Group M restructures sports business; Two Circles to be marketing services’ face

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Two Circles, the data-driven sports marketing agency based out of the United Kingdom will be the face of Group M for sports marketing services. The company was recently appointed as the Official Data and Insight Partner for ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, to be hosted in England and Wales next year.

However, Group M ESP will continue to be the brand face in India to ensure continuity in the market.

The decision to make Two Circles as the sports right holders facing agency comes after internal restructuring by Group M headquarters in US.

According to the industry sources, company’s sports marketing business in the United States and North America has already been passed in the Two Circles portfolio. The move also includes the launch of Two Circles new office in Los Angeles.

It comes as GroupM’s parent company, advertising giant WPP, restructures its business in the wake of the departure of long-time chief executive Martin Sorrell.

Also Read: Roberto Quarta named WPP Executive Chairman as Martin Sorrell quits

GroupM recently sold its US brand consultancy, ESP Properties – as well as its sponsorship valuation specialist business, IEG – to Engine Shop, part of Bruin Sports Capital, in which the WPP group also holds a minority stake.

Now WPP’s international media investment management arm plans to consolidate its rightsholder work globally via the Two Circles brand, while retaining the ESP brand for continuity in certain markets including India.

Two Circles, a two-time winner of the BT Sport Industry Awards Agency of the Year, was acquired by GroupM in 2015. The agency, which positions itself as a specialist in “data-driven sports marketing”, has seen its turnover increase by 400% since the acquisition.

Two Circles has already expanded internationally with offices in Bern and New York. Its 80-strong client roster boasts three of the world’s top rightsholders, including the Premier League and the NFL.

Other Two Circles clients include the All England Lawn Tennis Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board, golf’s R&A, England’s Rugby Football Union, England’s Football Association, Uefa, European Professional Club Rugby, North America’s Major League Soccer, beach volleyball’s AVP and the International Cricket Council.

GroupM says it will continue to conduct brand-focused sports business through subsidiaries such as Mediacom Sport & Entertainment, Mindshare and Wavemaker.