DAZN to Acquire Foxtel

(Reuters) – Sports streaming platform DAZN has agreed to buy News Corp (NASDAQ:NWSA)'s Australian cable TV unit Foxtel for A$3.4 billion ($2 billion) including debt.

What is DAZN?

The London-headquartered platform has over 300 million viewers across 200 markets. It streams several thousand sporting events, delivering 86,000 live events last year, according to its website.

DAZN (pronounced "Da Zone") was originally part of Perform Group, formed in 2007 through a merger of Premium TV Limited and Inform Group. In 2018, Perform Group rebranded as DAZN Group, splitting into two entities: DAZN, a sports streaming service, and Perform Content, focused on sports data.

Major Deals and Partnerships

• Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA): DAZN has exclusive rights to numerous high-profile boxing and MMA events, partnering with promotions like Matchroom, Golden Boy Promotions, and Misfits Boxing. From April 2025, DAZN will be the exclusive global broadcast partner for Queensberry Promotions, expanding its boxing content.

• European Football Leagues: DAZN holds exclusive rights to broadcast major European football leagues, including Italy's Serie A, Spain's LaLiga, Germany's Bundesliga, and France's Ligue.

• FIFA Club World Cup 2025: DAZN will be the exclusive global broadcaster for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, streaming all 63 matches live and free worldwide.

• Motorsports: DAZN has secured exclusive rights to broadcast Formula 1 in Spain until 2026 and also streams MotoGP and Supercross.

Who Owns DAZN?

DAZN is owned by Access Industries, a New York-based private holding company founded by Ukrainian-born billionaire Len Blavatnik in 1986. Access Industries' portfolio has an investment value of $35 billion and spans media, entertainment, and real estate. Its major media and entertainment investments include Warner Music Group (NASDAQ:WMG), DAZN, and Deezer, one of the largest independent music streaming services in the world.

Who is Len Blavatnik?

Len Blavatnik is a British-American businessman and philanthropist, ranking among the top 40 billionaires in the world, according to Bloomberg's billionaires index. Born on June 14, 1957, in Odesa, Ukraine, he emigrated to the United States in 1978. He holds degrees from Columbia University and Harvard Business School.

He was appointed Chevalier of France's Legion d'honneur for his support of education in 2013 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his service to philanthropy in 2017.

Source: DAZN website, Access Industry website