Publicis Groupe disrupts sports marketing landscape with acquisition of 160over90

PUBLICIS GROUPE DISRUPTS SPORTS MARKETING LANDSCAPE WITH ACQUISITION OF 160OVER90

160over90 will be integrated with Publicis Sports and powered by the Groupe’s technology assets, Epsilon data, and scale in media to create the world’s premier data-driven sport & culture agency.

April 2, 2026 – Paris – Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] announces it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 160over90, the premier global sports and culture-first agency. The move creates the industry’s leading global platform designed to drive measurable business outcomes by connecting brands to fans and audiences through unmatched technology, data, and scale across sport and culture.

160over90, a division of WME Group, is one of the largest global sports marketing and creative agencies that creates meaningful connections with the people, events, and properties that move sports and culture. The agency has over 670 employees across the US, UK, EMEA and APAC, and supports sports and culture strategies and activations for global brands, delivering unforgettable moments across Super Bowls, Olympic Games, the World Cup, and more. 

Disrupting the Model: The New Data-Driven Playbook for Sport and Culture 
Sports has become the anchor of premium media and modern marketing, commanding unrivaled live audiences and cultural relevance. The sports media market is valued at $150B¹ while
sports sponsorships have surpassed $90B² globally. Despite this increased investment, for marketers, these ecosystems, and the partners they use to manage them, remain disconnected and outdated.

To fully leverage the power of sport and its impact on global culture, marketers need a unified approach across media, sponsorships, events, content, creators, and talent, and require the data, technology, and expertise to orchestrate it together. With 160over90, Publicis will offer an end-to-end ecosystem where cultural relevance drives measurable growth through:

• Unmatched Scale & Reach: Integrating the full-service capabilities of Publicis Sports and 160over90, to create the world’s leading sports marketing solution, with reach across the U.S., U.K., EMEA, and APAC
• Data-First Optimization: Leveraging the Publicis Sports Intelligence platform, powered by Epsilon identity, to plan, personalize, and measure investments and outcomes across media, experiential, content, hospitality, sponsorships, and commerce.
• The Creator Economy at Scale: Activating Influential, the industry’s leading creator platform to extend the reach and impact of athletes as socially connected creators, storytellers, and community leaders.
• Strategic Talent & Entertainment Partnership:  the creation of a strategic partnership with WME Group, enabling early-stage collaboration between WME’s preeminent talent and IP roster and Publicis to create opportunities across talent, content financing, and marketing partnerships.  

This acquisition continues to build on Publicis Sports’ roster of sports and culture-first capabilities, including the acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke in 2025, as well as a recent partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises and the launch of Influential Sports, a first-of-its-kind practice that brings sports strategies together with talent at scale.  

The combined Publicis Sports group will report to Suzy Deering, CEO of Publicis Sports, and sit within PMX to ensure access and unified delivery to all Publicis agencies and clients.  Robbie Henchman, most recently President of 160over90, will remain at WME Group as a Senior Partner and President of WME’s brand representation business, and oversee the strategic partnership between WME Group and Publicis Groupe.   

Arthur Sadoun, CEO Publicis Groupe: “After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport. In the age of AI, it has become one of the most high-value channels for clients, delivering unparalleled cultural relevance, live engagement, and measurable impact.

By combining 160over90’s scale and expertise in sports experiences, culture, and talent with the industry’s most powerful connected influencer platform, experiential capabilities, and data-driven insights, we are disrupting a highly fragmented landscape by creating a unified, end-to-end platform that connects brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable. 

This acquisition is the latest demonstration of our ongoing commitment to investing in the channels and capabilities that deliver the highest value for our clients, giving them control over their audience connections, transparency in their investments, and real business outcomes across every activation and engagement.”

Dave Penski, CEO Publicis Connected Media, commented: “Sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce and community. As brands invest more in the space, Publicis Groupe and 160over90 are uniquely positioned to advance and integrate sports marketing as an addressable and measurable channel, not just across media, but sponsorships, talent, and live activations.”

Mark Shapiro, President and Managing Partner of WME Group, said, “160over90 has earned its reputation as a trusted partner to many of the world’s most influential brands, consistently delivering unique experiences and valuable partnerships on the biggest stages in sports. Combining forces with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands looking to move faster and create deeper connections with sports fans, properties, and content. Additionally, WME Group’s new collaboration with Publicis Groupe will deliver more opportunities for our talent and partners to realize their business ambitions at scale”

The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals.

About Publicis Groupe – The Power of One
Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in communication. The Groupe is positioned at every step of the value chain, from consulting to execution, combining marketing transformation and digital business transformation. Publicis Groupe is a privileged partner in its clients’ transformation to enhance personalization at scale. The Groupe relies on ten expertise concentrated within four main activities: Communication, Media, Data and Technology. Through a unified and fluid organization, its clients have a facilitated access to all its expertise in every market. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs around 114,000 professionals.
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1 Source : Ken Research report
2 Source : Allied Research report