Bein ‘buys Digiturk for $1.2bn’

Qatar’s Bein Sports has reportedly bought Turkish pay TV platform Digiturk for a fee between US$1bn and US$1.2bn.

Bein Sports acquired a 53% stake in Digiturk last December in what was believed to be the largest ever media deal in Turkey.

The agreement saw Bein Sports CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi take on the Digiturk stake from Turkish conglomerate Curkurova Holding and combine it with the Al Jazeera TV network.

Local reports have now suggested that US firm Providence Equity Partners, which owns the remaining 47%, has also agreed a deal with Bein.

The reports put the price paid at between US$1bn and US$1.2bn, adding that Bein will control all the shares in the DTH platform, pending approval by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund.

Bein Sports launched in November 2003 as Al Jazeera Sport and owns the exclusive broadcasting rights in the Arab Middle East for major football leagues, such as the English Football Premier League.