Livecast and HD Sat Com join forces with TVN to create new outside broadcast joint venture for Bundesliga matches

Credit: DFL/Getty Images/Alexander Scheuber

German Football League (DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga) subsidiary Sportcast and TVN Group have strengthened their co-operation by becoming joint shareholders of TVN Live Production. The new venture for TV outside broadcasts is the result of a co-operation between TVN Mobile Production and Sportcast subsidiaries Livecast TV Produktion and HD Sat Communication.

TVN Live Production will focus on broadcasting Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 matches. It will also continue to deliver and expand its portfolio of high-quality productions in the areas of music, entertainment and other sports.

TVN will hold 65% of the shares in TVN Live Production, with Sportcast holding the remaining 35%. The operational manager of the new company will be Markus Osthaus, managing director of TVN Group, a member of Madsack Media Group. TVN Group CEO Frank Hähnel and Markus Bartsch, commercial manager at Sportcast, have also been appointed as managing directors.

HD Sat Communication specialises in the satellite and fibre transmission of live images. The core business of Livecast TV Produktion is audiovisual signals in the area of HD production. TVN Mobile Production is a provider of outside broadcasts. It realises sports and show events worldwide and has a broad range of outside broadcast vehicles.

Josef Nehl, CEO of Sportcast, said: “This joint venture will allow us to strengthen our operating activities in line with our principles of quality, innovation and sustainability.”

Hähnel added: “I am delighted that we have been able to further reinforce our tried-and-tested co-operation. All of the parties involved will benefit from the fact that we ideally complement each other both technically and from a business perspective.”

TVN Live Production will be headquartered in Hanover, where TVN Group and Madsack Media Group also have their head offices. The operational premises of Livecast TV Produktion and HD Sat Communication will remain in Flörsheim.

The joint venture is subject to approval by the Bundeskartellamt (German Federal Cartel Office).