Highlight Event and Entertainment

What Highlight Event and Entertainment does

Highlight Event and Entertainment AG is a Swiss public holding company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ticker HLEE, ISIN CH0003583256), headquartered in Pratteln, Switzerland, that operates two reportable segments — Film and Sport & Event — through a constellation of majority-owned operating subsidiaries and affiliates. Its stated core competency is the marketing of international top events, executed principally through TEAM Marketing AG (exclusive marketing agent for UEFA club competition media rights outside Switzerland), Sport1 Medien AG (sports broadcasting), Highlight Communications AG, Constantin Film AG (film production, acquisition, and distribution), and a minority stake in 5EL SA. The portfolio also includes long-running partnership-based marketing rights for the WTA, the Vienna Philharmonic (Wiener Philharmoniker), and EBU relationships.

The group monetizes these rights through multi-year media-rights sales, sports event marketing and production, theatrical and TV/streaming distribution of film content, and ancillary digital initiatives (such as the 2020 Nexway AG streaming and edutainment partnership). Revenue mechanics are therefore contract-driven and rights-cycle-dependent, with counterparties concentrated among major European broadcasters, sports federations, and cultural institutions rather than a distributed customer base. Go-to-market relies on the company's international marketing network and brand assets built around the Constantin Film and TEAM Marketing franchises.

Capital structure and governance reflect a company in active portfolio reshaping. Between 2012 and 2023 the group executed five separate capital increases (including a 2023 rights offering and a 2021 capital increase paired with a convertible-loan refinancing), completed the 2018 takeover of Constantin Medien AG, executed a 2021 squeeze-out of Sport1 Medien AG minorities to simplify the group, and in 2024 concluded a strategic partnership with ACUNMEDYA. Reported financials show persistent net losses in four of the last five years and a sharply negative FY2025 EBITDA, consistent with a material impairment event, while the FY2025 annual report references solid revenue. The board, led by President Bernhard Burgener, was re-elected in full at the 24 June 2026 ordinary general meeting, indicating continuity of strategic direction during the current turnaround.

Name

Highlight Event and Entertainment

Legal name

Highlight Event & Entertainment AG

Website

https://hlee.ch

Company type

Public

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Highlight Event and Entertainment AG is a Swiss-listed holding group (SIX: HLEE) that markets international top events and distributes film through subsidiaries including Constantin Film, TEAM Marketing (UEFA club competitions), and Sport1 Medien, serving broadcasters, federations, and cultural institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Media and Entertainment Holding

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (71132), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Athlete & Talent Representation (Agents, Managers) (MPAKAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Event Production & A/V Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound) (MPAGAHAN)

Keywords

• Film production
• Sports media rights
• Event marketing
• Entertainment distribution
• Media rights agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Pratteln

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Highlight Event and Entertainment AG operates as a media and entertainment holding company through two business segments. The Film segment handles production, acquisition, and international distribution of motion pictures via subsidiaries including Constantin Film and Highlight Communications AG. The Sport & Event segment handles sports and live-event marketing, production, and rights management through subsidiaries including Sport1 Medien AG and TEAM Marketing AG, with long-running agency partnerships covering UEFA club competitions, WTA tennis, EBU sports rights, and the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert.

Product overview

Highlight Event and Entertainment AG is a Swiss media and entertainment holding company listed on SIX Swiss Exchange, operating through two core business segments: Film and Sport & Event. The company operates via its subsidiaries and affiliates including Constantin Film, Sport1 Medien AG, and TEAM Marketing AG. Core competencies lie in the marketing of international top events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Film segment Film production, acquisition, and international distribution of motion pictures operated through subsidiaries and affiliates including Constantin Film, Highlight Communications AG, and Constantin Medien AG; targets broadcasters, theatrical distributors, and digital/streaming platforms.
• Sport & Event segment Sports and live event marketing, production, and rights management operated through Sport1 Medien AG and TEAM Marketing AG, covering partnerships with UEFA club competitions, WTA tennis, EBU sports rights, Wiener Philharmoniker, and additional boxing events.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACUNMEDYAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Final contract concluded between Sport1 Medien AG and ACUNMEDYA in August 2024. ACUNMEDYA is a strategic partner for sports media operations.
• TEAM Marketing AGcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 February 2022TEAM Marketing was appointed as the marketing partner for UEFA Club Competitions, serving as the exclusive marketing agent for UEFA club competitions media rights outside of Switzerland.
• Nexway AGminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2020Partnership with Nexway AG for development of new streaming and edutainment offerings, announced June 2020.
• 5EL SAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2017Highlight Event and Entertainment AG acquired a stake in 5EL SA as part of strategic business development.
• Wiener PhilharmonikercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2014Partnership with Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic) for classical music event marketing. Partnership was extended in 2014 and again in 2017.
• WTAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2014Strategic partnership with WTA (Women's Tennis Association) for tennis event promotion and marketing.
• EBU (European Broadcasting Union)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 December 2012Partnership with European Broadcasting Union for sports rights and event marketing. EBU and Highlight Event extended their partnership in 2012 and renewed the agency agreement in 2013.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Leonine Studios: German film and series production and distribution company backed by KKR; directly comparable to HLEE's Constantin Film AG in German-language content production and library monetization.
• EuropaCorp: French-listed film production and distribution group with European and international film slate; comparable to Constantin Film in scale and business model of European film production/distribution.
• Octagon: Interpublic-owned sports marketing agency with deep rights representation business. Comparable to HLEE in representing top sports rights holders and producing events globally.
• Infront Sports & Media: Major international sports marketing and event management firm (owned by Wanda Group) that, like HLEE's TEAM Marketing, sells media and sponsorship rights for top-tier sports properties. Direct competitor for UEFA and other federation mandates.
• Dorna Sports: Exclusive commercial rights holder and event promoter for MotoGP. Comparable to HLEE in the model of owning/managing exclusive international sports rights and monetizing through media, sponsorship, and event promotion.
• Sportfive (formerly Lagardère Sports): Global sports marketing agency handling media rights distribution, sponsorship sales, and event management. Directly competes with HLEE's TEAM Marketing for federation and league marketing mandates across Europe.
• Wild Bunch (Studiocanal/Vivendi): European independent film sales, distribution, and production company; directly comparable to Constantin Film's distribution arm and HLEE's Highlight Communications in international film rights trading.

Broad incumbents

• RTL Group (Bertelsmann): Europe's largest broadcaster with content production and rights businesses that overlap with both HLEE's film and sports event marketing segments across multiple European territories.
• ITV plc: UK-listed integrated broadcaster and producer with sports rights (including UEFA rights partnerships), entertainment production, and Studios distribution — broadly comparable to HLEE's combination of rights marketing, broadcasting, and film production.
• ProSiebenSat.1 Media: Major German-language media conglomerate operating broadcast TV, entertainment, and commerce. Overlaps with HLEE's Sport1 Medien broadcasting and Constantin Film production activities within the German-speaking market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highlight-event-and-entertainment-ag

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highlight Event and Entertainment