MCF advises HYROX on receiving a strategic investment from infront Sports & Media
Upsolut Sports GmbH (“HYROX”), a unique indoor fitness competition designed for both amateurs and professional athletes, has received a strategic investment from infront Sports & Media AG (“infront”), a Wanda Sports Group company. The deal goes in line with infront’s strategy to broaden their Personal and Corporate Fitness footprint and complementing their summer portfolio with events during the winter season. MCF acted as financial adviser to HYROX. With its strong network in the sports industry, MCF was able to facilitate the transaction within a short period of time.
The Deal
infront is a Wanda Sports Group company, which also comprises of World Triathlon Corporation and Wanda Sports China, Wanda Sports Group, offering a comprehensive array of services to everyone from rights owners to brands, as well as fans and athletes. The deal goes in line with infront’s strategy to broaden their Personal and Corporate Fitness footprint and complementing their summer portfolio with events during the winter season. HYROX benefits from infront’s vast network and further accelerates its international growth and expansion plans.
The Target
HYROX was founded in 2017 by three partners. Christian Toetzke has over 20 years of experience in the global sports event business. Two-time Field Hockey Olympic Gold Medalist, Moritz Fürste, brings an extensive sports network, and Michael Trautmann, founder of the advertising agency thjnk, brings global marketing expertise. The vision of HYROX was to create a new sports product to fill a gap in the market with new, dynamic and inspiring concepts. HYROX is inspired by a simple idea. Millions of athletes all over the world who do not play sports but prefer functional fitness or working out at the gym, do not have a measurable competition. At HYROX everyone around the world competes in the same race, on the same course and each HYROX event will host up to 3,000 participants per day in an indoor arena. The competition starts with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional workout and repeats 8 times. This combination of functional exercises and endurance makes HYROX unique yet still attainable for people from varying athletic and fitness backgrounds.
Client Statement
Christian Toetzke, Founder and Managing Director at HYROX, said: “MCF Corporate Finance has provided us with valuable support throughout the entire process, which was instrumental for reaching a satisfying outcome for both parties.”
About HYROX
HYROX was founded in 2017 to create a new sports product to fill a gap in the market with new, dynamic and inspiring concepts. The competition starts with a 1 km run, followed by 1 functional workout and repeats 8 times. The company hosts its events in Germany and the US and will expand to further European countries such as the UK, Scandinavia and the Netherlands in 2021.
About infront Sports & Media
Infront Sports & Media, a Wanda Sports Group company, is based in Zug, Switzerland. The company is one of the leading international sports marketing groups in the world. Infront covers all aspects of sport events – including distribution of media rights, sponsorship, media production and event operations. As a key player in winter sport, football and other summer sports, Infront has partnerships with 180 rights-holders and hundreds of sponsors and media companies. Infront has over 45 offices across 16 countries.
