Commission européenne, DG COMP MERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE  
Europese Commissie, DG COMP M ERGER REGISTRY, 1049 Brussel,   BELGIË  
 
Tel: +32 229 -91111. Fax: +32 229 -64301. E -mail: COMP -MERGER -REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu . 
  EUROPEAN COMMISSION  
Brussels,  13.03.2020  
C(2020 ) 1748 final  
PUBLIC VERSION  
To the notifying party  
Subject : Case M.97 50 - HIG CAPITAL / LAGARDERE SPORTS AND 
ENTERTAINMENT SAS / LAGARDERE SPORTS INC  
Commission decision pursuan t to Article 6(1)(b) of Council Regulation 
(EC) No 139/20041 and Article 57 of the Agreement on the European 
Economic Area2  
Dear Sir or Madam,  
1. On 14 February  2020, the European Commission received notification of a proposed 
concentration pursuant to Article 4 of the Merger  Regulation by which  H.I.G. Europe 
Capital Partners II, L.P. (Cayman Islands), belonging to the H.I.G. Capital group of 
funds (“H.I.G. Capital”, United States o f America), acquire s within the meaning of 
Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of  Lagardère Sports and 
Entertainment SAS (“LSE”, France) and Lagardère Sports, Inc. (“LS”, United States 
of America) together with their direct and in direct subsidiaries (but excluding certain 
subsidiaries3), together (  “Lagardère Sports”) , by of purchase  of shares . 4 
2. The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:  
 for H.I.G. Capital : private equity investment firm , 
 for Lagardère Sports: a global sports agency offering specialised services (rights 
distribution, host broadcasting, media and programme production, event 
operations, brand development, marketing and sponsorship) and holding a 
portfolio of sports media and marketing rights. Lagard ère Sports has a specific 
focus on football . 
                                                 
1 OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 ( the ‘Merger Regulation ’). With effect from 1  December 2009,  the Treaty on 
the Functioning of the European Union ( ‘TFEU ’) has introduced certain changes, such as the 
replacement of ‘Community ’ by ‘Union ’ and ‘common market ’ by ‘internal market ’. The terminology 
of the TFEU will be used throughout this decision.  
2  OJ L 1, 3.1.1994, p.  3 (the ‘EEA Agreement ’). 
3  Excluding Lagardère Live Entertainment SAS, Saddlebrook International Sports LLC, World Sport 
Group (Mauritius) Ltd., World Sport Group (India) Ltd. and Lagardère Paris Racing Ressources SA SP. 
4  Publication in the Official Journal of the European Union No C 62, 25.02.2020 , p. 8. 

2 3. After examination of the notification, the European Commission has concluded that 
the notified operation falls within the scope of the Merger  Regulation  and of 
paragraph 5 (c) of the  Commission Notice on a simpli fied procedure for treatment of 
certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 .5 
4. For the reasons set out in the Notice on a simplified procedure, the European 
Commission has decided not to oppose the notified operation and to declare it 
compatible with the internal market and with the EEA Agreement. This decision is 
adopted in application of Article 6(1)(b) of the Merger  Regulation  and Article 57 of 
the EEA Agre ement . 
For the Commission  
 
 
(Signed)  
Olivier GUERSENT  
Director -General  
 
                                                 
5  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5 .