Banijay launches live events label, closes ‘transformative’ sports betting deal
BC11’s first major project will be the Star Academy 2026 tour
Banijay is pushing further into live events and online gambling, two areas that have helped the European production and distribution giant weather the current crisis in the TV industry.
Banijay is launching new music and live events label BC11 under Endemol France, to be led by the latter’s director of programming, Matthieu Grelier.
Grelier will step into a dual role, leading BC11 as its CEO alongside his remit at Endemol France, which he joined from ITV Studios France earlier this year.
BC11 will expand the reach of brands like Star Academy and Drag Race beyond the screen by producing live tours, supporting artist development and imagining new stage experiences. The label will also create and develop original IP across music and live events.
In partnership with Sony Music France through Arachnée Productions, BC11’s first flagship project is the Star Academy 2026 tour, with tickets now on sale.
This follows the success of two sold-out tours for the show, which gathered nearly one million spectators across more than 130 performances in France, Belgium and Switzerland.
Endemol France is behind local versions of Star Academy, Lego Masters, Drag Race and LOL: Last One Laughing, and the recently announced travel format The Best Holiday Destination for M6.
The launch of BC11 dovetails with Banijay Entertainment’s wider move into live events via Banijay Live, which was set up in 2023 after it took a majority stake in Balich Wonder Studio.
Live events have provided Banijay with an alternative revenue stream at a time when commissions have been harder to come by, while it has made a major push into online sports betting via Banijay Games in recent years.
Banijay Games, the unit launched last year following parent company FL Entertainment’s rebranding as Banijay Group, formed a key part of its annual presentation to investors and analysts in May.
The unit continues to grow and this week Banijay Group acquired a majority stake in Tipico Group, a leader in sports betting and online gaming in Germany and Austria.
Banijay Group founder and chairman Stéphane Courbit has a long history in online sports betting, having made an initial €220m (US$256m) investment in French online gambling company BetClic Everest Group via Banijay’s former parent company LOV Group back in 2006.
BetClic, which made €1.5bn in revenue last year, became an official part of Banijay in 2022 and will now be merged with Tipico to create a European sports betting and online gaming giant, subject to gambling regulatory approvals.
Banijay has high hopes for Banijay Games as online gambling becomes legalised and regulated in more markets around the world, including France and Brazil.
It is aiming for Banijay Gaming to double its revenue and free cash flow following the merger of Betclic and Tipico, which is expected to close in mid 2026.
François Riahi, CEO of Banijay Group, described the deal as “transformative” for Banijay Group.
Riahi said: “As presented during our Capital Markets Day, Banijay Group is a natural consolidator in the field of entertainment and is able to seize opportunities to expand and to create value.
“Tipico fits perfectly well in this strategy and is in line with our DNA: strong leader in two important markets, fully regulated, product-focused, highly profitable, providing us, in the sports betting business, with the reach, the scale and the diversification that already make the strength of our content business.”
