\nSony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and AT&T Inc.<\/a>* (NYSE:T<\/a>) today announced that AT&T agreed to sell its Crunchyroll anime business to Funimation Global Group, LLC. Funimation is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.\u2019s subsidiary, Aniplex Inc.\n<\/p>\n
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20201209006044\/en\/<\/a><\/p>\n \nCrunchyroll is a premier anime direct-to-consumer service within AT&T\u2019s WarnerMedia segment with more than 3 million SVOD subscribers and growing. It serves 90 million registered users across more than 200 countries and territories offeringAVOD, mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution. The combination of Crunchyroll and Funimation provides the opportunity to broaden distribution for their content partners and expand fan-centric offerings for consumers.\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cThe Crunchyroll team has done an extraordinary job of not only growing the Crunchyroll brand but also building a passionate community of anime fans. Crunchyroll\u2019s success is a direct result of the company\u2019s culture and commitment to their fans,\u201d said Tony Goncalves, Chief Revenue Officer, WarnerMedia. \u201cBy combining with Funimation, they will continue to nurture a global community and bring more anime to more people. I\u2019m incredibly proud of the Crunchyroll team and what they have been able to accomplish in the digital media space in such a short period of time. They\u2019ve created an end-to-end global ecosystem for this incredible art form.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\u201cWe are proud to bring Crunchyroll into the Sony family,\u201d said Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. \u201cThrough Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan, we have a deep understanding of this global artform and are well-positioned to deliver outstanding content to audiences around the world. Together with Crunchyroll, we will create the best possible experience for fans and greater opportunity for creators, producers and publishers in Japan and elsewhere. Funimation has been doing this for over 25 years and we look forward to continuing to leverage the power of creativity and technology to succeed in this rapidly growing segment of entertainment.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \nThe purchase price for the transaction is $1.175 billion subject to customary working capital and other adjustments, and the proceeds will be paid in cash at closing. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.\n<\/p>\n *About AT&T \nAT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information is available at about.att.com. \u00a9 2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and\/or AT&T affiliated companies. FirstNet and the FirstNet logo are registered trademarks and service marks of the First Responder Network Authority. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.\n<\/p>\n About Crunchyroll \nFans engage further with events (including owned events Crunchyroll Expo, Anime Awards, Crunchyroll Movie Nights, KAZ\u00c9 Movie Nights), consumer products through eCommerce and retail partners (Crunchyroll, KAZ\u00c9, AV Visionen), Crunchyroll Games, KAZ\u00c9 Games, and manga (KAZ\u00c9 Manga, Crunchyroll Manga app, Crunchyroll Manga Store).\n<\/p>\n \nCrunchyroll was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Lausanne, Chisinau, and Berlin (AV Visionen). VRV (U.S.) and Eye See Movies (Germany) are also Crunchyroll brands.\n<\/p>\n About Sony Pictures Entertainment About Funimation \nFunimation\u2019s streaming services offer a growing catalog of over 700 anime series and 13,000+ hours of content available on 15 platforms and in 49 countries. Funimation\u2019s in-house team designs must-have, exclusive collectibles distributed through major retailers and an e-commerce site; Funimation\u2019s theatrical division has distributed and marketed 6 of the top 20 anime films in the U.S. As pioneers of the SimulDub\u2122, Funimation is the gold standard for foreign language dubbing of Japanese anime with the highest quality standards and fidelity to the original artists. With a fan-centric approach, Funimation has built a social community of tens of millions of followers and earned the trust of Japan\u2019s most iconic creators.\n<\/p>\n \nFunimation has nine offices in six countries and hundreds of employees worldwide. As an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan\u2019s Aniplex Inc., a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., Funimation benefits from deep entertainment expertise across cultures, territories, and languages.\n<\/p>\n \nTo learn more about Funimation, visit funimation.com<\/a> and follow Funimation on Facebook, Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements \nThis news release may contain certain non-GAAP financial measures. Reconciliations between the non-GAAP financial measures and the GAAP financial measures are available on the company\u2019s website at https:\/\/investors.att.com<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n View source version on businesswire.com: <\/span>https:\/\/www.businesswire.com\/news\/home\/20201209006044\/en\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Sony Pictures AT&T \nDaphne Avila KEYWORDS:<\/b> California Texas United States North America Canada<\/p>\n INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:<\/b> Technology Mobile\/Wireless Audio\/Video Entertainment Online Mobile Entertainment General Entertainment Other Technology Telecommunications Other Entertainment Internet TV and Radio Consumer Electronics Licensing (Entertainment)<\/p>\n
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<\/span><\/b>AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T<\/a>) is a diversified, global leader in telecommunications, media and entertainment, and technology. WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content to global audiences through its consumer brands, including: HBO, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC Entertainment, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Turner Classic Movies. Xandr, now part of WarnerMedia, provides marketers with innovative and relevant advertising solutions for consumers around premium video content and digital advertising through its platform. AT&T Communications provides more than 100 million U.S. consumers with entertainment and communications experiences across TV, mobile and broadband. Plus, it serves high-speed, highly secure connectivity and smart solutions to nearly 3 million business customers. AT&T Latin America provides pay-TV services across 10 countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean and wireless services to consumers and businesses in Mexico.\n<\/p>\n
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<\/span><\/b>Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories with 360-degree experiences. Fans have access to the one of the largest collections of licensed anime through Crunchyroll, Anime Digital Network (in partnership with Citel, a subsidiary of M\u00e9dia-Participations), and Anime on Demand video streaming services, translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Crunchyroll’s services also extend to licensing of theatrical, TV, home video, consumer product, and video game rights.\n<\/p>\n
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<\/span><\/b>Sony Pictures Entertainment<\/a> (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE\u2019s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, 3000 Pictures, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http:\/\/www.sonypictures.com\/corp\/divisions.html<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n
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<\/span><\/b>Funimation distributes the best anime to a passionate, global community of fans. For over 25 years, Funimation has been delivering anime to fans and is pioneering an omnichannel approach to engaging and entertaining millions where they want it most\u2014streaming, home entertainment, theatrical, e-commerce, merchandising, live events, and more.\n<\/p>\n
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<\/b>Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T\u2019s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Stacy Weitz
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Sony Pictures Entertainment
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Phone: 310\u2013244\u20138834\n<\/p>\n
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Fletcher Cook
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AT&T
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Phone: 214-912-8541
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Email: fletcher.cook@att.com<\/a><\/p>\n
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AT&T Inc.
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Phone: 972-266-3866
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Email: daphne.avila@att.com<\/a><\/p>\n
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