IMG (company)

{{Short description|Global sports, events and talent management company}}

{{Infobox company

| name = International Management Group

| logo = IMG GradLogo Black RGB.png

| logo_size = 167px

| type = Subsidiary

| founder = Mark McCormack

| area_served = 25+ countries

| key_people = Ari Emanuel (co-CEO)
Patrick Whitesell (co-CEO)

| industry =

| products =

| services =

| revenue =

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| assets =

| equity =

| owner =

| num_employees = 3,000+

| parent = TKO Group Holdings

| divisions = Art + Commerce
College
Events
Fashion
Media - Including Rights, Production & IMG ARENA
Models
Licensing

| subsid =

| footnotes =

| intl =

| foundation = {{sda|1960}}

| location =

| location_city = New York City, New York

| location_country = United States

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.img.com/|IMG.com}}

}}

IMG, originally known as the International Management Group, is a global sports, fashion, events and media company headquartered in New York City.[http://www.img.com/about-us.aspx img.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228161940/http://www.img.com/about-us.aspx|date=February 28, 2015}} The company manages athletes and fashion celebrities; owns, operates and commercially represents live events; and is an independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media.{{Cite web|title=IMG {{!}} A global sports & culture company|url=https://www.img.com|accessdate=2023-10-27|website=IMG|language=en-GB}}

History

IMG was founded in 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio, by Mark McCormack, an American lawyer who spotted the potential for athletes to make large incomes from endorsement in the television age. He signed professional golfers Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus as his first clients who collectively are known as The Big Three.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cmgpartners.ca/mccormack-family|title=Mark McCormack and IMG|website=Creaghan McConnell Group|language=en-US|accessdate=September 3, 2019|archivedate=November 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108062952/http://www.cmgpartners.ca/mccormack-family|url-status=dead}} McCormack died in 2003.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/17/sports/mark-h-mccormack-72-pioneer-of-sports-marketing.html|title=Mark H. McCormack, 72, Pioneer of Sports Marketing|last=Litsky|first=Frank|date=May 17, 2003|work=The New York Times|accessdate=September 3, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

In 2004, Forstmann Little, led by Theodore J. Forstmann, acquired the company; Forstmann served as chairman and CEO until his death in late 2011.

On June 1, 2006, IMG Media acquired Tiger Aspect Productions, the producer of the British television series Mr. Bean and the company, along with Darlow Smithson Productions (also acquired in 2006) later sold to Endemol in November 2009.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/jun/01/independentproductioncompanies.citynews|title=Tiger Aspect Bought by IMG Media|newspaper=The Guardian|date=June 1, 2006|accessdate=June 22, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://tbivision.com/2009/11/24/endemol-acquires-tiger-aspect-darlow-smithson-from-img|title=Endemol acquires Tiger Aspect, Darlow Smithson from IMG|website=Television Business International|date=November 24, 2009|accessdate=June 22, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://realscreen.com/2009/11/23/endemoldsptiger-20091123|title=Endemol buys Darlow Smithson, Tiger Aspect|website=Realscreen|date=November 23, 2009|accessdate=June 22, 2021}}

In 2006, IMG Media acquired nunet AG,{{cite web|url=http://www.nu-net.com|title=可愛い赤ちゃんが生まれたら出産祝い！出産祝い・内祝いって何？|website=www.nu-net.com|accessdate=March 14, 2018}} a provider of mobile TV services to mobile network operators around the world. Clients of nunet's mobile TV CMS currently include: Vodafone, Proximus, Vodacom, Mobilkom A1. Content distributed currently includes MTV, Fashion TV, Eurosport, and Discovery Networks.

In November 2007, IMG acquired Kentucky-based Host Communications, which had multiple business units with services ranging from sports marketing and broadcasting to the management of associations and non-profit organizations. The sports-related businesses were combined with the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) to form IMG College, while the association management division was renamed IMG Associations.

IMG was originally headquartered in downtown Cleveland in a complex built in 1965 across the street from Erieview Tower. When the IMG Center was built, it originally housed the Cuyahoga Saving Bank, which was acquired by Charter One Bank in 1998.

In 1997, IMG renovated the Cuyahoga Savings Bank Building and renamed it IMG Center. Following the acquisition of IMG by Forstmann Little, the headquarters remained in Cleveland, Ohio, for several years until officially relocating to its parent company's existing offices in New York, in 2010, though the IMG Center is still located on East Ninth Street in Cleveland.

On October 15, 2010, IMG acquired ISP, the multimedia rights holder for more than 50 universities based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As a result of the acquisition, IMG College retained ISP's former headquarters in Winston-Salem.[http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2010/10/11/daily54.html bizjournals.com]

On December 18, 2013, IMG was acquired by William Morris Endeavor and Silver Lake Partners in a $2.4 billion deal to form WME-IMG.{{cite web|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/02/wme-img-merger-ari-emanuel|title=The Inside Story of Ari Emanuel's Big, Risky WME-IMG Merger|first=William|last=Cohan|date=February 13, 2015|website=Vanityfair.com|accessdate=February 21, 2023}} WME's Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell served as co-CEOs.

WME-IMG reorganized in October 2017 with the parent company being renamed from WME-IMG to Endeavor, and IMG and WME becoming subsidiaries of Endeavor. Ari Emanuel became Endeavor CEO and Patrick Whitesell became Endeavor executive chairman.{{cite web|last1=Sun|first1=Rebecca|title=WME-IMG Renames Parent Company as Endeavor|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/wme-img-renames-parent-company-as-endeavor-1047094|website=Hollywood Reporter|date=October 9, 2017 |accessdate=2 November 2023}}

On October 23, 2024, it was announced that TKO Group would acquire several businesses from Endeavor, including IMG (aside from "businesses associated with the IMG brand in licensing, models, and tennis representation, nor IMG's full events portfolio"), as part of a $3.25 billion deal, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2025.{{cite web|title=TKO to Acquire IMG, On Location, Professional Bull Riders From Endeavor in $3.25B Stock Deal|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/tko-deal-img-on-location-professional-bull-riders-endeavor-1236044252/|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 24, 2024 |access-date=October 25, 2024}} The deal was completed on February 28, 2025.{{cite web|title=TKO Completes $3.25 Billion Acquisition of IMG, On Location, Professional Bull Riders|url=https://www.thewrap.com/tko-completes-img-on-location-professional-bull-riders-acquisition/|website=TheWrap|access-date=March 1, 2025}}

Media

IMG's Media Division produces, develops and executes multi-channel distribution strategies for federations, associations and events working with major global broadcasters, channels and platforms. Each year it delivers 45,000 hours of content originating from over 200 clients.

The company's multimedia product offering includes production of Channel 4's England men's UEFA Nations League and European Qualifiers and Super League rugby coverage, CBS' UEFA Champions League coverage, the DP World Tour and Ryder Cup coverage, and the Premier League's international broadcast feed.

IMG also produces and distributes Sport 24,{{cite web|title=Sport 24|url=https://sport24live.com|website=Sport 24}} the live, linear sports channel for the airline and cruise industries, and EDGEsport, the linear action sports channel.

In 2012, IMG created IMG ARENA, a sports data and technology company for the betting, media and professional sectors.{{cn|date=December 2023}}

Endeavor acquired Mailman Group in 2021, and its UK-based Seven League digital marketing agency was integrated into IMG's Media division.{{cite web|last1=Carp|first1=Sam|title=IMG sports betting data IMG arena data launch|url=https://smartseries.sportspromedia.com/news/img-sports-betting-data-img-arena-data-launch|accessdate=2 November 2023|website=SportsProMedia}}

Trans World Sport was one of the first productions created by TWI/IMG when it began weekly production in May 1987. The 49-minute sports magazine programme airs in numerous countries around the world and is owned and distributed by IMG

Models

IMG Models is an international modelling agency headquartered in New York City and with additional offices in London, Los Angeles, Milan, Paris, and Sydney. It is a subsidiary of the talent management company International Management Group. The company merged with William Morris Endeavor in 2013. In 2015, the agency represented more than half of the highest-paid supermodels. Ivan Bart is the current President, and Lisa Marie Benson is the Vice President. {{cite web|last1=Herd|first1=Thomas|title=Within a World of Creativity, Innovation, and Potential: Lisa Marie Benson, Vice President of IMG Models|url=https://www.laweekly.com/within-a-world-of-creativity-innovation-and-potential-lisa-marie-benson-vice-president-of-img-models|website=LAWEEKLY|accessdate=2 November 2023}}

Consulting

IMG's Consulting division works with rightsholders, and brands on commercial, marketing and sponsorship strategy. IMG's stadium and arena group works with leagues and franchises.

In Brazil, IMG worked with local affiliate IMM (former IMX), serving clients involved with the FIFA 2014 World Cup and the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.

Joint Ventures

IMG operates joint ventures with key partners across many areas of the business.

In Brazil, China, India, and Turkey IMM (Brazil, former IMX), CC-TV IMG (China), IMG Reliance (India) and IMG Dogus (Turkey) develop sports, fashion and entertainment properties in their respective territories.

In 2015, IMG and Euroleague Basketball agreed on a ten-year joint venture. Together they will manage the commercial operation, and management of all global rights covering both media and marketing of the EuroLeague (the premier competition for European professional men's basketball clubs) and its 2nd-tier competition, the EuroCup.{{cite web|url=http://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague-basketball/news/i/6gt4utknkf9h8ryq|title=Euroleague Basketball A-licence clubs and IMG agree on 10-year joint venture|publisher=Euroleague Basketball|date=November 10, 2015|accessdate=April 5, 2016|archivedate=March 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321191015/http://www.euroleaguebasketball.net/euroleague-basketball/news/i/6gt4utknkf9h8ryq|url-status=dead}}

In 2018, IMG and influencers Joe Sugg and Caspar Lee founded the joint venture Margravine Management, now known as MVE.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2018-06-08 |title=YouTube Stars Joe Sugg, Caspar Lee Form IMG-Backed Digital Talent Management Agency |url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/joe-sugg-caspar-lee-img-margravine-talent-management-1202837309/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Joe Sugg, Caspar Lee And Img's Margravine Launches U.S. Base And Rebrands As Mve |url=https://www.imdb.com/news/ni63926672/ |access-date=2024-09-11 |website=IMDb |language=en-US}}

Events

IMG owns, produces and commercially represents hundreds of events worldwide.

=Art=

Frieze

=Association Football=

Premier League (world feed except NBC Sports in the United States)
EFL (world feed except CBS Sports in the United States)
Liga Portugal
Liga Portugal 1 (world feed)
Deutsche Fußball Liga (world feed except ESPN in the United States)
Bundesliga
DFL-Supercup
UEFA
UEFA men's club competitions (world feed except CBS Sports in the United States)
The Football Association
England qualifying and friendly matches (Channel 4 in the United Kingdom only)
FA Community Shield (world feed)
FA Cup (world feed){{cite press release |url=http://www.thefa.com/news/thefa/2016/oct/emirates-fa-cup-overseas-broadcast-rights-241016|title=Emirates FA Cup Overseas Broadcast Rights|publisher=The Football Association|location=London|accessdate=March 14, 2018}}
Women's Super League
SAFF
Saudi Pro League (world feed)
Saudi Super Cup (world feed)
King's Cup (world feed)

=Basketball=

EuroLeague (world feed)
EuroCup (world feed)
FIBA Basketball World Cup (2023)

=Entertainment=

Miss Teen USA (until October 26, 2022)
Miss USA (until October 26, 2022)
Miss Universe (until October 26, 2022)
Taste Festivals
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland{{cite web|url=https://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com|title=Hyde Park Winter Wonderland|accessdate=January 7, 2019|archivedate=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107032220/https://hydeparkwinterwonderland.com|quote=PWR Events, an International Management Group (UK) Limited company, are proud to be actively producing sustainable events and are certified to ISO 20121, the international standard for sustainability in event management.}}
GLIDE at Battersea Power Station
GLIDE at Brooklyn Bridge Park
LIFT 109 at Battersea Power Station
Lumieres En Seine
Windsor Great Park Illuminated
Incanto di Luci
Hampton Court Palace Festival
Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show
The Big Feastival
Hall Des Lumieres

=Figure Skating=

Stars on Ice

=Golf=

Acciona Open de Espana
Australian Open (golf)
Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship
Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Cambia Portland Classic
Chevron Championship
The Masters
Ryder Cup
U.S. matches (joint venture with PGA of America except NBC Sports in the United States)
European matches (joint venture with PGA European Tour except Sky Sports in the United Kingdom)
Honda LPGA Thailand
HSBC Women's Champions
International Series Egypt
PGA European Tour
PNC Championship
R&A
The Open Championship
Senior Open Championship
Women's British Open
Reingwood LPGA Classic
Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia
Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic
Thailand Golf Championship
WGC-HSBC Champions
Shinhan Donghae Open

=Motorsports=

=Rugby League=

Super League{{cite web|url=https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/2722/super-league-and-rfl-announce-strategic-partnership-with-img|title=Super League and RFL announce strategic partnership with IMG}}

=Running=

=Strongman=

World's Strongest Man

=Surfing=

U.S. Open of Surfing

=Tennis=

ATP Champions Tour
Apia International Sydney{{cite web|url=http://www.apiainternational.com.au/event-guide/sponsors|title=Sponsors - Sydney International Tennis|website=apiainternational.com.au|accessdate=March 14, 2018}}
Bank of the West Classic
BNP Paribas Tennis Classic
Miami Open
Madrid Open{{cite web|url=https://www.romaniajournal.ro/sports/ion-tiriac-sells-the-mutua-madrid-open-to-img|title=Ion Țiriac Sells The Mutua Madrid Open To IMG|website=Romania Journal|date=December 6, 2021}}
Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open
The Tennis Classic at Hurlingham
The Championships, Wimbledon (world feed except ESPN in the United States)
US Open (world feed except ESPN in the United States)
Chengdu Open
Tunisia Jasmin Open
Rakuten Japan Open
Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell{{cite web|url=https://www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/es|title=Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell - 65º Trofeo Conde de Godó|website=www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com|accessdate=March 14, 2018}}

=Triathlon=

Escape from Alcatraz

=Volleyball=

IMG College

In late 2007, IMG acquired Host Communications and the Collegiate Licensing Company to form IMG College (later known as Learfield). In 2010 IMG acquired ISP Sports, which was based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.{{cite web|url=http://www.imgcollege.com/about/history|title=IMG College - History|website=www.imgcollege.com|accessdate=March 14, 2018}} Today, IMG represents the multimedia rights for more than 90 universities, conferences, collegiate associations and venues along with the licensing rights to more than 150 colleges and universities as well as the College Football Playoff. Additionally, IMG Seating serves more than 100 universities, and IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions provides outsourced ticketing services to universities.{{cn|date=December 2023}}

Fashion

Licensing

IMG's Licensing Division works in trademark licensing and currently provides its services to more than 100 Licensors of intellectual property.{{cn|date=December 2023}}

eSports

IMG eSports represents commercial rights on behalf of game publishers and tournament operators.

PGL
DPC WEU Tour
DPC NA Tour
EVO
EVO Japan
EVO Las Vegas
Combo Breaker
CEO
East Coast Throwdown
First Attack
Versus Fighting
UFA
Global Esports Federation
Global Esport Tours
Global Esports Games

In April 2022, the Global Esports Federation (GEF) announced IMG as their strategic partners and as a result the Commonwealth Esports Championship was formed.{{cite journal|date=April 21, 2022|url= https://www.gamblinginsider.com/news/16074/img-appointed-as-global-esports-federations-strategic-partner|title= IMG appointed as Global Esports Federation's strategic partner|journal=Gambling Insider|accessdate=April 22, 2022}}

IMG Tennis

IMG represents tennis athletes worldwide.

{{flagicon|Serbia}} Novak Djokovic
{{flagicon|Japan}} Naomi Osaka
{{flagicon|France}} Gaël Monfils
{{flagicon|China}} Li Na
{{flagicon|Japan}} Kei Nishikori
{{flagicon|Russia}} Maria Sharapova
{{flagicon|France}} Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
{{flagicon|USA}} Venus Williams
{{flagicon|USA}} Serena Williams
{{flagicon|Czech Republic}} Petra Kvitová
{{flagicon|Ukraine}} Marta Kostyuk
{{flagicon|Spain}} {{flagicon|Venezuela}} Garbiñe Muguruza
{{flagicon|Australia}} Nick Kyrgios
{{flagicon|USA}} Madison Keys
{{flagicon|UK}} {{flagicon|Australia}} Laura Robson
{{flagicon|Italy}} Sara Errani
{{flagicon|Spain}} Carlos Moya
{{flagicon|Spain}} David Ferrer
{{flagicon|Serbia}} {{flagicon|USA}} Monica Seles
{{flagicon|USA}} John McEnroe{{cite web|url=http://img.com/services/talent-representation/tennis.aspx|title=IMG - Tennis|accessdate=February 25, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225182212/http://img.com/services/talent-representation/tennis.aspx|archivedate=February 25, 2015}}
{{flagicon|Russia}} Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
{{flagicon|Germany}} Sabine Lisicki
{{flagicon|Poland}} Agnieszka Radwańska
{{flagicon|South Africa}} Kevin Anderson
{{flagicon|USA}} Jack Sock
{{flagicon|Canada}} Vasek Pospisil
{{flagicon|Poland}} Iga Świątek

Channels

=Sport 24=

Sport 24 is a 24/7 live sports television channel owned by IMG, which is available on international airlines including AeroMéxico, Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines, as well in international waters on cruise lines including Carnival, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and P&O.{{Cite web|url=https://airwaysmag.com/avgeek/experience-2018-fifa-world-cup-onboard|title=Experience the 2018 FIFA World Cup Onboard|date=June 14, 2018|website=Airways Magazine|language=en-US|accessdate=January 12, 2019}}

The channel broadcasts live sport from 40 international federations and competitions. These include Premier League, National Football League, National Basketball Association, UEFA Champions League, ATP World Tour, PGA Tour, European Tour, Euroleague, UEFA Euro, Olympics and Ryder Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.svgeurope.org/blog/headlines/img-studios-draws-up-route-plan-to-ip-for-premier-league-and-rugby-world-cup|title=IMG Studios draws up route plan to IP for Premier League and Rugby World Cup|first=David|last=Fox|work=SVG Europe|date=February 6, 2019|accessdate=June 19, 2022}}

Sport 24 launched in February 2012. A secondary part-time channel, Sport 24 Extra, launched in 2016, offering an extra 150 live hours a month and choice during concurrent events. Both channels originate from IMG's production headquarters at Stockley Park, near London's Heathrow Airport. Sport 24 is available on Panasonic's live television service, which is broadcast via satellite to airlines.