In a major global move, Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire sports marketing and creative agency 160over90 from WME Group.
Publicis is acquiring the agency in full for an undisclosed amount, with the deal subject to regulatory approval. Once completed, the agency will become part of the Publicis Sports division, led by CEO Suzy Deering, who joined the holding company last year in a newly created role.
While WME will not retain a stake in 160over90 following the deal, Publicis is forming a new partnership with the talent and entertainment company that will allow for collaborations between Publicis’ agencies and clients and WME’s roster of talent and IP. WME will “gain broader access to brands and content opportunities, while we get first-look access to talent and added value for our brands,” Deering explained.
Robbie Henchman, most recently president of 160over90, will oversee the Publicis-WME partnership while remaining at WME as a senior partner and president of its brand representation business.
Commenting on the acquisition, Publicis CEO Arthur Sadoun said that the company’s “next big bet is sport.” He told ADWEEK that Publicis chose 160over90 because it is “one of, if not the best, assets in sports marketing today,” while its expertise across a wide range of sports complements the holding group’s specialities in areas such as data and technology, media, and influencer marketing.
The deal is a strategic move to expand Publicis’ investment in sports marketing, following its acquisitions of sports and culture-focused agencies, Adopt and Bespoke, in 2025. It also launched the Influential Sports practice earlier this year, after its purchase of creator marketing agency Influential in 2024.
Sports marketing is a major “engine of growth for our clients,” Sadoun said. The sports media market is valued at $150 billion, per Ken Research, while sports sponsorships have surpassed $90 billion globally, according to Allied Market Research.
“That’s where [marketers’] audiences are and where they want to grow their audiences,” Deering added.
However, the systems and partners that brands typically use to manage sports marketing activities are often disconnected and outdated, Deering said.
According to her, Publicis aims to establish an integrated offering for clients that combines 160over90’s capabilities with the rest of Publicis Sports, including the Publicis Sports Intelligence data platform powered by Epsilon, as well as Influential’s creator platform and WME’s talent and IP.
“We’re going to use who they are, [combined] with our capabilities, particularly in data, to truly disrupt the sports marketing environment,” Sadoun said.
Sports are becoming even more important to marketers and consumers craving human connection in the age of AI, he said: “Where you see hyper-personalisation everywhere, sports is one of the very rare moments where people get together.”
Publicis’ investment in AI will also allow it to connect its sports capabilities across the group, Sadoun said. In February, he said that 73% of Publicis’ operating model is now “AI-powered.”
The 160over90 acquisition is the latest sign that Publicis intends to keep investing in new capabilities while rivals pull back, Sadoun argued.
“We are continuing to invest in capabilities that our clients really need, and that transform and make our model unique at a moment where basically the market is focusing on share buybacks,” he said. “This is the polar opposite strategy of our peers.”
Publicis reported $17.18 billion in net revenue in 2025, up 5.6% from 2024 and a 20% increase since 2022.
Founded in 2001, 160over90 has grown into one of the world’s leading sports marketing agencies, with more than 670 employees across the U.S., U.K., EMEA, and APAC. The agency has built a strong reputation working with global brands on sports and culture strategies tied to major events like the Super Bowl, the Olympic Games, and the FIFA World Cup.