EHF: Over half-billion-euro deal for European handball

Posted on 27. May 2018.

European Handball Federation media release

The European Handball Federation and EHF Marketing GmbH have signed a major new deal with Infront and Perform Group signalling the start of a long-term partnership that is set to transform the sport.

The European Handball Federation and its marketing arm, EHF Marketing GmbH, put pen to paper ahead of the final matches of the VELUX EHF Champions League season in Cologne on Sunday, 27 May, signing a new 10-year media and marketing partnership from 2020 with two of the leading companies on the international sports market, Infront and Perform Group.

The deal, worth between 500 and 600 million euro over 10 years, is the biggest in the history of the sport. It brings not only a significant financial investment over the duration of the contract (2020-2030) but also industry-leading know-how, expertise and services from both the EHF’s existing partner, Infront, one of the world’s leading international sports marketing companies, and Perform Group, a global leader in digital media.

At the core of the partnership is a new long-term strategy, which will see the two companies work closely with the EHF and EHF Marketing GmbH – together with Forum Club Handball, the organisation representing Europe’s top men’s clubs – to secure significant growth for the sport across both existing and new markets.

A key focus of the strategic plan will be to grow the appeal of the sport, particularly to younger audiences, through an enhanced digital offering.

Perform is well-placed to provide the innovative media rights strategy and extensive digital expertise required to achieve these objectives. With a proven track record of success with long term rights partnerships with the likes of WTA, FIBA, Conmebol and NFL and digital focussed brands including DAZN, the sport streaming service; and Spox.com, a leading sports website in the German-speaking market, the UK-based company is recognised as the digital leader in global sports media.

The EHF’s long-term media and marketing partner for the EHF EURO events, Infront, provides continuity within the new partnership. Having worked with the EHF since the first European Championship in 1994 and at 25 EHF EURO events since, the company – majority owned by the Chinese company Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd, – has worked closely with the EHF to develop the EHF EURO into one of the highest profile national team sports events on the international sports market. In 2016, the Men’s and Women’s EHF EURO events in Poland and Sweden achieved an all-time high with a cumulative TV audience of 2.2 billion.

The contracts were signed at the VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne by the EHF for its national team competitions including the EHF EUROs (2022-2030), youth and beach events and by EHF Marketing GmbH, the federation’s subsidiary and marketing arm, for club competitions including the EHF Champions League and other European Cup competitions from the start of the 2020/21 season through to 2029/30.

EHF Marketing GmbH will continue its successful cooperation with its existing partner MP & Silva for a further two seasons until 2020.