Publicis Group makes big bet on sports with 160over90 acquisition
160over90 oversaw campaign work for Manchester United's deal with Marriott Bonvoy (160over90)
Publicis Group has acquired global sports marketing agency 160over90 in a deal reportedly worth US$500 million (A$723 million), as it looks to deepen its access to what it describes as the “most high-value channels” for clients.
The deal, first reported by the WSJ over the Easter weekend, will see the holding company acquire 160over90 from WME Group and integrate it into Publicis Sports.
According to Publicis Group CEO Arthur Sadoun, the push into sports marketing marks the “next big bet” for the holdco.
“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,” he said in an announcement.
“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.”
Globally, 160over90 is understood to have around 670 employees across the United States, the United Kingdom and Asia-Pacific, including a small footprint in Australia.
The company was previously known as Endeavor Global Marketing, which was acquired by WME Group in 2018 for approximately $200 million and subsequently rebranded as 160over90 a year later.
160over90, a name referencing elevated blood pressure, was chosen to “refer to the excitement and emotional response that the company wants all our work to elicit”, the agency’s leader Ed Horne said at the time.
In Australia, according to Linkedin, the company has a headcount of around eight people split between Sydney and Melbourne, covering account and partnership management, as well as social media.
The local team appears to be led by Lucas Barclay, APAC vice president of business strategy and transformation, who described the deal on Linkedin as “exciting times ahead”.
The agency, meanwhile, posted on its own Linkedin that the “sports media market is valued at US$150b while sports sponsorships have surpassed $90b globally. Despite this increased investment, for marketers, these ecosystems and the partners they use to manage them, remain disconnected and outdated.”
In Australia, rights deals for the top three sports (AFL, NRL and cricket) total more than $10.1 billion over multi-year deals. The NRL rights deal is currently being negotiated, with hopes from the code that it will fetch $4 billion.
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, Commonwealth Bank was recently revealed to be the first major sponsor of the Games in a deal worth about $200 million, according to the AFR.
