大連萬達擬以8.50億美元收購WTC

Chinese property and investment firm Dalian Wanda Group is in exclusive talks to acquire World Triathlon Corp, the United States-based owner of the popular Ironman Triathlon franchise, for more than $850 million, according to a person familiar with the matter.

據知情人士透露，致力於地產和投資項目的大連萬達集團正在進行獨家談判，擬以逾8.50億美元收購美國World Triathlon Corp(WTC)。後者是深受歡迎的鐵人三項比賽賽事的擁有者。

The potential deal underscores China’s increasing appetite for US media assets. Live events and sports brands are some of the most attractive and fast-growing areas of the media industry.

本項潛在交易凸顯出中國對美國媒體資產興趣日增，而實況轉播活動以及運動品牌是媒體業最誘人的快速成長領域。

Dalian Wanda outbid other potential buyers for Ironman and is now in negotiation to finalize a deal with its owner, private equity firm Providence Equity Partners LLC, the person said.

消息人士表示，大連萬達集團出價高過其他競購鐵人系列的潛在買家，現正和鐵人的擁有者私募股權公司Providence Equity Partners LLC協商最終的協議。

There is no certainty that Dalian Wanda will manage to finalize a deal, however.

然而，大連萬達能否敲定協議存在着不確定性。

The source asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential. A spokesman for Providence declined to comment, while representatives for Dalian Wanda and Ironman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

由於談判不公開，消息人士不願透名。Providence發言人拒絕置評，大連萬達集團以及鐵人三項的代表都尚未立即回覆置評請求。

Ironman is a long-distance triathlon featuring a 3.86-km kilometer swim, a 180-km bike ride and a 42.2-km run, all of which has to be completed in under 17 hours. Ironman hosts 180 events in more than 20 countries, including shorter races.

鐵人三項運動由3.86千米的游泳、180千米的自行車騎行和42.2千米的短程馬拉松組成。運動員需要一鼓作氣，在17個小時內完成全程。鐵人系列集團已在20多個國家舉辦賽事，包括較短的比賽。

The first Ironman race was held in Hawaii in 1978 with 15 entrants. The idea for the race came from naval officer John Collins and his wife, Judy, who issued a challenge to see whether swimmers, bikers or runners were the toughest competitors.

1978年，擁有15個參賽者的夏威夷鐵人三項賽是第一次正式比賽。爲了探究游泳，自行車和跑步是否爲最富有挑戰性的體育運動項目，美國海軍准將約翰?科林斯和他的妻子朱迪提出舉辦鐵人三項賽的想法。

The World Championship, where 2,000 athletes compete, is still held in Hawaii and is televised on the NBC Sports Network.

擁有2000運動員參賽的世界錦標賽也是在夏威夷舉辦的，該比賽同時在NBC體育網進行了實況轉播。

John Gills, a physician and Ironman participant, bought the rights to Ironman in 1989 and sold World Triathlon Corp to Providence in 2008 for an undisclosed.

一名叫約翰.蓋爾的醫生作爲鐵人三項的參與者，在1989年爲WTC公司購置了鐵人三項的所有權。在2008年，他將WTC出售給Providence。

The company generates revenue from selling licensing for merchandise and is also paid through entry fees, sponsorships and global TV rights.

該公司的收入來源於銷售產品許可、收取入場費和贊助商的支持。此外，電視的全球轉播也會給其一定的費用。

World Triathlon Corp has annual earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of more than $50 million, sources previously told Reuters.

消息人士曾告訴路透社，扣除了利息、稅、折舊及攤銷，WTC公司每年的利潤逾5000萬美元。

Dalian Wanda, known for its real estate holdings, has been expanding its media investments outside China in recent years.

主要致力於房地產開發的大連萬達公司，近年來一直在國外拓展投資市場。

It bought sports marketing firm Infront Sports and Media, Media AG, which is based in Switzerland, for 1.05 billion euros ($1.14 billion) in February.

今年二月份，大連萬達集團以10.5億歐元（11.4億美元）的價格收購了總部在瑞士的上市公司Infront Sports and Media, Media AG。

Dalian Wanda’s last major US media investment was its $2.6 billion takeover of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc movie theaters in 2012.

2012年，大連萬達集團以26億美元的價格併購AMC娛樂影院是近來一項對美國投資的重大舉措。