IT services company Atos plans to acquire a 50% stake in MSL Group, provider of real-time results and information systems for major sports events. The deal also includes an option for Atos to acquire the full company of MSL Group.
Together MSL Group and Atos Major Events will create within Atos with about 500 specialised business technologists integrating teams of up to 5,000 IT experts to support major events.
In addition, both MSL Group and Atos Major Events have long term experience in the sports and other events IT industry and offer highly complementary services and together they will have the expertise and portfolio of services to support medium and large sporting events worldwide from the Tennis Master Series through to the Olympic Games reportedly.
The new combined portfolio provides the full range of services required to stage world class sports events from timing and scoring through Information Diffusion Systems that distribute the results to international media, news agencies, websites and TV graphics.
The combined portfolio also includes Games Management systems, System Integration and Games Times Operations.
Atos is supporting delivery of smart stadium offerings for major events, incorporating the key infrastructure and solutions into stadiums or events arenas to make them more versatile for the operators and to enhance the spectator´s experience.
Employees from both MSL Group and Atos Major Events are based in Spain and will start to collaborate immediately on key projects and new developments.
Atos Iberia, Olympics & Major Events CEO Patrick Adiba said the announcement marks a major milestone in Atos strategy to be the global IT leader for major events.
"By joining forces with MSL Group, we have a strengthened portfolio that will ensure our business technologists can continue to write history for sporting and major events around the world and that as a business we increase our market share as well as value from each deal," said Adiba.
