RRSAT Announces Acquisition of SM2

November 14, 2012

RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. announced that its U.S. subsidiary, RRsat America Global Communications Network Inc. (RRsat America) has acquired the assets and operations of SM2 Sports & Media Solutions, a U.S. based premier provider of occasional-use international sports distribution and syndication services. SM2 works with many of the major international sports agencies and broadcasters around the world, to deliver their content reliably.

SM2’s clients include the U.S. National Football League (NFL), USGA, LPGA, ESPN International, IMG Media, B SKY B, Viasat and others. Among other major accomplishments, SM2 assisted the NFL in delivering its initial high definition (HD) broadcast of the Super Bowl to its European broadcast partners.

SM2’s operations will be integrated into RRsat America and Susanna Mandel-Mantello, the founder of SM2, will join RRsat America. Ms. Mantello has worked in the sports broadcasting industry for over sixteen years, including eight years at the National Hockey League as Director of International Broadcasting. Ms. Mantello will further develop RRsat’s sports and special events (Occasional Use - OU) as well as the 24/7 business in the United States, enhancing its reputation in launching and supporting new broadcasting technologies and ensuring that clients receive the highest transmission quality on all feeds, through access to RRsat’s global network. As a result, RRsat America will be able to more aggressively and effectively compete for new and larger contracts.

Avi Cohen, CEO of RRsat commented, “RRsat has taken a bold step and has entered into a lucrative new activity of Occasional Use broadcast and distribution of live sports in the United States. We see tremendous long-term potential in a fast growing market, and the acquisition of SM2 places us in a very strong position to actualize on that opportunity. In the past, we have worked closely with SM2 and we expect to benefit from strong synergies by bringing SM2 under the RRsat umbrella. We are very happy to welcome SM2 and Susanna to the RRsat family, and we look forward to expanding our U.S. activities and winning new clients for our global digital broadcasting services.”

Susanna Mandel-Mantello, Founder and President of SM2, commented, “I am truly excited to be joining the RRsat family and growing its US and OU business. As a person who has been involved in the industry, from both a client and vendor standpoint, I see the occasional use market not only growing, but also offering more challenges in regards to global transmission and the need for high quality and reliability. By joining RRsat, a global leader in digital content management and distribution, we will be in a much stronger position to provide a true global network, as well as improved customer service and advanced technical solutions, two major qualities that SM2 is renowned for.”