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Anthem Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of TNA Wrestling, has expanded its media footprint by acquiring four new television channels in Canada.
On Wednesday, the company released an official press statement providing full details regarding the acquisitions.
Below is the complete announcement.
TORONTO â September 25, 2024 â Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc., a global multi-platform media company, announced today it has reached an agreement to purchase successful Canadian independent broadcaster Hollywood Suite, the owner and operator of four linear TV channels and an accompanying On Demand offering showcasing the best films â uncut and commercial-free â from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 00s. Launched in 2011, Hollywood Suite is the largest pure-play movie service in Canada, available to over 10 million homes from coast to coast to coast via Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Amazon Prime Video, Cogeco, Eastlink, and Freedom Mobile, among others.
Hollywood Suite has become a household favourite for subscribers in Canada satisfying both traditional lean back linear viewers and on-demand focused digital viewers. Satisfying these two unique audience experiences is a shared strategy for both Hollywood Suite and Anthem. Combined with Game TV, Game+, Fight Network and AXS TV, Anthem will deliver greater scale and investment to the Canadian system, to the benefit of viewers, content producers, and distributors.
Hollywood Suite joins Anthemâs already-impressive portfolio of cinematic offerings: film distribution house Gravitas Ventures, and the popular U.S. film cable channel HDNET MOVIES, home to a diverse range of blockbuster epics and vintage favorites and quickly becoming the fastest-growing network on US television. The acquisition highlights Anthemâs commitment to acquiring premium content and diversifying its portfolio with culturally relevant entertainment across traditional and digital channels serving the film super fans and supporting independent producers.
Hollywood Suite President & Co-Founder David Kines will continue to manage the business. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval by the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
âAnthem is focused on providing fresh and unique content offerings catering to a wide and diverse network of passionate fanbases, and the acquisition of Hollywood Suite helps us further that strategy in a major way,â said Leonard Asper, founder and CEO of Anthem. âThey have a proven track record of success and have enjoyed incredible growth throughout the years, with a strong commitment to providing true movie lovers with wide-ranging offerings from some of cinemaâs most consequential eras. We are proud to have them onboard, and we look forward to working closely with David and the Hollywood Suite team to help them reach even greater heights.â
âWith a passion and commitment to movies as deep as ours, Anthem is the perfect partner for Hollywood Suite,â said David Kines. âLeonard and his team have demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to supporting cinema and independent platforms like us, giving viewers and subscribers the absolute best in film-focused content.â
âOn behalf of the Board, I would like to thank all of our employees over the last 13 years whose commitment and hard work are responsible for the level of success we have achieved, said Jeff Sackman, Co-chair of the Board of Directors and Co-founder, Hollywood Suite. âI would also like to acknowledge the unwavering support of our shareholders who endorsed our vision from the beginning.Together we look forward to supporting Anthem as they take the company into an exciting new era.â
A skillflly curated, classic movie offering, Hollywood Suite is comprised of the HS70s channel, highlighting the decadeâs most essential classics; the HS80s channel, packed with beloved retro standouts; the nostalgia-fueled HS90s channel; and modern masterpieces from 2000 to today on the HS00s channel. The service also carries select exclusive series such as âSlasher,â âWreck,â âBlumhouseâs Compendium Of Horror,â and âMr. Bates VS The Post Officeâ, as well as original in-house produced series âA Year In Film,â and âCinema A To Zâ.
Hollywood Suite is also a major champion of Canadian cinema, airing iconic films like âThe Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitzâ, âBlack Christmasâ, and âNobody Waved Goodbyeâ in stunning digital remasters. The network also passionately supports emerging Canadian talent with new films and series such as âThe Burning Seasonâ, âPotluck Ladiesâ, âSweet Summer Loveâ, and âPoly is the New Monogamyâ.
About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Inc.âŻis a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Toronto, Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York, and Cleveland. Anthemâs portfolio includesâŻAXS TV, a leading television, streaming, digital, social music and entertainment brand; HDNET MOVIES, which features theatrically released films and documentaries; Gravitas Ventures, a global film distribution company; Fight Network, the worldâs premier combat sports channel with broadcast distribution across 10+ countries and available globally through multiple OTT platforms;âŻTNA Wrestling, one of the worldâs leading wrestling organizations;âŻInvicta Fighting Championships, the worldâs premier all-women mixed martial arts promotion;âŻGame+, a North American sports channel featuring emerging and popular sports content; andâŻGameTV,âŻthe home of game shows and competition-based reality series. For more information, visitâŻwww.anthemse.com.
About Hollywood Suite
Hollywood Suite owns and operates four exclusive HD channels featuring the iconic movies that defined the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s, plus essential Hollywood classics from the Golden Age, always uncut and commercial-free. With hundreds of movies every month on four HD channels and Hollywood Suite On Demand, Hollywood Suite provides unparalleled value to consumers. Hollywood Suite is available to over 10 million households across Canada, exclusively through Canadian television service providers, Amazon Prime Video Channels, and Freedom Mobile. Visit hollywoodsuite.ca for more information.
Anthem Sports & Entertainment Buying Canadian Indie Broadcaster Hollywood Suite https://t.co/JL0CE3Z3xE
â Deadline (@DEADLINE) September 25, 2024
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