Sport1 Medien
German sports media company
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Sport1 Medien AG is a German media company whose business has evolved from children’s entertainment and merchandising into a predominantly sports-focused media and services group. The company was established in 1989 as EM.TV & Merchandising AG by Thomas Haffa. Its original name referred to entertainment, merchandising, and television, and its early strategy centered on exploiting licensed children’s programming through television, distribution, publishing, merchandising, and related media activities. During the 1990s, EM.TV built the Junior brand and became involved in the licensing and distribution of children’s television properties. It expanded through partnerships and acquisitions, including interests connected with Constantin Film, Tele München Gruppe, Australian animation producer Yoram Gross-EM.TV, and the American entertainment company The Jim Henson Company. In 2000, the company made an especially ambitious expansion by acquiring The Jim Henson Company and taking a major interest in the holding structure associated with Formula One. These transactions greatly increased the group’s international profile, but they also placed substantial financial pressure on the company. The company’s position deteriorated around the turn of the millennium after difficulties associated with its acquisitions, financing structure, and reported financial performance. Its share price collapsed, and the business entered a far-reaching restructuring process. Kirch Group became a significant investor, while Werner Klatten assumed leadership in 2001 and directed a program of asset sales and strategic refocusing. The restructuring included the disposal or planned disposal of major entertainment and motorsport interests, the sale of the Jim Henson business back to the Henson family, and the withdrawal from several internet and publishing activities. EM.TV also consolidated control of the Junior programming library after KirchMedia’s financial failure. From the middle of the 2000s, the group increasingly concentrated on sports. It created separate entertainment and sports divisions, exited much of its children’s entertainment portfolio, and changed its corporate name to EM.Sport Media AG in 2007. The company expanded its production capabilities through an investment in Wige Media, a specialist sports-production company, and strengthened its involvement in the production and commercial exploitation of sports events. It also acquired a substantial interest in Highlight Communications, linking the group to a broader media structure with film, sports, and event-related activities. The business subsequently operated around sports media and entertainment assets, including the SPORT1 platform. SPORT1 developed as a multi-channel German-language sports brand spanning free television, pay television, websites, social-media channels, digital audio, and related content products. Alongside its own media outlets, the group has provided production, distribution, marketing, event-management, and content solutions for sports and entertainment partners. Sport1 Medien is therefore best understood as the corporate successor to a highly diversified German media group that underwent a major transformation. Its history includes rapid international expansion, a severe restructuring after acquisition-related financial problems, and a later strategic shift toward sports broadcasting and sports services. The available reference material does not establish a complete current ownership structure, current executive roster, or detailed present-day financial profile, so those fields remain unfilled here.
History
Sport1 Medien AG began in 1989 as EM.TV & Merchandising AG, founded by Thomas Haffa. The company initially pursued children’s entertainment, television licensing, merchandising, and distribution. In 1996 it established the Junior brand and associated television activities, using licensed programming as the basis for a broader media and consumer-products business. EM.TV went public in 1997 and then expanded through production partnerships, investments, and acquisitions. Its expansion accelerated in the late 1990s. The company developed a relationship with Australian animation producer Yoram Gross and later acquired a substantial interest in the studio. It also invested in Constantin Film and Tele München Gruppe, extending its presence into feature-film production and distribution. Joint ventures such as Junior.Publishing broadened the group into publishing and licensing. In 2000, EM.TV purchased The Jim Henson Company and acquired a major interest in the corporate structure connected with Formula One. The scale and financing of these transactions created significant pressure. Problems with funding, reported results, and the group’s ability to support its acquisition program contributed to a dramatic fall in its market value. Kirch Group became involved, and the company entered a major restructuring phase. Werner Klatten became chief executive in 2001. His restructuring plan sought to reduce complexity and debt by selling non-core holdings, exiting internet and publishing operations, and reviewing the group’s major international assets. EM.TV sold its interest in Formula One-related holdings to Kirch, disposed of its stake in Crown Media, and later sold The Jim Henson Company back to the Henson family. It also eventually secured full control of the Junior programming library after KirchMedia’s collapse. The group reorganized its activities during the 2000s. EM.Entertainment and EM.Sport were created as separate divisions, while the children’s entertainment assets were gradually reduced. The Australian studio Yoram Gross-EM.TV was acquired outright and renamed Flying Bark Productions, but the group subsequently announced plans to leave the children’s entertainment sector. The company’s strategic center shifted toward sports broadcasting, sports production, event organization, and marketing. In 2007 the corporate name changed to EM.Sport Media AG. The business increased its interest in Highlight Communications and invested in Wige Media, strengthening its sports-production position. Over time, its sports activities were organized around the SPORT1 brand, which developed into a German-language, multi-platform service covering television, online publishing, social media, and digital audio. The wider group also offered production, distribution, event, and marketing services for sports and entertainment. The company’s history is consequently marked by three broad phases: an early children’s-entertainment and licensing period; an ambitious but financially damaging international expansion; and a post-restructuring concentration on sports media and sports-related services. The supplied sources do not provide enough information to document every later corporate development or to identify a complete current executive and ownership structure.
- 2008
Investment in Wige Media
[1]EM.Sport Media acquires a minority stake in Wige Media to reinforce sports-event production capabilities.
- 2007
Company adopts EM.Sport Media name
[1]The company changes its name as it pivots away from children’s entertainment and toward sports media and production.
- 2006
Yoram Gross-EM.TV is fully acquired
[1]EM.TV obtains the remaining interest in the Australian animation and production venture.
- 2004
Junior.TV becomes wholly controlled
[1]EM.TV acquires the remaining interest in the Junior programming-library joint venture from KirchMedia.
- 2003
Henson business is divested
[1]The Jim Henson Company is sold back to the Henson family.
- 2001
Restructuring begins
[1]Werner Klatten becomes chief executive and leads a program to sell assets, simplify the group, and address financial pressures.
- 2000
Major international acquisitions
[1]EM.TV acquires The Jim Henson Company and takes a significant interest in the Formula One holding structure.
- 1997
EM.TV goes public
[1]The company becomes publicly traded and begins a period of accelerated expansion.
- 1996
Junior brand is established
[1]EM.TV creates the Junior business and television brand around licensed children’s programming.
- 1989
EM.TV is founded
[1]Thomas Haffa establishes EM.TV & Merchandising AG in Germany, initially focusing on entertainment, television, licensing, and merchandising.
Products and positioning
A German-language sports media and services group combining broadcasting, digital publishing, audio, event production, marketing, and content solutions. Its corporate history also includes an earlier emphasis on children’s entertainment, licensing, and international media assets.
Sports media platform
SPORT1
The SPORT1 platform is the group’s principal sports-media proposition in German-speaking markets. It brings together television channels, online sports journalism, social-media publishing, digital audio, and related content formats. Its programming and editorial output cover live and recorded sports, news, analysis, discussion, and entertainment-oriented sports content. The platform also supports advertising, sponsorship, rights exploitation, and distribution partnerships.
Media services
Sports production and event services
The company has developed production and event capabilities serving sports rights holders, broadcasters, leagues, and commercial partners. These activities include the technical and editorial production of sports events, media-content creation, event organization, and associated marketing services. The investment in Wige Media was intended to strengthen this part of the business.
Children’s entertainment brand · 1996
Junior
Junior was an important historical children’s-entertainment brand associated with EM.TV. It encompassed television programming, licensing, distribution, and a substantial children’s catalogue. The company later reduced and exited much of this business as it redirected its strategy toward sports.
Animation production · 2006
Flying Bark Productions
Flying Bark Productions was the name adopted by the Australian animation studio formerly associated with Yoram Gross-EM.TV after EM.TV obtained full control. The studio expanded beyond its earlier children’s-animation identity into broader animation production. It was part of the group’s historical children’s-entertainment portfolio before the planned exit from that sector.
Brand decisions
2008
Minority investment in Wige MediaM&ABackground
EM.Sport Media wanted to increase its sports-event production capacity and strengthen its position in sports broadcasting services.
Action taken
The company acquired a 15 percent minority interest in Wige Media.
Aftermath
The investment expanded the group’s access to sports-production capabilities and supported its positioning as a major German sports-events production company.
2007
Strategic pivot toward sportsStrategyBackground
EM.TV decided to leave much of its children’s entertainment business and concentrate on sports-related media and services.
Action taken
The company changed its name to EM.Sport Media AG and emphasized sports broadcasting, production, events, and marketing.
Aftermath
The sports orientation became the foundation for the later SPORT1 multi-platform media business.
2003
Sale of The Jim Henson CompanyM&ABackground
The restructuring program identified the American entertainment subsidiary as a non-core asset.
Action taken
EM.TV sold The Jim Henson Company back to the Henson family.
Aftermath
The transaction returned the company to family ownership and reduced EM.TV’s exposure to international children’s entertainment production.
2001
Restructuring and asset-sale programStrategyBackground
After acquisition-related financial difficulties and a sharp deterioration in the company’s market value, EM.TV needed to reduce complexity and improve its financial position.
Action taken
Under Werner Klatten, the company pursued the sale of major holdings, exited internet and publishing activities, and refocused its operating portfolio.
Aftermath
The group moved away from its earlier high-growth entertainment model and gradually developed a stronger sports orientation.
2000
Acquisition of The Jim Henson CompanyM&ABackground
EM.TV sought to expand from European children’s licensing into international entertainment production and acquired the American company associated with The Muppets and other established properties.
Action taken
The company completed the acquisition and integrated The Jim Henson Company into its international entertainment activities.
Aftermath
The acquisition increased EM.TV’s international reach but contributed to the financial and strategic pressures that led to restructuring. The business was sold back to the Henson family in 2003.
Recent events
- 2008
EM.Sport Media invests in Wige Media[1]
M&A
The company acquired a minority stake in Wige Media, expanding its sports-event production capabilities and its access to international production operations.
- 2007
Corporate name changes to EM.Sport Media AG[1]
Other
Following its decision to withdraw from much of the children’s entertainment business, the company adopted the EM.Sport Media name to signal a stronger sports orientation.
- 2004
EM.TV obtains full control of Junior.TV[1]
M&A
After KirchMedia entered insolvency proceedings, EM.TV completed the acquisition of the remaining interest in the Junior programming-library joint venture.
- 2003
The Jim Henson Company is sold back to the Henson family[1]
M&A
The company sold its American entertainment subsidiary back to the Henson family, reversing one of the most prominent acquisitions made during EM.TV’s international expansion.
- 2001
Werner Klatten takes leadership during restructuring[1]
Leadership change
Werner Klatten became chief executive and led a refocusing program involving asset disposals, management changes, and negotiations with bondholders.
- 2000
EM.TV faces financial crisis after major acquisitions[1]
Other
The company encountered severe financial pressure after its rapid expansion into major entertainment and Formula One-related assets. Its reported financial difficulties and financing problems triggered a major corporate restructuring.
Sources1 sources
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