FRANKFURT: Sportfive has taken over the shares of Internationale Sportrechte Verwertungsgesellschaft (ISPR) These were previously held by German media conglomerate KirchMedia and Axel Springer. As a result, ISPR is being integrated as a whole into the Sportfive international marketing group.

The Munich-based ISPR was founded in 1991 and has developed into one of the leading sports marketing agencies. Among others, they market the worldwide television rights of the German football league.

Sportfive CEO Jean-Claude Darmon added, " This is a strategic decision. ISPR has been operative in the sports rights trade for a long time and offers an interesting portfolio and an excellent network in the European market. The business model of this agency harmonizes perfectly with our activities.".

Sportfive COO Philip Cordes said, :It is and remains our aim to strengthen and keep developing our position in Germany and Europe. We are glad that we were able to succeed in signing this contract with ISPR. After a thorough review of the legal and financial situation and subsequent to a specific valuation of the content of the company, this is the logical consequence."

Sportfive is the German subsidiary of the international marketing agency Sportfive S.A. that was founded in 2001 and is listed on the Paris stock market. The Sportfive Group covers the whole range of the sports rights trade, from stadium advertising and hospitality programmes to shirt sponsorships, stadium consulting and the sale of international television rights.

In the German market, Sportfive is responsible for the marketing of professional football clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Hertha BSC Berlin and Hamburger SV. The Sportfive Group also manages the worldwide TV rights of the international handball and basketball federations, VI Nations Tournament of Rugby and various football championships (English, Spanish, Italian and French).