Discovery Takes Majority Stake in Eurosport

Silver Springs, Md., January 21, 2014--Discovery Communications and TF1 Group today announced Discovery would acquire a controlling interest in Eurosport International through an extension of their larger strategic partnership first announced in December 2012. The deal to increase Discovery’s interest from 20 to 51% accelerates the original agreement by nearly one year.

The Eurosport network reaches 133 million homes across 54 countries in 20 languages. Eurosport’s brands and platforms also include: Eurosport 2 reaching 69 million households across 51 countries; Eurosport HD, the high definition simulcast of Eurosport, available in 32 million homes in 48 countries; Eurosport Asia-Pacific reaching 16 countries; and Eurosportnews, a 24-hour news channel and online hub, providing an up-to-the-minute sports news feed available in 48 countries.

The combined reach of Discovery Communications, Eurosport and the 2013 acquisition of SBS Nordics, will be 2.7 billion cumulative subscribers across nearly 200 networks spanning more than 220 countries and territories worldwide. Discovery Communications will strengthen its leadership as the #1 pay-TV programmer in the world. 

Today’s agreement was based on an average enterprise valuation for the Eurosport Group of €902 million (approximately US$ 1.2 billion), partly corresponding to the initial valuation and partly to a higher valuation linked to the control of the company. From this Group valuation, the value of Eurosport France (€85 million, approximately US$ 115 million) has been deducted. TF1 expects to retain its 80% interest in Eurosport France until at least January 1, 2015. Also, today’s announcement does not impact the other two elements of the original deal – the 20% interest Discovery acquired in TV Breizh, Histoire, Ushuaïa TV and Stylía channels, and a production alliance with TF1 Group. TF1 will retain the ability to exercise a put option over the remaining 49%, which would potentially increase Discovery’s ownership to 100%.

The closing of the deal is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to occur in the coming months.  

Rothschild acted as financial advisor to Discovery Communications on this transaction, and DLA Piper served as its legal advisors. Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier served as legal advisors to TF1 on this transaction.