Essentially Group Limited (“Essentially” or the “Group”), the AIM listed full service sports marketing, media, management and professional services Group, today announces that it has acquired Arundel Promotions Limited (“Arundel”), one of the leading cricket and football sports’ personality and event management businesses in the UK.
About Arundel
Established in 2004 by Alec Stewart OBE, England’s most capped cricketer, and Alan Smith, a highly respected former football manager and coach, Arundel provides management services to leading sports personalities, predominantly in the sports of cricket and football. Cricket clients of Arundel include Paul Collingwood MBE (England and Durham), Ian Bell (MBE England and Warwickshire), Ashley Giles (MBE England and Warwickshire), Matt Prior (England and Sussex), and Sajid Mahmood (England and Lancashire). Football clients of Arundel include Gareth Southgate (ex-England and now manager of Middlesborough FC), Chris Coleman (ex-Wales, ex-Fulham FC and now Coventry City FC manager) and John Salako (ex-England and Charlton FC). In addition Arundel create and own bespoke corporate events, including the JLT Twenty20 City Masters, England XI v Rest of the World at the HAC Club.
Reason and Consideration for the Acquisition
Arundel is one of the leading sports consultancies in cricket and football and compliments Essentially’s existing high profile cricket management business, which includes clients such as Graham Smith, Mark Boucher and Jacques Kallis (all South Africa), Ricky Ponting (Australia), Justin Langer (Australia), Chaminda Vaas (West Indies), Dimitri Mascarenhas (England), Liam Plunkett (England) and Daniel Vettori (New Zealand). Alec Stewart’s stature in cricket and the quality of Arundel’s client list will combine with Essentially’s global network and client services to increase Essentially’s market leading position in cricket, a sport which has developed rapidly into a highly commercial international business through successes including the development of the IPL league in India and the Stanford Twenty20 competition. In addition, the involvement of Alan Smith provides Essentially with a platform in football and compliments Essentially’s growing roster of football clients which include Rory Delap (Stoke City), Ryan Taylor (Wigan Athletic), Freddie Sears (West Ham) and Aaron McLean (Peterborough United). Both Alec Stewart and Alan Smith have signed 3 year agreements with the Group to manage the successful integration and help grow the enlarged Essentially business.
Commenting on the acquisition of Arundel, Bart Campbell, CEO of Essentially, said:
“We are delighted to welcome Alec Stewart and Alan Smith to Essentially – we strongly believe that their offering is complimentary to our existing structure and global reach in international cricket. This transaction further consolidates our position as one of the world’s leading cricket businesses and we look forward to maximising the opportunities in what is rapidly becoming a very high profile sport with the rise of Twenty20 and the increase in cricket’s global appeal to sponsors and broadcasters alike. We remain on course to build Essentially into a significant marketing and media company in our core areas of undoubted sports business expertise.”
Alec Stewart, Director of Arundel, commented:
“Essentially’s position and strength in the commercial and management world makes a perfect partner for Arundel Promotions. With the ever increasing interest of Twenty20 cricket and the Ashes contest series in 2009, the opportunities for the business, and most importantly for our present and new clients, are very exciting.”
For further information please contact:
Essentially Group Limited
Bart Campbell, Group CEO
Alec Stewart
Tel: +44 (0)20 7820 7000
Notes to Editors:
About Essentially
Essentially is listed on AIM (RIC: ESN) and is a leading independent sports marketing, media, management and services agency. The business is split into three divisions: sports marketing comprising rights sales, consultancy and events management; athlete management; and professional services which includes tax, image rights and other related services. Strong and focussed positioning in its core sports of expertise including rugby union (clients include the 2009 British and Irish Lions, the Magners League, Rugby World Cup 7’s 2009, Welsh Rugby Union) and cricket (clients include all Test Match Grounds, MCC, the Professional Cricketers Association), provide a strategic platform for growth and market expertise. Essentially also enjoys a strong reputation in Formula One motorsport working for and with the ING Renault team, Red Bull racing and Williams f1.