CMA Media finalises acquisition of RMC Sport and launches CMA Sport

The group CMA Media, which owns BFMTV, RMC, La Tribune and Brut, finalised the acquisition of the RMC Sport channel and launched a new entity called CMA Sport to make this sector a major pillar of its development, the company announced on Friday. The move strengthens the sports strategy after the shipping arm CMA CGM, controlled by billionaire Rodolphe Saadé, said in June that it was close to buying RMC Sport, though the price was not disclosed. The channel had previously belonged to Altice, to whom CMA CGM had already purchased in the summer of 2024 the television channels BFMTV, RMC Découverte and RMC Story, as well as the radio station RMC, in a deal worth 1.55 billion euros. In addition to its television and radio channels, CMA Media owns the newspapers La Provence, Corse Matin, La Tribune and La Tribune Dimanche, as well as the online media Brut.

Under CMA Media, RMC Sport will continue to broadcast UFC fights, the main league of mixed martial arts, as well as those of other MMA championships such as Hexagone MMA, KSW and PFL, which have become its signature. "New announcements will soon enrich this offer," CMA Media said in a press release. With the creation of CMA Sport, CMA Media has "the ambition to scale up in sport," the group emphasized. On the distribution side, it wants "to rely on RMC Sport to develop its portfolio of rights." On the production side, it aims "to offer its expertise to leagues, federations, rights holders, clubs, broadcasters and organisers." Finally, it is betting on "event management, by organising sports competitions and events and by developing its own events and properties in the long term." The management has been renewed and the ambitions have been stated Camille Andrieu, the new chief executive officer of CMA Media, will officially take office on Monday and will succeed Claire Léost, a change announced on Thursday by the group.

At a conference in Paris for the 25th anniversary of the specialised firm NPA Conseil, Camille Andrieu clarified: "We will move into other sports rights." She added: "We do not forbid anything, not even the elephant in the room," without giving further details, in a highly competitive sports‑rights market, especially for the flagship sport, football.

Reported by Journal du Net.