Publicis Aims to Acquire 160over90, Targeting a $150 Billion Sports Market
Publicis Groupe has reached a definitive agreement to acquire 160over90, a global agency specializing in sports and cultural marketing. This acquisition enables the group to create an integrated platform combining creative expertise, proprietary data, and technology to serve brands in the sports and cultural sectors.
Expanding Global Presence
160over90, a division of WME Group, boasts over 670 employees across the United States, the United Kingdom, the EMEA region, and APAC. The agency supports international brands in their sports and cultural strategies and activations at major events such as the Super Bowl, the Olympic Games, and the World Cup. It stands as one of the largest global agencies in creative and sports marketing. The newly formed Publicis Sports group will be led by Suzy Deering, CEO of Publicis Sports, and integrated within PMX to ensure seamless access to all Publicis agencies and clients.
Tapping Into a Lucrative Market
The sports media market is valued at $150 billion, while investments in sponsorships exceed $90 billion internationally. Despite this surge in investments, ecosystems remain fragmented, according to Publicis. The acquisition will merge the integrated expertise of Publicis Sports and 160over90, leveraging the Publicis Sports Intelligence platform powered by Epsilon's proprietary data. The group is also activating Influential, its leading influence platform, to enhance the impact of athletes as creators and community leaders.
Continuing Strategic Growth
This acquisition is part of the ongoing development of Publicis Sports following the acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke in 2025, the partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, and the launch of Influential Sports. A strategic partnership with WME Group opens up marketing collaboration opportunities with major talents from the WME Group portfolio. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
