Endemol Sport team out

Gregg Oldfield and Lawrence Duffy are leaving their roles as co-MDs of Endemol Sport as the superindie shakes up its sports production business.

Sports production is being placed under the control of local Endemol production arms instead of Endemol Sport.

An Endemol spokesman said the company remained committed to sports programming and the move was in line with the rest of its production business.

Former IMG Media execs Oldfield and Duffy joined the company three years ago to launch Endemol Sport.

The superindie is currently in the final stages of negotiations with lenders to re-finance the company, and an announcement is expected this month.

Endemol’s chief financial officer Just Spee said: “Endemol’s sports output has grown to a level where we need to bring it in line with how we develop and produce all our other content internationally. This new structure will allow us to continue building our business in this genre whilst delivering the best service to our clients at a local level.”

Not everyone associated with Endemol were enamored with Endemol Sports when it launched in 2009. Following the departure of Endemol CEO Ynon Kreiz last year, a source close to the company referred to the initiative as “whistling in the wind.”

However, Endemol has established a foothold in the international sports programming market through projects such as Kazakhstani net TV7 Sport; a Dutch Eredivisie league channel; a partnership with Abu Dhabi Media Company to launch four English Premier League channels across the Middle East; a cross-media partnership with England’s Manchester City football club; and further deals with sports bodies and teams.

Spee paid tribute to Oldfield and Duffy “for the role they have played in making Endemol the international player in sports entertainment that it is today and we wish them all the very best for the future.”

“We have enjoyed a fantastic three-plus years at Endemol and created a valuable and successful sports media business from a standing start,” said Oldfield and Duffy in a statement. “The restructuring makes sense and we are leaving behind major, award-winning sports channels and format productions in Abu Dhabi, Kazakhstan and Africa, as well as genuinely talented sports teams within the group.”

Oldfield and Duffy have yet to make any announcements about their futures.