With the acquisition of Sportal Media Group in 2021, an important foundation for further fostering and investing into sports media globally was established. Bulgaria’s leading online media company – which includes Sportal.bg, the country’s most successful sports website and Digital Ventures OOD which stands behind Sportal365, a globally unique content management system for sports news – allows Ringier to now strategically follow a clear expansion strategy.
For the operational implementation of the ambitious Ringier Sports Media strategy, an independent company, the Ringier Sports Media Group, will be incorporated shortly with headquarters in Zofingen, Switzerland.
At launch date, the Ringier Sports Media Group will include the sports brands of Sportal Media Group and Digital Ventures OOD in Bulgaria, Gazeta Sporturilor in Romania and Sportal.rs in Serbia. The portfolio will be growing fast through mergers and acquisitions as well as newly started products within the upcoming months.
Stilian Shishkov, founder and CEO of the Sportal Media Group in Bulgaria, will be responsible for the further strategic development of Ringier Sports Media globally.
The Supervisory Board of the Ringier Sports Media Group is headed by Robin Lingg as Chairman. Board members are Marc Walder, CEO of Ringier AG, Ladina Heimgartner, Head Global Media Ringier AG and CEO Blick Group, Annabella Bassler, CFO Ringier AG and, as delegate, Alexander Theobald, CEO Ringier Axel Springer Switzerland and COO Ringier Switzerland.
Robin Lingg, Shareholder of Ringier AG and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ringier Sports Media Group: «Sports media is increasingly the place where sports audiences, sports gamers, and advertisers meet. Ringier will further invest into this highly attractive segment and wants to become a top player globally. The Ringier Sports Media Group will unite leading digital sports media brands, build cutting edge products on joint tech stacks and lift synergies via a joint organizational and governance structure.»
«Founding the Ringier Sports Media Group is a major step and it is the beginning of a great venture in the highly competitive sports media industry. I am looking forward to driving the development of the Ringier Sports Media Group», says Stilian Shishkov, CEO of the Sportal Media Group and Digital Ventures OOD.
About Ringier
Ringier is a Media- and Technology Company Swiss by nature. The Group includes over 130 companies operating numerous leading media brands, digital platforms and marketplaces. Ringier addresses every walk of life and touches the lives of millions of people – every day around the globe in 19 countries. 73 percent of operating profit comes from the digital sector. This puts Ringier in the group of leading European media companies. The family-owned enterprise believes in entrepreneurship, collaboration, innovation, trust and courage for nearly 190 years. In a world that’s becoming ever more complex and challenging, Ringier`s mission is to keep interest alive and to ensure that customers, users or readers never lose sight of what connects them: We create interest in the world around you – and beyond. www.ringier.com