Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc. (formerly Anthem Media Group) is a Canadian multinational media company based in Toronto, Ontario and founded by Leonard Asper.
Anthem is majority-controlled by Asper via his Sygnus Corporation. Fight Holdings, Inc. holds the remaining ownership stake, via the investors Mayhem Capital (59.01%), North American Bond Company (7.19%), Goldfarb Management Services (7.19%), and Slaight Communications (7.19%).[1]
History
Founding
Anthem Media Group was founded in December 2010 by former Canwest president Leonard Asper, through his acquisition of a majority stake in Fight Network.[2]
On January 10, 2013, Anthem purchased an equity stake in the U.S-based Pursuit Channel.[3] In August 2013, the company would acquire My Combat Channel.[4]
In August 2013, Anthem acquired the fantasy sports websites RotoExperts and SportsGrid, as part of efforts to launch a dedicated fantasy sports-oriented channel.[5][6] The following year, FNTSY Sports Network launched in March 2014.[6] In January 2015, Anthem acquired the daily fantasy sports website LuDawgs.com,[7] and relaunched the site as DailyRoto.[8]
Anthem Media Group was renamed to Anthem Sports & Entertainment in May 2015.[1] In August 2016, Anthem announced its intent to acquire the Canadian specialty channel GameTV, pending CRTC approval.[9]
On January 4, 2017, Anthem acquired a majority stake in TNA, forming the subsidiary Anthem Wrestling Exhibitions;[11] the promotion would then rebrand as Impact Wrestling, after its flagship weekly program Impact!. Impact founder Jeff Jarrett rejoined the promotion as chief creative director and, during tapings for the April 20, 2017 episode of Impact, it was announced that Impact Wrestling would merge with Jarrett's own Global Force Wrestling (GFW) promotion under the "GFW" name.[12] Anthem later announced its intent to formally acquire GFW's assets,[13] but by October 23, 2017, Anthem had cut its ties with Jarrett and Global Force.[14][15]
On June 26, 2018, it was announced that Peter Einstein would become the new chief operating officer of Anthem.[17]
On August 14, 2018, Jeff Jarrett and Global Force Entertainment filed a lawsuit against Anthem in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee for copyright infringement over the rights to GFW content, as Jarrett owned all Global Force Wrestling properties since its creation in 2014.[18][19] A mistrial was declared after a 2020 trial but Jarrett and Anthem settled the case in January 2021.[20]
On November 16, 2021, Anthem acquired Cleveland-based film distributor Gravitas Ventures from Red Arrow Studios, the content production and distribution arm of German company ProSiebenSat.1 Media, for US$73 million in a cash-and-stock deal. The company stated that it planned to use its library across its linear television properties, as well as future free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) businesses.[24][25]
In June 2022, Anthem announced that it would launch AXS TV Now and Fight Network channels on Xumo.[26]
On September 25, 2024, Anthem announced its intent to acquire the Canadian premium television service Hollywood Suite pending CRTC approval.[27]
^ ab"Anthem Digital Specialty Services"(PDF). crtc.gc.ca. Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. January 6, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2017.
