Infront Partner with Ringier to Exploit Swiss Sports Market

A new joint venture has been created to combine the marketing and media skills of two leading Swiss organisations – Infront Sports & Media AG and die Ringier AG.

The companies have announced a new 50:50 joint venture to exploit the growing Swiss sports market through an effective collaboration, cough which will be known as Infront Ringier Sports & Entertainment Switzerland AG, abbreviated to InfrontRingier.

The venture will support organisers of Swiss sports events and top Swiss athletes by providing sophisticated marketing and consulting services.

In what the two parties feel is an ideal partnership, Infront will contribute its expertise in the commercialisation of sport (including sponsorship, production and distribution) and its highly specialised services to sport. In turn Ringier will integrate its newly-created Marketing and Sponsorship division set up last year which includes Pool Position Switzerland AG, which supports Switzerland’s big names in sports, the arts and culture.

Philippe Blatter, President & CEO of Infront Sports & Media AG, said: “The experience and resources of Ringier and Infront Sports & Media complement each other ideally in this partnership. Infront already has a large network of rights owners and sponsors based in Switzerland, but with the focus on international events. Now, we will be offering high-level services to national events too through InfrontRingier. We can help set the tone of the future for the Swiss sports market and provide an innovative and reliable partner on the doorstep.”

Marc Walder, CEO Ringier Switzerland and Germany, added: “The activities of Infront and Ringier in Switzerland are highly complementary. In addition to its core business, Ringier will be diversifying its existing product and brand portfolio through this involvement in an ideal way. As both companies are market leaders in their respective fields, we feel this is a relationship on an equal footing.”