RRSat enters US occasional use market following SM2 acquisition

The US subsidiary of Israel-based satellite services provider RRsat Global Communications Network has acquired SM2 Sports & Media Solutions, a provider of occasional-use international sports distribution and syndication services.

SM2’s clients include the US National Football League (NFL), USGA, LPGA, ESPN International, IMG Media, BSkyB and Viasat. The company recently assisted the NFL in delivering its initial high definition broadcast of the Super Bowl to its European broadcast partners.

SM2’s operations will be integrated into RRsat America and Susanna Mandel-Mantello, the founder of SM2, will join RRsat America.

Avi Cohen, CEO of RRsat said, “RRsat has taken a bold step and has entered into a lucrative new activity of occasional use broadcast and distribution of live sports in the United States. We see tremendous long-term potential in a fast growing market, and the acquisition of SM2 places us in a very strong position to actualise on that opportunity. In the past, we have worked closely with SM2 and we expect to benefit from strong synergies by bringing SM2 under the RRsat umbrella. We are very happy to welcome SM2 and Susanna to the RRsat family, and we look forward to expanding our US activities and winning new clients for our global digital broadcasting services.”