Comcast has announced it is selling Sky Deutschland to RTL Group, which is part of German media group Bertelsmann, write Najat Kantouar and Adrià Catatayud for The Wall Street Journal.
This $617 million deal, to which RTL will pay up to 527 million euros, comes amidst the growth of streaming platforms in media company throughout Europe and beyond.
As a result of the deal — the biggest acquisition in the history of the company — RTL shares jumped as much as 17 percent.
The acquisition allows RTL to add prized sports rights to its news and entertainment operations.
According to the company, the deal will create a business with around 11.5 million paying subscribers and 8.2 billion euros in combined annual revenue.
Meanwhile, RTL parent company Bertelsmann will see Germany become its largest market after the deal is completed.
“At the same time, this acquisition is a step on the path toward strengthening European media markets–an absolute necessity in the competition with global tech and streaming platforms,” said Thomas Rabe, chief executive of both Bertelsmann and RTL.
For Comcast, selling Sky Deutschland comes as it nears the completion of spinning off NBCUniversal’s cable networks.
Read more about Comcast’s sale of Sky Deutschland and what it means for Germany in The Wall Street Journal.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on PHILADELPHIA.Today in July 2025.
