Media & Entertainment Acquisitions in 2021

Serata Capital Partners completed an investment partnership with Page Publishing Consortium in late December 2021 to support accelerated organic growth and an acquisition-driven strategy. The transaction was supported by senior financing from Wintrust Bank and mezzanine/minority equity from Ironwood Capital, positioning Page — a multi-brand self-publishing services group serving over 10,000 authors annually — for expanded scale and add-on activity.

Valnet Inc. has completed the acquisition of Simple Flying, a leading online publisher for aviation news and content founded by Arran Rice. The acquisition will integrate Simple Flying into Valnet’s portfolio of digital publishing brands to expand its presence in the aviation vertical and build on the site’s large audience and brand authority.

Tarsus Group, backed by private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners, has acquired FounderMade, a beauty- and wellness-focused trade show and events business. FounderMade will join Tarsus' newly created Tarsus Health division alongside other medical and wellness brands; terms were not disclosed.

Gaia, Inc. acquired Yoga International from the Himalayan Institute, adding roughly 4,000 hours of yoga content to Gaia's streaming library. The acquisition brings Yoga International's global paid subscriber base and deep yoga education content into Gaia's conscious-media platform to support subscriber growth and content expansion.

Global, the UK media and entertainment group, has acquired podcast hosting, analytics and monetization platform Captivate. The Captivate platform and its founders will be integrated into Global's Global Player and DAX ad stack to expand distribution and monetization options for podcasters.

Solotech, a global audiovisual and entertainment technology company, has acquired XR Studios, a Los Angeles–based extended reality and virtual production agency. XR Studios will continue to operate as a separate brand and join Solotech's new Media and Entertainment Technology (MET) Division to expand Solotech's virtual production, XR and live-streaming capabilities. The deal is supported by Solotech's shareholders Claridge, Desjardins Capital and Investissement Québec.

Tencent Holdings Ltd. has acquired Slamfire, Inc., the parent company of game developer Turtle Rock Studios. Turtle Rock will remain independently operated out of Lake Forest, California, with its existing leadership and team continuing studio operations; the deal expands Tencent's global games portfolio and support for Turtle Rock's future projects.

Vivendi acquired 24,685,108 Lagardère shares from Amber Capital at €24.10 per share, taking its stake to roughly 45.1% (45.13% reported) and announced it will file a public tender offer for all remaining Lagardère shares at the same price. The transaction (and the planned tender offer) is positioned as a move to obtain control of Lagardère subject to regulatory approvals; Amber Capital remains the selling party.

Warner Music Group (WMG) has acquired independent label 300 Entertainment and will integrate the label into its family of recorded-music businesses while preserving 300’s independent identity and New York headquarters. As part of the deal, 300 co-founder Kevin Liles will be appointed Chairman & CEO across 300 and Elektra Music Group, with the acquisition intended to expand 300’s global footprint and opportunities for its artists.

Comscore has acquired Shareablee, a social media analytics and measurement platform, to integrate Shareablee's social engagement and video insights into Comscore's cross-platform measurement products. The acquisition will expand Comscore's audience measurement capabilities and allow Shareablee's clients access to Comscore's digital data and products; key Shareablee management will remain in leadership roles.

Embracer Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Asmodee from private equity owner PAI Partners, subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory clearance and work council consultations. PAI Partners will receive proceeds from the sale and will also take an approximate 4% shareholding in Embracer, retaining exposure to the combined group's gaming and entertainment assets.

CyberRisk Alliance has acquired Identiverse, the annual Identity and Access Management (IAM) conference founded by Ping Identity, with Ping Identity remaining as a founding sponsor. The acquisition expands CRA’s events portfolio into the identity security market and positions Identiverse for broader reach and new business intelligence, content, and marketing partnership opportunities.

Gambling.com Group Limited agreed to acquire Roto Sports, Inc., operator of RotoWire, to accelerate the Group’s U.S. expansion and grow its sports betting-related affiliate revenue. The all‑transaction purchase price is $27.5 million (including $7.5 million deferred), with $20.0 million payable at closing and the remainder paid over the subsequent two years.

GAN Limited completed the acquisition of Bulgaria- and U.K.-based online casino game developer Silverback Gaming on undisclosed terms, obtaining exclusive global rights to Silverback's existing and future portfolio. The deal is intended to bolster GAN's SuperRGS content offering (including an expected 50 new slot games over three years) and to expand GAN's iGaming content and revenue opportunities in the U.S. market.

fuboTV Inc. has completed its acquisition of Molotov SAS, France's leading live TV streaming platform. The deal brings Molotov's Paris-based team and streaming technology (including its AVOD service Mango) into fuboTV to support international expansion and accelerate product and engineering development.

Lamar Advertising Company acquired Colossal Media, a hand-painted wall and mural outdoor-advertising operator that runs 81 large-format displays across New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and other U.S. cities. Colossal CEO Kelly Peppers will remain in place; the company was purchased from co-founders Paul Lindahl and Adrian Moeller for an undisclosed price.

BuzzFeed, Inc. closed its business combination with special purpose acquisition company 890 5th Avenue Partners, Inc. and concurrently completed the acquisition of Complex Networks. The combined company will operate as BuzzFeed, Inc., adding Complex’s youth-focused content, advertising and e-commerce capabilities as it begins trading on Nasdaq under the ticker BZFD.

J&J Ventures Gaming of Pennsylvania, LLC has acquired substantially all of the assets of Second State Gaming, LLC, a Harrisburg-based video gaming terminal operator majority-owned by Gary Brewer. The acquisition expands J&J's terminal operator footprint into Pennsylvania, combining J&J's reporting and marketing capabilities with Second State's truck-stop customization and route management.

Boston-based private equity firm Abry Partners acquired Best Lawyers, a provider of peer-reviewed legal rankings and marketing services headquartered in Augusta, Georgia, in a deal that also included Best Lawyers' management team. Levine Leichtman Capital Partners sold the company; financial terms were not disclosed. Abry said the investment will support continued product, technology and geographic growth.

fuboTV Inc. has completed the acquisition of Edisn.ai, a Bangalore-based AI computer vision platform. The deal brings Edisn.ai's video recognition technology and a team of nearly two dozen data scientists and engineers into fuboTV to enhance live sports interactivity, ad tech capabilities, and program/dvr accuracy; Edisn.ai's co-founder and CEO Ashok Karanth will join fuboTV as general manager, fuboTV India.

ESE Entertainment Inc. entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire 9327-7358 Quebec Inc. DBA GameAddik, a Quebec-based gaming technology and performance marketing company. The deal consideration includes cash and common shares of ESE; GameAddik reported CA$24.0 million in revenue and CA$4.7 million in operating income for fiscal 2020, and will operate as ESE's gaming technology unit to strengthen its user-acquisition capabilities and expand into new end markets such as iGaming.

Pioneer Media Holdings Inc. has completed its acquisition of London-based Kodoku Studios Limited, a developer and publisher of NFT-based games. The consideration was CAD 850,000 in cash (subject to holdback) plus 8,000,000 common shares of Pioneer (subject to escrow and resale restrictions).

IAC's Dotdash completed its acquisition of Meredith Holdings Corp. in an all-cash transaction at $42.18 per share, creating Dotdash Meredith — the largest digital and print publisher in the United States. The combined company, headquartered in New York City and led by CEO Neil Vogel, unites Meredith's iconic magazine brands and first-party data with Dotdash's digital and e-commerce capabilities to scale advertising and digital revenue.

Fenway Sports Group (FSG) has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins, subject to approval by the NHL Board of Governors, with the deal expected to close before year-end. Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle will remain part of the ownership group and Mario Lemieux will continue to guide hockey operations; senior management at the club will remain in place.

Swedish gaming group Zordix AB (publ) acquired U.S.-based publisher Maximum Games for $42 million upfront in cash and shares plus an estimated $30 million earn-out in cash and shares. The deal brings Maximum's Modus Games label and Modus Studios (Brazil) into Zordix, expanding the group's publishing, distribution and development capabilities to drive global growth in the AA games segment.

Arc, the London-based global events, data and media platform backed by funds managed by EagleTree Capital, has acquired a five-brand rural and leisure events portfolio from Fortem International. The events will be integrated into Arc's Agriconnect business (including Farmers Guardian Ltd. and LAMMA Ltd.) to deepen Arc's presence in the UK agriculture and rural leisure markets.

Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. acquired Outplayed, Inc., the owner of U.GG, for approximately $45 million in cash and stock plus up to $12 million in earnouts. The acquisition brings U.GG's ~8 million monthly active League of Legends users and data-driven analytics capabilities into Enthusiast Gaming's media and esports platform to expand its reach in the League of Legends community.

Betsperts Media & Technology Group has acquired 4for4.com, a subscription-based sports betting and fantasy football research and analytics site. The deal adds premium content and decision-support tools to Betsperts' portfolio (including the Fantasy Life app), expanding its audience and subscription offerings.

Triller, via its parent company TrillerNet, has acquired Thuzio, a New York–based B2B provider of premium influencer events and experiences. The acquisition adds Thuzio's live-event production and influencer access to Triller's existing live-event and content assets to expand its live-event programming and brand partnerships.

Epic Games has acquired independent game studio Harmonix, the developer behind Rock Band and Dance Central, to integrate immersive music experiences into Fortnite and support Harmonix’s existing titles. The Harmonix team will collaborate with Epic to develop musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite as Epic advances its metaverse strategy.

LiveOne (Nasdaq: LVO) has completed the acquisition of Palm Beach Records, a South Florida-based recording studio and label founded by Christian "Rekstarr" Ocampo. LiveOne will operate Palm Beach Records as a wholly-owned subsidiary and plans to expand the studio's music and podcast operations to sign and break new talent, produce exclusive content for members, and support local events in South Florida.

Oak View Group (OVG) completed its acquisition of Spectra, the venue management, food & beverage and hospitality business formerly part of Comcast Spectacor, after receiving DOJ approval. The combined company will operate as a full-service live events and entertainment platform, integrating Spectra's venue management and hospitality capabilities with OVG's venue development, sponsorship and facilities services.

Cast & Crew, an EQT-backed provider of software and services to the entertainment industry, signed a definitive agreement to acquire The TEAM Companies, a payroll and production management solutions provider serving advertising, music and live events. The TEAM Companies was a portfolio company of TorQuest Partners; terms were not disclosed. TEAM will continue to operate as a distinct brand and its leadership will report into Cast & Crew.

TRS Capital, an early-stage investment firm based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has made a significant seed investment in RadPoker, a mobile-optimized no-limit Texas Hold'em app led by CEO Nishon Rad. The funding and TRS’s consulting support are intended to accelerate RadPoker’s monetization timeline and support rapid user growth for the app, which averages roughly 4-minute heads-up games and features leaderboards and a custom rating algorithm.

MoneyLion Inc. has acquired MALKA Media Group LLC, a creator network and content platform, to expand its content capabilities and better engage consumers across digital channels. The acquisition will enable MoneyLion to combine MALKA's creative capabilities with its financial products and first-party data to drive customer acquisition and retention.

RWS Entertainment Group has acquired JRA, a Cincinnati-based attraction design and creative studio, expanding RWS into a full-service provider of design, production, performance and operations for attractions and branded experiences. JRA founder Keith James will remain as President of JRA as the combined company pursues global growth across theme parks, museums, cruise ships, resorts and other venues.

Private Division, the publishing label of Take-Two Interactive, has acquired London-based game developer Roll7, the studio behind the OlliOlli series. Roll7 will continue developing OlliOlli World and other projects with support from Private Division; financial terms were not disclosed.

TPG Real Estate Partners (TREP), the real estate investment platform of TPG, has acquired Cinespace Studios, a leading independent sound stage operator with major campuses in Toronto and Chicago. The acquisition will support Cinespace’s planned stage development and workforce expansion while TREP aims to build a best-in-class studio platform and expand community workforce programs like the CineCares Foundation.

Recurrent Ventures has acquired Donut Media, the Los Angeles-based digital automotive media company and the largest automotive brand on YouTube. The acquisition expands Recurrent's video, social, and e-commerce capabilities while keeping Donut's leadership and staff in place to continue producing automotive content and merchandise.

Seaport Capital, alongside Gray Television and a group of investors, provided growth capital to form Family Entertainment Holdings (FEH), a Medina, Ohio–based holding company for live family entertainment brands. The investment will scale FEH’s first two formats — Magic of Lights and Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live — and support geographic expansion and platform growth under CEO Ken Hudgens.

Toronto-based VerticalScope Holdings Inc. agreed to acquire Hometalk, Fomopop, Inc. (The Streamable) and Threadloom, expanding its portfolio of online communities and accelerating commerce and engagement capabilities. The cash consideration for Hometalk and The Streamable combined is $63.5 million (plus up to $30 million in earnouts), while Threadloom consideration includes newly issued subordinated voting shares and cash with additional contingent share/cash payments.

CTM Group Inc., a Z Capital Group-backed platform, acquired the family entertainment assets of Theisen Vending Inc., a portfolio of approximately 2,000 pieces of equipment operating across more than 180 locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. The acquisition expands CTM's installed base and footprint at high-traffic venues and supports its ongoing digital- and data-driven transformation to improve consumer experience and venue profitability.

Extreme Reach has acquired attikSpace, a Burbank-based full-service media management company, expanding ER's physical and digital asset management and broadcast distribution capabilities. AttikSpace's founders and all employees will join Extreme Reach, and the deal moves attikSpace's media delivery onto ER's global platform to better integrate physical libraries with digital assets.

Playmaker Capital Inc. (TSX-V: PMKR) acquired 100% of The Nation Network (TNN) and its subsidiary Daily Faceoff (DFO) to establish a presence in Canada and immediately add over 27 million annual users to its audience ecosystem. The aggregate consideration is up to CAD$15 million (cash, shares and an earn‑out), and the deal is intended to expand Playmaker's Canadian reach ahead of broader sports betting legalization in Ontario and to diversify revenue through subscriptions and sportsbook partnerships.

CTM Group, a Z Capital Partners-backed provider of managed entertainment and souvenir solutions, acquired a portfolio of 39 directly operated entertainment locations and nearly 2,000 pieces of equipment from NAMCO USA Inc. The asset purchase expands CTM’s footprint in high-traffic tourist and retail venues and deepens its managed-service platform.

Mequoda Systems acquired GreenPrints magazine in an asset-purchase agreement with founder Pat Stone, effective November 1, 2021. The deal included the GreenPrints magazine (12,000 premium subscribers), a product line of books and notecards, and the online store; Mequoda plans to convert the brand into a multi-platform digital publishing operation using its Haven WordPress system and Mequoda methodology.

Activision has acquired Barcelona-based mobile game developer Digital Legends, adding the studio to its roster of internal mobile development teams to support an unannounced Call of Duty mobile title. Terms were not disclosed; Digital Legends will help expand Activision’s mobile development capabilities and talent pool.

TAIT, the global live-entertainment engineering and fabrication group, has acquired ITEC Entertainment, a themed-entertainment design and technology firm headquartered in Orlando. The acquisition expands TAIT's capabilities and establishes a local presence in Orlando while ITEC's leadership team will remain with the business.

Bristol-based Plimsoll Productions, backed by private equity firm LDC, has fully acquired Magnify Media, a specialist distribution and rights-management company founded by Andrea Jackson. The deal expands Plimsoll's distribution capabilities and global reach—Magnify's catalogue distributes to over 75 countries—and supports the group's growth in natural history, documentary and factual entertainment.

PYMNTS has acquired Competition Policy International (CPI), a leading media platform covering antitrust and competition policy, to expand its editorial coverage into technology regulation and antitrust across the connected economy. CPI will operate as a property of What's Next in Media and Analytics (d/b/a PYMNTS.com) and will augment PYMNTS' content, events, and subscription offerings focused on TechREG topics.