MUMBAI: IMG Media has acquired the Premier League live audio visual broadcast rights for Japan, Vietnam and Mongolia. IMG Media will have the rights to broadcast all 380 Barclays Premier League matches per season from 2013-16.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore said, "We know IMG well and are extremely pleased that they have chosen to invest in the Premier League broadcasting rights for Japan, Vietnam and Mongolia. We look forward to working with them as they distribute the Barclays Premier League in a comprehensive and innovative manner to our fans in all three countries."

IMG Media SVP and Head of Football Michael Mellor, "The popularity of the Premier League has never been higher in the Asian regions and we anticipate there will be strong competition for the various rights in all three territories."

MUMBAI: IMG Media has agreed to a deal with Vans, the original action sports and youth lifestyle brand, to distribute the rights to its growing portfolio of events including leading skateboard and surfing competitions and lifestyle media content developed for Vans? offthewall.tv digital network depicting the worlds of action sports, music, art and youth culture.

The agreement will see IMG develop and enhance the international distribution of all Vans content globally across all media platforms, bringing top level action sports events to both new and existing fans.

Among the events are the world?s premier surf event series, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, beginning today in Haleiwa, Hawaii, which concludes the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour at the North Shore Billabong Pipe Masters event. Other top action sports events include the Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC), the longest-running surf contest in North America, as well as top flight skate competitions, the Vans Downtown Showdown and the Pro-tec Pool Party.

IMG will also work with Vans? slate of action sports features developed for the offthewall.tv digital network including the Vans Surf Team film Get-N Classic and Pass the Bucket, the acclaimed series of short films featuring the humanitarian efforts of renowned athletes, artists and musicians as well as Vans? exclusive skateboard focused shorts Love Letters to Skateboarding with skate icon Jeff Grosso and Adventures with Chris featuring gonzo skate journalist Chris Nieratko.

IMG Media SVP and Head of Business Development Adam Kelly said, "This is an exciting agreement for IMG as we look to invest in the long-term potential of action sports. Our partnership with Vans will increase the worldwide profile of their events as well as bringing them a new audience, and we are very much looking forward to working with them.?

Vans VP Marketing Doug Palladini said, "International growth continues to be integral to Vans? success as a brand and sharing the Vans lifestyle through our action sports events and feature content connects us with consumers in the most authentic way possible. Our partnership with IMG gives Vans? industry-leading action sports event line-up and our growing library of rich lifestyle content a broader global platform than ever before to reach our consumers worldwide."

MUMBAI: IMG, the global sports, fashion and media company, has acquired a minority equity stake in London-based Sports New Media.

SNM manages, moderates and monetizes social media on behalf of their high profile sporting clients; including athletes, associations and brands. SNM currently reaches over 100 million sports fans across their Facebook pages alone.

SNM is the only sports specific Facebook Preferred Marketing Developer in the world, and owns and operates sports-oriented websites such as GiveMeFootball which provides complementary content for its social media fans.

IMG Media SVP Digital Media Ben Nicholas said, "Sports New Media is a critical component of IMG?s digital strategy. We think that SNM?s unique, proven approach to social media optimization will provide an attractive solution to our clients and partners."

"We?re very excited to be an official member of the IMG team," said Sports New Media Founder Jae Chalfin. "IMG has access to many of the world?s highest profile athletes, celebrities, events and sports organizations. We expect that SNM will be able to enhance many of those relationships."

Sports New Media CEO Nick Thain said, "We think IMG and Sports New Media complement each other well. This partnership will allow us to take our clients to a whole new level, moving us closer to our goal of bringing fans, athletes and brands closer together through Social Media.

MUMBAI: Bloomberg has entered into a joint-venture partnership with IMG, the global leader in sports, fashion and media, to expand and accelerate the growth of its vertical division, Bloomberg Sports.

The new venture will still be majority owned by Bloomberg and will be located in offices in New York and London. The new venture will retain the name Bloomberg Sports, and will be funded through the partnership created by both entities.

IMG will have a strong minority equity position and will provide enhanced marketing, sales and production assistance for both the existing Bloomberg Sports analytics products as well as a new series of projects that will be rolled out this summer.

They will include new ventures in international professional soccer as well as greatly enhanced fantasy analytic products for NFL football.

This will be in addition to the work the company is already doing in Major League Baseball both on the consumer and professional level. Other products and services are currently in development with additional professional and consumer sports brands which will be announced at a later date.

?We are very excited to partner with IMG, one of the most respected global leaders in sports and entertainment, to expand a business that was the brainchild of two entrepreneurial employees and incubated through Bloomberg in just two years,? said Bloomberg CEO Dan Doctoroff.