Chellomedia Ups Stake in Sport1

LONDON, September 8: Liberty Global’s Chellomedia has
acquired a further 55 percent stake in the Central European channel Sport1 for
43 million euros in cash, bringing its interest up to 80 percent.

Sport1 currently packages and distributes sports programming
in Central and Eastern Europe under the Sport1 and Sport2 brand names to over
3.5 million subscribers. Sport1 and Sport2 are distributed by all major cable
and DTH operators in the region.

Chellomedia is looking to further expand the channels’
reach, as well as roll out new offerings and expand into new media platforms. “This
is a very important transaction for us and supports our strategy of providing
the best sports programming to customers in the region,” said Shane O’Neill,
the president of Chellomedia. “It also demonstrates our commitment to the
expansion of programming where we continue to explore new and innovative ways
of expanding our consumers’ enjoyment of attractive programming. Chellomedia
has had a 25 percent stake in Sport1 Hungary since 2001 but from today we can
use our expertise to ensure the channel is the leader in its field. Sport1 has
huge potential for Central Europe’s fast developing TV market and it is
Chellomedia’s goal to seek out new opportunities to grow further in this
region.”