- Infront will continue to be led by president and CEO Philippe Blatter
- Wanda acquired agency for €1.05bn in 2015
Chinese conglomerate Wanda Group will remain the owner of Infront Sports & Media following the conclusion of a review into the agency that lasted more than two and a half years.
Wanda launched a strategic review in August 2023 to find a buyer for Infront, having acquired the Swiss-based marketing agency from British private equity firm Bridgepoint for €1.05 billion (US$1.24 billion) in 2015. The purchase was part of efforts to diversify away from construction and property into other sectors, including entertainment, media and technology.
However, financial pressure on Wanda’s core businesses, caused by a wider downturn in the Chinese real estate market, led to suggestions Infront could be sold.
During the review, multiple groups were linked with a potential deal, including a consortium led by Boyu Capital and NJF Capital.
In a statement, Wanda said the process had ‘attracted strong interest and resulted in high-quality discussions with potential partners.’ But, after evaluating its options, Wanda has opted to continue as the majority shareholder of Infront, which will remain a standalone company under the existing management team, led by president and chief executive Philippe Blatter.
“This decision provides clarity and continuity for our clients, partners and employees,” said Blatter. “Infront will continue to focus relentlessly on creating value for rights holders, brands, media partners and athletes.
“Over recent years, we have significantly diversified our portfolio and expanded our position across both professional and participation sports. With our global platforms and deep market expertise, we are well positioned to capture opportunities and synergies within the sports ecosystem, drive sustainable growth and deliver long-term shareholder value.
“We look forward to continuing our journey under the umbrella of Wanda Group, which has been a committed and supportive shareholder for more than a decade.”
Infront was founded in 2002 and manages media, commercial and production rights for some of the biggest properties in sport, including the Olympic Games, the Premier Leaguethe National Basketball Association and global federations.
The agency is particularly prominent in winter sports, representing six out of seven Olympic winter sports federations, including the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). In addition, Infront’s Host Broadcasting Services (HBS) produces high-profile events in multiple sports, including the Fifa World Cup and Rugby World Cup. In 2022, Infront became the majority owner of indoor fitness competition Hyrox.
All told, the agency has partnerships with 200 rights holders in more than 30 sports, operates over 40 offices spanning more than 20 countries, and generated revenues of over €1.2 billion (US$1.4 billion) in 2025.
Infront once aimed to be an end-to-end technology supplier for the sports industry, designing, developing and maintaining custom digital platforms. In 2021, it merged Infront Lab, its sports technology research and development division, with the iX.co digital media and solutions business to create Infront X.
However, by early 2022, Infront took steps to restructure and streamline its business, separating Infront X, its professional services and digital product business, from Infront Lab. Infront X was acquired by Next League in early 2023, while Infront Lab was offloaded to WSC Sports in 2025.
Enjoying this content? Dive into the industry’s biggest topics at SportsPro London. Find out what’s really going on in sport today – no buzzwords, no fluff, just real insights. Learn more here.
