Media & Entertainment Acquisitions in United States

Gallery Media Group (GMG), the lifestyle publisher behind PureWow, acquired fashion and beauty outlet Coveteur in a deal that closed this week. The acquisition is GMG’s first, and financial terms were not disclosed. Coveteur will relaunch while retaining its brand and website and will be folded into GMG’s portfolio.

PlayAGS, Inc. announced that its stockholders approved the company’s acquisition by affiliates of Brightstar Capital Partners at a special meeting on August 6, 2024. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Following closing, AGS will become privately held and its shares will be delisted from public markets.

Lensrentals acquired the BorrowLenses brand and select assets, expanding its reach in the U.S. photo and video equipment rental market. BorrowLenses’ existing and upcoming rentals will continue without interruption, with Lensrentals fulfilling orders going forward and integrating customer order history. The transaction is expected to expand Lensrentals’ customer base and strengthen its inventory and used-gear program (Keeper).

Praesidian Capital announced the successful exit of its investment in Autobahn Holdings, LLC through the sale of the business to an unnamed strategic buyer. Autobahn, headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, operates indoor go-kart racing and family entertainment locations across the United States.

Find.co announced it has acquired 100% of Salon.com, a long-running digital media outlet founded in 1995. Salon will continue operating as a standalone U.S.-based brand within Find.co’s media portfolio, with existing editorial staff remaining in place and former co-owner Drew Schoentrup staying on as CEO for six months while Chris Richmond serves as an advisor for a year.

Patreon has agreed to acquire Los Angeles-based livestream ticketed events platform Moment for an undisclosed amount. The deal is intended to add ticketed digital/livestream experiences to Patreon's creator toolkit, with Moment employees joining Patreon and product integration planned.

Dubin Clark has sold its portfolio company InProduction to ZMC Management. Based in Chicago, InProduction provides special event transformation services for large-scale corporate, social, and sporting events, including design, fabrication, delivery, installation, and on-site execution and tear-down.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) announced that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has become a minority investor in the company. MSE owns and operates multiple professional sports franchises, venues, and media networks in Washington, D.C., and the investment aligns with QIA’s long-term investment strategy.

Better Collective acquired American sports and entertainment media platform Playmaker HQ for total consideration of up to $54 million, including $15 million paid upfront. The deal includes deferred and performance-based earn-out payments over three years and will be accounted for as an asset purchase, with consolidation effective July 3, 2023.

WTWH Media, a portfolio company of Mountaingate Capital, announced the acquisition of PMQ Pizza, a leading B2B media brand focused on the pizza restaurant industry. The deal expands WTWH Media’s Foodservice, Retail, and Hospitality media portfolio and represents WTWH Media’s first add-on acquisition since partnering with Mountaingate Capital in December 2022.

Equine Network, a portfolio company of Growth Catalyst Partners, acquired Pink Buckle and Ruby Buckle, a series of barrel racing competitions. Stellus Capital Management provided senior debt (unitranche) financing through its affiliates to support the transaction. The acquisition expands Equine Network’s Western Sports Group offerings and supports its broader growth strategy in the equine industry.

Keywords Studios acquired Seattle-based game development studio Hardsuit to expand its US presence and add AAA development capabilities to its Create service line. Hardsuit will continue operating under the leadership of founders Andy Kipling and Russell Nelson, providing external development, co-development, and porting services.

Savvy Games Group agreed to acquire mobile games developer Scopely in a transaction valued at $4.9 billion. Savvy, which is wholly owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, said the deal will strengthen its global position while enabling Scopely to accelerate growth, subject to regulatory approval.

NewSpring Mezzanine, a dedicated mezzanine strategy of NewSpring, invested subordinated debt in AbelCine, an equipment and services provider to cinematic content creators. The proceeds will be used to expand AbelCine’s rental division through additional video equipment purchases and to facilitate a recapitalization of inactive shareholders.

AMI Entertainment Network (AMI), a digital jukebox and in-venue music/video entertainment and advertising provider for bars and restaurants, has been acquired by Coral Tree Partners. The transaction was completed with Coral Tree purchasing AMI from The Gores Group, which had partnered with AMI since 2017.

My Code announced it has completed the acquisition of Veranda Entertainment, a technology and entertainment company that distributes multicultural and Spanish-language film and television content across Connected TV platforms. The deal expands My Code’s owned and operated multicultural media portfolio and strengthens its connected TV advertising offerings for U.S. Hispanic audiences through access to Veranda’s channels and AVOD platform.

BroadcastMed, a healthcare media company, has acquired Harborside, a medical publishing and communications company specializing in oncology. Backed by growth capital partner 424 Capital, the deal expands BroadcastMed’s reach to more than 2.8 million healthcare professionals and strengthens its specialty-focused clinical content and communications offerings.

BroadcastMed acquired AEGIS Dental Network, expanding BroadcastMed’s healthcare professional audience by adding approximately 400,000 dental clinicians to its existing physician membership. The strategic investment backing the transaction was provided by 424 Capital, described as BroadcastMed’s growth capital partner.

3STEP Sports acquired First Scout Productions, a game film and highlight video production company serving youth sports events. The acquisition adds First Scout to 3STEP’s portfolio and is intended to bolster 3STEP’s video division, including collaboration with Next Level Video.

K1 Speed acquired Pole Position Raceway, including its two company-owned indoor karting centers in Las Vegas, Nevada and Corona, California. The locations will be rebranded as K1 Speed centers and upgraded with new electric karts, permanent track barriers, and Paddock Lounge cafés while remaining open during the transition.

Five Star Parks & Attractions, a portfolio company of Fruition Partners, acquired three Malibu Jack's Indoor Theme Parks locations in Lexington, Louisville, and Ashland, Kentucky. The deal expands Five Star's portfolio to 16 family entertainment centers across eight states, with Malibu Jack's founders and leadership expected to remain involved in developing additional parks.

Jagex, a Cambridge, UK-based video game developer and publisher, announced the acquisition of US-based Pipeworks Studios, a game development studio headquartered in Eugene, Oregon. The deal is intended to expand Jagex’s production capabilities and strengthen its footprint in North America, while Pipeworks will continue operating under its existing independent development and co-development model. Financial terms were not disclosed.

An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc. acquired the Deep Freeze Ice Arena in Boardman, Ohio. The facility includes an Olympic-sized ice sheet and hosts Extreme Air Trampoline Park, and it will serve as the official practice and training facility for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms, which is co-owned by Black Bear.

Saltwater announced that it has acquired Quillt Media as part of its strategy to build a platform in the content-to-commerce media space. Quillt Media, based largely in St. Louis, Missouri, operates brands including Suggest.com, TravelAwaits.com, and SeniorsMatter.com.

TA Associates has signed a definitive agreement to acquire TouchTunes, an in-venue interactive music and entertainment platform. The company is being acquired from funds advised by Searchlight Capital Partners and Newlight Partners, with the parties aiming to accelerate TouchTunes’ growth and innovation; financial terms were not disclosed.

Trifecta Collective LLC, a partnership between private equity firm GreyLion and trade show industry veterans Rick McConnell and Jennifer Hoff, acquired the North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA). NATDA operates a major trailer industry trade show, a membership organization, and a trade publication, and its co-founders Amy and Andy Ackerman will remain involved in a consulting role.

Sony Pictures Television (a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment) signed an agreement to acquire Industrial Media, an independent nonfiction and documentary television production group. Sony Pictures will acquire a majority controlling interest in Industrial Media in a transaction valuing the company at $350 million, subject to customary adjustments and closing conditions. Upon closing, Industrial Media executives Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman will join Sony Pictures Television to lead its nonfiction entertainment operations.

3Play Media acquired Captionmax, a provider of live and recorded captioning, localization, and audio description services. The transaction also includes National Captioning Canada (NCC), Captionmax’s Canadian subsidiary, expanding 3Play Media’s footprint and live captioning scale in Canada and North America. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Deluxe Media Inc., backed by Platinum Equity, acquired Post Haste Digital, an English dubbing and post-production services provider. The deal expands Deluxe’s owned dubbing capacity and mastering/audio services to support growing demand for local-language content and strengthens its North American presence.

SiriusXM Holdings Inc., through its subsidiary Sirius XM Radio Inc., acquired Cloud Cover Media, Inc., the operator of Cloud Cover Music (a music-for-business service). The acquisition adds Cloud Cover Music’s technology platform and enterprise/self-service offering to SiriusXM’s commercial music portfolio alongside SiriusXM Music for Business and Pandora for Business.

Gaia, Inc. acquired Yoga International, a digital-only yoga content and education platform originally founded by the Himalayan Institute. The deal expands Gaia’s streaming library by adding approximately 4,000 hours of yoga content and brings Yoga International’s subscriber community onto Gaia’s platform.

Solotech has acquired XR Studios, a Los Angeles-based full-service agency specializing in extended reality (XR) and augmented reality technologies for live broadcast and virtual production. XR Studios will continue operating as a separate entity and brand, while strengthening Solotech’s newly created Media and Entertainment Technology (MET) Division. The acquisition is supported by Solotech’s shareholders Claridge, Desjardins Capital, and Investissement Québec and is intended to accelerate global expansion of XR studio offerings.

An investor group led by Seaport Capital and including Gray Television formed and provided growth capital to Family Entertainment Holdings, LLC (FEH). The investment supports FEH’s strategy to scale and consolidate its live event formats—Magic of Lights and Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live—under a single holding company structure. FEH is headquartered in Medina, Ohio.

Beringer Capital acquired a majority stake in Benzinga, a tech-enabled financial media platform providing news, investment analytics, and market information. Benzinga founder and CEO Jason Raznick will retain a significant stake and continue in a key leadership role; financial terms were not disclosed.

Mood Media acquired PlayNetwork from Octave Group to expand its audio/visual and in-store media solutions offering. PlayNetwork provides curated music, video programming, content licensing, digital signage, and audiovisual systems for brands globally. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

FilmFreeway, a film festival marketplace, has been acquired by Backstage, a freelancer marketplace and application suite for creators. Following the acquisition, FilmFreeway will operate as a user extension within Backstage’s platform, allowing creators to discover, manage, and submit entries to film festivals and contests.

Wheel Pros, backed by Clearlake Capital Group, announced it has merged with Hoonigan, an automotive lifestyle media and commerce brand. The combination is intended to create an industry-leading digital platform for automotive enthusiasts, with Hoonigan’s leadership team remaining with the combined company. Financial terms were not disclosed.

NEP Group announced the launch of a new virtual production segment, NEP Virtual Studios, alongside the acquisitions of Prysm Collective, Lux Machina, and Halon Entertainment. The acquired teams will form key business units within NEP Virtual Studios to expand NEP’s global footprint in real-time/virtual production for film, television, broadcast, and live events. NEP noted its commitment to continued investment in this area together with its private equity partner, The Carlyle Group.

OverDrive announced it has completed the acquisition of Kanopy, a video streaming service for public and academic libraries. The deal adds Kanopy’s curated catalog of over 30,000 films to the OverDrive Marketplace, expanding OverDrive’s digital content offerings to libraries and schools worldwide.

Allied Esports Entertainment, Inc. completed the sale of the entities comprising the World Poker Tour to Element Partners, LLC. The transaction, approved by Allied Esports Entertainment stockholders on July 1, 2021, had a total purchase price of $105 million and included 100% of the outstanding capital stock of the WPT entities and associated poker-related assets.

Green Street sold Hedge Fund Alert, a U.S. news publication covering the fund-management and hedge fund industry, to Pageant Media. The acquisition expands Pageant Media’s portfolio of hedge fund-focused information products, and the Hedge Fund Alert editorial team based in New Jersey will continue operating under Pageant Media’s ownership.

The Equine Network completed the acquisitions of subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) training platforms Roping.com and EventingTraining.com; financial terms were not disclosed. The two equestrian training services will augment Equine Network’s existing SVOD offerings (including Horse&Rider OnDemand and Dressage Today OnDemand) and expand its digital education and membership platform for the U.S. equine industry.

Songtradr, a B2B music licensing marketplace, has acquired Pretzel, a music licensing and streaming platform providing stream-safe music for livestreamers. The acquisition strengthens Songtradr’s tech-enabled rights management and monetization capabilities, expanding solutions for creators streaming on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube.

Sandbox & Co. acquired Fingerprint, a digital content provider for kids and families, and combined it with existing Sandbox brands to create a new division called Sandbox Kids. Fingerprint CEO Nancy MacIntyre will lead Sandbox Kids, which brings together the Kidomi, Hopster, and Curious World subscription edutainment brands to expand global distribution and partnerships.

An affiliate of Black Bear Sports Group, Inc., a Blackstreet Capital Holdings affiliate, acquired Howell Ice Arena in Howell, New Jersey. The venue is a two-sheet ice rink serving local youth and high school hockey players, and the deal marks Black Bear's ninth ice rink acquisition in New Jersey.

ZMC has acquired The Second City, a premier improvisation and sketch-comedy entertainment and education brand founded in Chicago. Financial terms were not disclosed.

ETFS Capital acquired ETF.com, a media platform focused on exchange-traded fund (ETF) news, analysis, and education, from Cboe Global Markets. The deal adds ETF.com to ETFS Capital’s portfolio of investment-ecosystem businesses; financial terms were not disclosed.

ChyronHego announced a recapitalization led by Apollo Investment Corporation, which will become the majority investor in the company. The transaction is intended to provide ChyronHego with greater financial flexibility to accelerate investment in product innovation, customer success, and growth initiatives.

Government Executive Media Group (GEMG) has acquired City & State New York (CSNY), a New York-focused politics and policy media brand. The deal was completed with financial support from Growth Catalyst Partners, and is intended to accelerate GEMG’s state and local growth strategy and expansion into additional geographies.

Searchlight Capital Partners and ForgeLight completed the acquisition of an approximately 64% majority ownership interest in Univision Holdings, Inc. Grupo Televisa retained an approximately 36% stake and converted warrants into common stock, while maintaining its Program License Agreement and strategic partnership with Univision.

Red Ventures acquired Lonely Planet, a global travel media company and travel guidebook brand, from NC2 Media for an undisclosed amount. The deal adds Lonely Planet to Red Ventures’ travel portfolio (which includes The Points Guy) as Red Ventures aims to accelerate Lonely Planet’s digital growth while continuing its guidebook publishing.

iHeartMedia entered into an agreement to acquire Voxnest, a podcast technology and monetization platform offering analytics, enterprise publishing tools, and programmatic ad-serving capabilities. The deal expands iHeartMedia’s podcast technology infrastructure and is intended to increase monetization and targetable podcast ad inventory at scale. iHeartMedia previously held a minority stake in Voxnest prior to the acquisition.

Falfurrias Capital Partners will acquire a majority equity interest in Industry Dive, a Washington, D.C.-based B2B media company. Industry Dive’s management team, led by co-founder and CEO Sean Griffey, will continue to run the business as Falfurrias gains board representation to support the company’s next phase of growth.

CE Holdco, LLC, a portfolio company of Battery Ventures, acquired Stretch Internet LLC. Stretch Internet, headquartered in Gilbert, Arizona, provides streaming services for U.S. collegiate athletics, and the deal supports Battery Ventures’ plan to build a comprehensive college sports division.

Northern Lights Broadcasting, a subsidiary of the Pohlad Companies, acquired BringMeTheNews, LLC’s Minnesota-based local digital and broadcast news curation operation, including the BringMeTheNews name and related local assets. Following the sale, founder Rick Kupchella announced his remaining company would be renamed PresentNation to focus on national digital news curation.

Westwood One completed a refinancing of its long-term debt and an equity recapitalization, including lenders exchanging approximately $241 million of indebtedness for cash, preferred equity, and new senior secured notes. Entities managed by The Gores Group purchased $25 million of Series B preferred stock and exchanged their existing preferred shares, increasing Gores’ ownership to approximately 74.8% of Westwood One’s equity (on a preferred-stock basis) and taking control of the board.