Multiyear Agreement to Enhance Marketing Initiatives by Combining Resources of Global Content Leader and World's Pre-Eminent Entertainment Fan Site
SANTA MONICA, Calif. and SAN FRANCISCO, April 28, 2017 -- Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), a premier next generation global content leader, and Fandom, the largest entertainment fan site in the world, today announced a ground-breaking strategic partnership to reach fan communities across Lionsgate's broad portfolio of filmed entertainment brands and franchises.
By deepening Lionsgate's engagement and connection with the fan communities for its properties, the pact will enable the Company to continue to refine its marketing strategies, expand the worlds of its franchises and create fresh content for fans. In addition, Fandom users will have access to enhanced content experiences based on Lionsgate intellectual property, some of it exclusive. Over the term of the agreement Lionsgate and Fandom will each commit additional marketing resources across the platform.
The partnership marshals the resources of the world's pre-eminent entertainment fan destination, with an audience spanning 360,000 fan communities and over 175 million monthly uniques, and global content leader Lionsgate, which manages a 16,000-title library, a slate of over 40 feature film releases a year, one of the largest independent television businesses in the world, and a deep roster of programming from Starz, which the Company acquired in December 2016.
"We're pleased to expand our strategic partnership with President and CEO Craig Palmer, COO Walker Jacobs and the entire Fandom team," said Lionsgate President of Interactive Ventures & Games Peter Levin. "The complementary strengths of our two companies will enable us to engage even more deeply with the fans of our properties, continue customizing our content to their preferences and laser focus our marketing initiatives as we grow our platform around the world."
"Fans are incredibly passionate and connected," said Fandom's Walker Jacobs. "They tell their communities what to listen to, watch, play, and buy. They are the trusted source for advice. Partnering with Lionsgate, a global content partner with a massive library, a deep portfolio of brands and franchises and tremendous international reach, enhances our ability to super-serve these fans worldwide with an amazing pipeline of premium content. It furthers our mission to make fans better fans."
The deal was orchestrated for Lionsgate by Miles Delaney, Senior VP, Corporate Development, Amanda Koslowski, Senior VP, Digital Marketing, Home Entertainment & Television, David Edwards, Senior VP, Digital Marketing, Motion Picture Group, and William Drewry of Pursuit Advisory.
ABOUT LIONSGATELionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, premium pay television networks, home entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures and games and location-based entertainment.
With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio of businesses the flagship STARZ premium pay network serving 24.3 million subscribers and the STARZ ENCORE platform with 31 million subscribers. The combined company will operate five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the STARZ app delivering content directly to consumers.
The Company's feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster The Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me series, the box office smash La La Land, which won six Academy Awards®, the hit franchise sequel John Wick: Chapter Two, double Oscar winner Hacksaw Ridge, Tyler Perry's Boo! A Madea Halloween, The Shack, Saban's Power Rangers, CBS Films/Lionsgate's Hell or High Water, Roadside Attractions' critically-acclaimed Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack Films' breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films' Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
One of the largest independent television businesses in the world, Lionsgate's slate of premium quality series encompasses nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks. These include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan favorite Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the hit drama The Royals, the acclaimed Casual, the breakout success Greenleaf, the network reality shows Kicking & Screaming and the eagerly-anticipated Candy Crush, and hit STARZ series including Outlander, Black Sails, Survivor's Remorse and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay television series of 2016.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and Starz brands are synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com
ABOUT FANDOMFandom is a global entertainment media brand, part of Wikia, Inc. As a comprehensive, fan-first destination for pop culture, users can find and share the latest news, inside stories and expert knowledge on their favorite TV shows, movies, games, comics and more. The site is home to one of the largest audiences of Millennials on the web. Sixty-four percent of its audience is comprised of people 13-34 years old, making Fandom the category leader of the 13-34 demographic in the comScore Top 100 (U.S.). Fandom has a global audience of over 175 million monthly unique users (Quantcast 2017) and more than 360,000 fandoms. For more information, visit: www.fandom.com.
For more information, please contact:
Peter Wilkes
Lionsgate
PWilkes@lionsgate.com
(310) 255-3726
Nikki Flynn
Fandom
nflynn@fandom.com