beIN completes 'largest deal' to buy Turkey’s Digiturk

DOHA – Agence France-Presse

beIN chairman and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi reacts before the draw ceremony for the 2016/2017 Champions League group stage. REUTERS photo

beIN Media Group announced on Aug. 26 that it had completed the "largest deal in its history" by buying Turkish satellite sports and entertainment company Digiturk.

"This acquisition represents the largest deal in the history of our group and a major milestone in our global expansion," said beIN chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

He added that the Qatari group's expansion into the Turkish market was an "essential step" for beIN.

The statement did not say how much beIN paid for Digiturk.

The Turkish pay TV broadcaster has more than three million customers and specializes in sport, showing matches from Turkish Super League, Spain's La Liga and France's Ligue 1, among others.

Digiturk also has a strong track record in family broadcasting, airing shows from channels such as Disney.
Aug. 26's announcement represented beIN's second major acquisition this year after it bought Miramax studios in March.

Qatari businessman Khelaifi is also the chairman of French Ligue 1 football champion Paris Saint-Germain.