maaxx.ca

Anthem Sports & Entertainment Acquires Leading Broadcaster Hollywood Suite, Doubles Canadian Channel Offering

TORONTO – September 25, 2024 – Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc., a global multi-platform media company, today announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire renowned Canadian independent broadcaster Hollywood Suite, owner and operator of four linear television channels and on-demand offerings featuring the best in cinema – full-length and commercial-free – from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Launched in 2011, Hollywood Suite is Canada’s largest pure-play movie service, available to more than 10 million homes coast-to-coast through Rogers, Bell, TELUS, Amazon Prime Video, Cogeco, Eastlink and Freedom Mobile, among others.

Hollywood Suite has become a customer favourite in Canada, satisfying both casual linear viewers and demand-driven digital audiences. Satisfying these two unique viewer experiences is a shared strategy for Hollywood Suite and Anthem. Combined with Game TV, Game+, Fight Network and AXS TV, Anthem will bring greater scale and investment to the Canadian system, benefiting viewers, content producers and distributors.

Hollywood Suite joins Anthem’s already impressive portfolio of film offerings: film distribution house Gravitas Ventures and popular U.S. movie channel HDNET MOVIES, which carries a wide range of blockbuster epics and old-school favorites and has quickly become the fastest-growing U.S. television network. The acquisition underscores Anthem’s commitment to acquiring premium content and diversifying its portfolio with culturally relevant entertainment across traditional and digital channels that cater to die-hard moviegoers and support independent producers.

Hollywood Suite President and Co-Founder David Kines will continue to manage the business. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

“Anthem is focused on delivering new and unique content that serves a broad and diverse fan base, and the acquisition of Hollywood Suite helps us advance that strategy significantly,” said Leonard Asper, Founder and CEO of Anthem. “They have a proven track record of tremendous growth over the years, with a strong commitment to providing true moviegoers with a diverse offering from some of the most important eras in cinema. We are proud to welcome them here and look forward to working closely with David and the Hollywood Suite team to help them reach even greater heights.”

“With a passion and commitment to film as deep as we do, Anthem is the perfect partner for Hollywood Suite,” said David Kines. “Leonard and his team have demonstrated an unmatched commitment to supporting independent cinemas and platforms like ours, delivering the best in cinematic content to viewers and subscribers.”

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank all of our employees over the past 13 years whose commitment and hard work have resulted in the level of success we have achieved,” said Jeff Sackman, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Founder of Hollywood Suite. “I also want to thank the unwavering support of our shareholders who have supported our vision from the beginning. Together, we look forward to supporting Anthem as they lead the company into an exciting new era.”

The Hollywood Suite, featuring carefully curated classic films, includes HS70s, which highlights the most important classic films of the decade; HS80s, filled with beloved retro films; HS90, filled with nostalgia; and modern masterpieces from 2000 to today on HS00s. The service also airs several exclusive series such as “Slasher,” “Wreck,” “Blumhouse’s Compendium Of Horror,” and “Mr. Bates VS The Post Office,” as well as in-house original series “A Year In Film” and “Cinema A To Z.”

The Hollywood Suite is also a major supporter of Canadian cinema, screening iconic films such as “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” “Black Christmas” and “Nobody Waved Goodbye” in stunning digitally remastered form. The network also passionately supports young Canadian talent with new films and series such as “The Burning Season,” “Potluck Ladies,” “Sweet Summer Love” and “Poly is the New Monogamy.”

About Anthem Sports & Entertainment, Inc.
Anthem Sports and Entertainment Inc. is a global multi-platform media company with offices and studios in Toronto, Los Angeles, Denver, Nashville, New York and Cleveland. Anthem’s portfolio includes AXS TV, a leading brand in television, streaming, digital, social music and entertainment; HDNET MOVIES, which delivers theatrically released films and documentaries; Gravitas Ventures, a global film distribution company; Fight Network, the world’s leading combat sports channel with broadcast distribution in over 10 countries and available worldwide via multiple OTT platforms; TNA Wrestling, one of the world’s leading wrestling organizations; Invicta Fighting Championships, the world’s leading promoter of women’s mixed martial arts; Game+, a North American sports channel featuring up-and-coming and popular sports content; and GameTV, home to competition-based game shows and reality series. For more information, visit www.anthemse.com.

About Hollywood Suites
Hollywood Suite owns and operates four exclusive HD channels featuring iconic films from the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s, as well as major Hollywood classics from the Golden Age, always with zero deductions and no commercials. With hundreds of movies each month across four HD channels and Hollywood Suite On Demand, Hollywood Suite offers consumers unmatched value. Hollywood Suite is available in over 10 million homes across Canada, exclusively through Canadian television service providers, Amazon Prime Video channels and Freedom Mobile. Visit hollywoodsuite.ca for more information.