portfolio company of Keystone Capital, has acquired Photogenic, a Chicago-based provider of souvenir photography services to major tourist attractions across the United States. The deal combines Cherry Hill's mall-based holiday photography platform with Photogenic's attraction-focused business to expand venue footprint and capabilities; Photogenic CEO Steve Craig will remain leading the souvenir photography division.

Bobit Business Media, a Gemspring Capital portfolio company, has acquired the Warranty Chain Management (WCM) Conference, a leading B2B event focused on warranty and service-contract professionals founded by Alison Griffiths. The acquisition is an add-on to Bobit’s events and media portfolio and is intended to expand the WCM platform and continue the conference's growth and content offerings.

Greybull Stewardship, a long-term investment partnership, has made an equity investment in Capstone Event Group, a Raleigh-based operator of road race events. The capital will support CEG's growth and expansion of its race portfolio across North America; terms were not disclosed and CEG's CEO Charlie Mercer will remain in place.

Canal+ Group, a subsidiary of Vivendi, has agreed to buy Luxembourg-headquartered pay-TV operator M7 Group from private equity firm Astorg. The transaction, announced 27 May 2019 and subject to regulatory clearance, expands Canal+'s European pay-TV and OTT footprint and brings M7's ~3 million subscribers and broadband/telephony assets into Canal+'s distribution network.

L2 Capital Partners has acquired Jurassic Quest Holdings, a leading family entertainment company that produces large-scale interactive dinosaur-themed touring events. Capitala Group provided senior secured debt and co-invested to support the transaction; Jurassic Quest is based outside Houston, Texas, employs roughly 100 full-time staff, and attracts over 1 million attendees annually. Terms were not disclosed.

Remark Holdings sold Vegas.com, LLC to VDC-MGG Holdings LLC (an affiliate of Remark's senior lenders) for an enterprise value of $45 million. The $30 million cash proceeds will be used to pay amounts due to Remark's senior lenders, substantially reducing Remark's debt and enabling the company to focus on its transition to a pure-play AI business.

Funds advised by Apax Partners agreed to acquire Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) from Media Investments & Holding OÜ. BCG operates leading online classifieds portals across the Baltics (automotive, real estate, jobs and general merchandise); the deal is expected to close by July 2019 and financial terms were not disclosed.

Vector Media, a portfolio company of Spire Capital, has acquired Laurel Outdoor, the exclusive municipal transit advertising partner for New Orleans and surrounding parishes. The deal adds over 160 buses, 60 streetcars and roughly 640 bus shelter panels (with more panels under development) to Vector's out-of-home inventory as part of a continued roll-up and geographic expansion strategy.

Northstar Travel Group has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Centaur Media Travel and Meetings Limited (CTM), the owner of the Business Travel Show, The Meetings Show and Travel Technology Europe, from Centaur Media PLC. The acquisition gives Northstar a London platform to expand its events and B2B travel information and marketing services across the UK and Europe; the CTM team is expected to join Northstar at closing.

GSRX Industries Inc. purchased units representing membership interests in Buzznog, LLC, taking an equity position in the direct-to-fan social engagement platform. The investment is intended to support Buzznog’s growth as it expands artist access, fan engagement and its branded mobile app offerings.

Credit Agricole Assurances has completed the acquisition of Comexposium from Charterhouse Capital Partners (Charterhouse Capital Partners IX fund). Comexposium is a leading global exhibitions and events operator headquartered in Courbevoie, France, running roughly 135 exhibitions across 30 countries and generating annualized revenue of about €360 million under Charterhouse ownership.

TPG Capital has agreed to acquire Entertainment Partners, a Burbank-based provider of production payroll, workforce management and automated production software and services for the entertainment industry. The deal (terms undisclosed) will keep EP's management team in place and is intended to accelerate product innovation and growth using TPG's resources and expertise.

Kayne Partners, the growth equity group of Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, committed $15 million in growth equity to Ideas United to support the creative studio's global expansion and scaling of its content production, sales, and marketing capabilities. The investment will help Ideas United deepen its sales and marketing teams, expand its production infrastructure, and accelerate development of original content and experiential offerings.

French online bridge publisher Goto (operator of Funbridge), backed by HLD Europe, has acquired American Bridge Base Online (BBO). The deal, financed with new equity from HLD Europe, the entry of two selling managers and a refinancing of senior debt, triples Goto's size and strengthens its position in the United States and internationally.

CyberRisk Alliance, a PE-backed B2B media and events startup led by Doug Manoni, has acquired the InfoSec World Conference & Expo from MIS Training Institute in a carve-out divestiture. The acquisition transfers the event and its staff to CyberRisk Alliance as the new owner — a capability- and community-building move supported by Growth Catalyst Partners.

Providence Equity Partners completed a growth equity investment in TAIT, the Lititz, Pennsylvania–based leader in designing and manufacturing live event solutions. TAIT's management (including CEO James "Winky" Fairorth and CCO Adam Davis) remain significant shareholders; the investment will be used to accelerate growth and further develop TAIT's IP and technology platform. Financial terms were not disclosed.

ECI-backed Imagesound Group has acquired the assets of Hampshire-based Freedom Music, a specialist provider of 'Rights Included' in-store music used by retailers and quick-service restaurants. The acquisition is Imagesound's second add-on since ECI partnered with the business in 2016 and is intended to broaden Imagesound's music licensing and in-store audio offering for clients such as B&M, Booker and Burger King.

San Francisco-based private equity firm Catapult Capital, with investment support from Los Angeles-based St. Cloud Capital, has acquired Los Angeles-based digital content company JibJab. Financial terms were not disclosed; JibJab COO Paul Hanges was promoted to CEO and the new owners plan to invest in product, technology, and market expansion.

Universal Music Group (UMG) agreed to acquire the remaining shares of Ingrooves Music Group, taking full ownership of the independent music distribution and marketing company while retaining Bob Roback as CEO. UMG said the deal will expand Ingrooves' geographic reach and service capabilities for independent artists and labels and will create a strategic partnership between UMG’s Caroline International and Ingrooves to enhance global distribution and marketing services.

9 Story Media Group has acquired PT Bali Animation Studio and PT Bali Animasi Solusi Ekakarsa (collectively "BASE"), a full-service CGI animation studio based in Bali, Indonesia. The acquisition (terms undisclosed) adds BASE's ~270 employees to 9 Story's global operations to bolster production capacity and expand its international footprint.