Learfield, ISP Sports Acquire Action Sports Media

Learfield Sports and ISP Sports are "pushing back against IMG in the college sports space" with the joint acquisition of Tennessee-based Action Sports Media, according to Michael Smith of SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. Action Sports Media holds the rights for 10 universities and 22 collegiate venues, and Learfield and ISP each own the multimedia rights to more than 40 schools. The acquisition "comes at a time when competitor IMG has been in an aggressive acquisition mode, scooping up Collegiate Licensing Co. and Host Communications" in '07 to form IMG College Sports (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 2/4 issue).