Publicis Groupe acquires sports marketing agency 160over90

Publicis Groupe has entered a definitive agreement to acquire 160over90, creating a unified platform to connect brands to audiences through sports and culture with data, technology, and scale.

160over90, a division of WME Group, is a global sports and culture-first agency with over 670 employees across the US, UK, EMEA, and APAC. The agency has delivered campaigns for major events including the Super Bowl, Olympic Games, and FIFA World Cup, supporting brands with sports and culture strategies and activations.

A unified, data-driven sports ecosystem

Publicis intends to integrate 160over90 with its Publicis Sports division to offer an end-to-end platform, combining media, sponsorships, events, content, creators, and talent. The acquisition emphasizes:

Scale & Reach: Leveraging Publicis Sports and 160over90 capabilities to deliver the world’s largest sports marketing solution across multiple regions.

Data-First Optimization: Using the Publicis Sports Intelligence platform powered by Epsilon identity to plan, personalize, and measure campaigns across media, experiential, content, hospitality, sponsorships, and commerce.

Creator Economy at Scale: Activating the Influential platform to amplify athletes as creators, storytellers, and community leaders.

Strategic Talent Partnership: Collaborating with WME Group to unlock early-stage opportunities across talent, content financing, and marketing partnerships.

The acquisition follows Publicis Sports’ recent expansion, including the 2025 acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke, a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, and the launch of Influential Sports, which integrates sports strategies with talent at scale.

Leadership and structure

The combined Publicis Sports group will report to Suzy Deering within PMX to ensure unified delivery across Publicis agencies and clients. Robbie Henchman, former President of 160over90, will remain at WME Group as Senior Partner overseeing the strategic partnership with Publicis.

Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Groupe: "By combining 160over90’s scale and expertise in sports experiences, culture, and talent with the industry’s most powerful connected influencer platform, experiential capabilities, and data-driven insights, we are disrupting a highly fragmented landscape by creating a unified, end-to-end platform that connects brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable."

Dave Penski, CEO, Publicis Connected Media: "Sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce, and community. Publicis Groupe and 160over90 are uniquely positioned to advance and integrate sports marketing as an addressable and measurable channel across media, sponsorships, talent, and live activations."

Mark Shapiro, President and Managing Partner of WME Group: "Combining forces with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands looking to move faster and create deeper connections with sports fans, properties, and content, while delivering more opportunities for our talent and partners at scale."

www.publicisgroupe.com

www.160over90.com