SoftBank Acquires DramaFever in Major Deal
SoftBank Internet and Media, Inc. and DramaFever Corp., the largest online video distributor of premium international television shows and movies announced a definitive agreement under which SoftBank Internet and Media, Inc. will acquire DramaFever, as detailed in the press release below issued by the companies.
Morrison & Foerster Guides SoftBank Transaction
With a leading practice in the technology, media, and telecom industries, law firm Morrison & Foerster is providing advice to SoftBank on this transaction with a deal team led by San Francisco corporate partners Robert Townsend and Michael O’Bryan, Tokyo partner Ivan Smallwood, and Denver of counsel Erik Knudsen, together with Denver associate Tyler Jennings Sewell, San Francisco associate Benjamin Fox, Tokyo associates Justin Jamail and Leo Martin, and a technology transactions team led by New York partner John Delaney and Los Angeles partner Russell Weiss, together with New York associates Nathan Salminen, Anthony Ramirez and Meredith Louis and Virginia associates William Schuerman and Filipp Kofman. Advice was also provided by San Francisco partner Bernie Pistillo and New York associate Shiukay Hung on tax matters; Palo Alto partner Michael Frank, San Diego Of Counsel Jessica Rice and San Francisco associate Ali Nardali on benefits and compensation matters; Palo Alto partner Christine Lyon on privacy and labor and employment matters; and Washington, D.C. Of Counsel Julie O’Neill on privacy matters.
Michael O’Bryan
Morrison & Foerster’s Track Record with SoftBank
Morrison & Foerster has advised on a series of recent deals for SoftBank, including advising on its strategic partnership with media company Legendary Entertainment and in connection with Alibaba’s IPO, the largest IPO in history. The firm was SoftBank’s lead counsel on another of the company’s major investments in the media space, its $1.5 billion investment in mobile gaming company Supercell Oy in 2013, and also led SoftBank’s landmark $21.6 billion acquisition of a 78 percent stake in Sprint Nextel, the largest outbound investment in Japan’s history.
Advising on Notable Media Industry Deals
In addition to advising SoftBank on its partnership with Legendary, the firm has led on a number of high-profile media deals, including 21st Century Fox’s £2.9 billion sale of Sky Deutschland to BSkyB, Arbitron’s $1.3 billion sale to Nielsen Holdings and Fosun International’s $3.7 billion take-private of Focus Media (as part of a consortium). Additional media clients of the firm include Time Warner Cable, Technicolor, Warner Music Group, and the Motion Picture Association of America.
