Adviser to the Smyle Group on their acquisition of The Sports Presentation Company.

Deal Overview

Wilson Partners Corporate Finance was delighted to support the Smyle Group with financial and tax due diligence for its acquisition of UK-based sports production and fan engagement agency, The Sports Presentation Company, for an undisclosed sum.

The acquisition will enable The Sports Presentation Company to realise ambitious domestic and international growth plans and access Smyle’s broad range of strategic, content, creative, production and measurement expertise.

Following the acquisition, The Sports Presentation Company will continue to operate from its base in West London.

Rick Stainton, Smyle Group Co-Founder said “Andy Friedlander has a passionate team and first-class portfolio of clients. The Sports Presentation Company and its fan experiences massively enhance the overall impact of sports events. The agency expands the fan experience specialism of the Smyle Group alongside gaming and esports experts NJ Live, who joined the Group in 2021.” The deal was led by Paul Woolley Group Chair at Smyle Group and he added “The Sports Presentation Company are a much sought after partner and very well respected in areas of sports production and fan engagement which we at Smyle see dovetailing perfectly into our product and client portfolio.”

Andy Friedlander, The Sports Presentation Company Founder said “We have been at the vanguard of the fast-growing sports presentation sector as the expectations of stadium fans, TV viewers and rights holders has gradually increased. Joining the Smyle Group gives us the insight, scale and muscle to further raise our game. Our team is fired up to do more of the work we love, while learning from people we respect who share our passion for creativity, operational excellence and ethical business.”

About the Parties

The Smyle Group is a creative experience agency, who bring together a talented community of experts in everything from content to technical, creative to broadcast, digital to scenic. This unique mix of talent allows them to push the limits of what’s possible, delivering a wide range of activations and content, all underpinned by the credibility of knowing exactly how to make it happen.

The Sports Presentation Company, founded by Andy Friedlander in 2011, creates stadium/arena and fanzone experiences for UK and International properties including the English Football League, England Netball, Harlequins Rugby, UCI & British Cycling, FIFA Beach Soccer, FIBA Basketball and the Pan American Games at venues including Wembley, Twickenham, Tottenham Stadium, Manchester Arena, The O2 and velodromes, courts, pools and arenas across the UK.

Tom Bradbury, Associate Director at Wilson Partners said: “The Sports Presentation Company has cornered an exciting part of the market, and this transaction offers a perfect opportunity to realise their exciting growth plans as part of the Smyle Group. As always, it was a pleasure working with Paul and the Smyle team and we look forward to working with them again soon.”