Ringier AG and Sportradar Group AG announce formation of joint venture in Africa

The joint venture combines Ringier’s media expertise with Sportradar’s sports data and product portfolio and builds on a long-standing relationship of collaboration and innovation between the two Swiss based companies. In the joint venture, Sportradar Group AG & Ringier AG are backing the pan-African media company Pulse, already part of the Ringier portfolio. The parties expect to close the transaction shortly, which is subject to satisfaction of standard conditions.

Pulse is Africa’s leading innovative media platform with mass media websites, offices, and teams in six key markets in Sub-Saharan Africa: Nigeria and Ghana in Anglophone West Africa; Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire in Francophone West Africa and Kenya and Uganda in East Africa. Pulse’s mission to inform and engage Africa’s young population reaches millions of people across the continent monthly. Its media and marketing services enable best-in-class digital advertisement and consumer services on the continent.

Pulse has been building up a strong sports content offering across its websites and social media assets under the branding Pulse Sports, with an ambition to become the leading sports information provider for the digital audiences in its markets. This offering will further strengthen as part of the partnership between Ringier AG and Sportradar AG. In addition, the initiative will benefit from Ringier’s long-standing expertise in media and the African market and from Sportradar’s global sports data and entertainment capabilities in developing new consumer offerings.

Marc Walder, CEO Ringier AG: “Digital sports media is increasingly the place where sports enthusiasts & experts as well as advertisers meet. Ringier is highly committed to further invest into this attractive sports media segment and wants to become a top player globally. We feel honored that Sportradar, a company at the highest level of integrity, agreed to form a long-term strong partnership with us and develop new sports information and entertainment offerings in Africa.”

Carsten Koerl, CEO Sportradar Group AG: “The Ringier-Sportradar venture is a powerful combination, which brings together a leading media company and a leading sports technology company with the common vision to create engaging and interactive sports information and entertainment experiences for sports fans across Africa.”

Ringier AG recently founded the independently acting Ringier Sports Media Group. The Swiss-based company is responsible for the operational implementation of the ambitious sports media strategy of the Ringier group, currently including three sports brands in Eastern Europe: Sportal.bg in Bulgaria, Gazeta Sporturilor in Romania and Sportal.rs in Serbia, all powered by its proprietary Sportal365 technology, developed by Digital Ventures. In partnership with Sportradar, the Ringier Sports Media Group will now be entering Africa.

Leonard Stiegeler, Founder of Pulse: “The team at Pulse and I could not be more excited about the backing of Ringier and now Sportradar. Together, we will be able to fulfill Pulse’s vision as the leading innovative media company on the continent and continue to develop new, cutting-edge initiatives for our users and clients.“