Octagon yesterday announced the launch of the agency's global Media Rights Consulting practice. The new group will provide strategic consultation to major domestic and international rights holders, broadcasters, emerging distribution platforms and the sports investment community. Media rights firm MP & Silva Managing Partner & Senior VP, Americas DANIEL COHEN will serve as Octagon Media Rights Consulting Senior VP. Cohen will report directly to Octagon Chief Strategy Officer SIMON WARDLE, and he will be based in Octagon's N.Y. office. Octagon's Media Rights Consulting group views leagues, governing bodies, teams, traditional broadcasters, digital platforms, content creators, telecom companies, OTT providers and media buyers as prospective clients, as well as private equity firms, venture capital firms and technology companies (Octagon).
ROOM FOR ONE MORE? In this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, John Ourand reports Octagon will "hire a second executive for the media advisory group at the beginning of next month and plans to hire several more media analysts in ensuing months." Octagon enters a "crowded marketplace" that features companies like the CAA-backed Evolution Media, DOUG PERLMAN-led Sports Media Advisors and Bevilacqua Helfant Ventures. These companies "represent leagues and networks during media rights negotiations." Octagon will use its sister agency, Futures Sport and Entertainment, to "develop those media analytics." It does "not yet have any clients" for its media rights consulting business, but Wardle said it is "down the road" with two or three companies (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/7 issue).
