WME Group chief Mark Shapiro ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images WME Group continues to slim down outside of its core talent agency business.
The company said Thursday that it has sold its sports marketing agency 160over90 to the French advertising giant Publicis (one of the big three ad agencies alongside WPP and Omnicom).
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though the Wall Street Journal pegged the value at more than $500 million. WME’s predecessor company Endeavor had acquired 160over90 in 2018 for $200 million, when it was still bulking up in preparation for its IPO.
The companies also inked a strategic partnership, with Publicis securing early-stage access to WME’s roster of talent and IP for content partnerships and financing.
The deal expands Publicis’ presence in the sports marketing sector, which has remained arguably the strongest part of the traditional advertising ecosystem at a time where digital disruption is prevalent. 160over90’s employees, which number more than 670, will join Publicis Sports. Suzy Deering, CEO of Publicis Sports, will add oversight of 160over90 to her portfolio, while current 160over90 president (he was just elevated to the role last fall) Robbie Henchman will stay with WME Group as senior partner and president of WME’s brand representation business. He will also manage the strategic partnership with Publicis.
WME, of course, went private last year in a deal with Silver Lake. As part of that transaction, it has been selling non-core businesses (as well as some sports representation businesses that were subject to conflict of interest rules). That included selling IMG, On Location and PBR to TKO Group Holdings (which is owned by WME), and many of its live events businesses to MARI, which was founded by WME executive chairman Ari Emanuel and president Mark Shapiro.
“160over90 has earned its reputation as a trusted partner to many of the world’s most influential brands, consistently delivering unique experiences and valuable partnerships on the biggest stages in sports,” WME Group president and managing partner Mark Shapiro said in a statement. “Combining forces with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands looking to move faster and create deeper connections with sports fans, properties, and content. Additionally, WME Group’s new collaboration with Publicis Groupe will deliver more opportunities for our talent and partners to realize their business ambitions at scale.”
“After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport. In the age of AI, it has become one of the most high-value channels for clients, delivering unparalleled cultural relevance, live engagement, and measurable impact,” added Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun. “By combining 160over90’s scale and expertise in sports experiences, culture, and talent with the industry’s most powerful connected influencer platform, experiential capabilities, and data-driven insights, we are disrupting a highly fragmented landscape by creating a unified, end-to-end platform that connects brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable.”
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