Offer by BSkyB
Sports Internet Group PLC
10 May 2000
Not for release, distribution or publication in whole or in
part into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.
Recommended Offer
by Goldman Sachs International
on behalf of
BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING GROUP PLC
for
SPORTS INTERNET GROUP PLC
The Boards of BSkyB and Sports Internet Group today announce
the terms of a recommended offer for all the issued and to be
issued share capital of Sports Internet Group.
- The Offer is being made on the basis of 0.5622 New BSkyB
Shares for each Sports Internet Group Share. On the basis of
the Closing Middle Market Price of 1512p per BSkyB Share on 9
May 2000, the last business day prior to the date of this
announcement, the Offer values each Sports Internet Group
Share at approximately 850p and the existing issued share
capital of Sports Internet Group at approximately £301.3
million.
- The Offer represents a premium of approximately 34.4 per
cent. over the Closing Middle Market Price of a Sports
Internet Group Share on 28 April 2000, the last business day
prior to the date on which Sports Internet Group announced
that it was in talks which might lead to an offer, and 10.0
per cent. over the Closing Middle Market Price of a Sports
Internet Group Share on 9 May 2000, the last business day
prior to the date of this announcement.
- BSkyB has received irrevocable undertakings to accept the
Offer from all the shareholder directors of Sports Internet
Group in respect of approximately 18.2 million Sports Internet
Group Shares representing approximately 51.5 per cent. of
Sports Internet Group's existing issued share capital.
- BSkyB attaches great importance to the skills and experience
of the Sports Internet Group management team and intends that
they will contribute to the development of skysports.com.
- The Board of BSkyB believes that the combination of Sports
Internet Group and skysports.com will create one of the UK's
leading sports portals. The Board of BSkyB also believes that
skysports.com will be able to capitalise on Sports Internet
Group's existing infrastructure and expertise in producing and
managing sports websites and operating betting services.
Commenting on today's announcement, Tony Ball, Chief Executive
Officer of BSkyB, said:
'This is a valuable acquisition for BSkyB because Sports
Internet Group has an established infrastructure, original
content, high user volumes and an exciting e-commerce
potential. It confirms our strong commitment to new media by
offering the very best content to people wherever and whenever
they want it.
We are also delighted to have secured the services of the
Sports Internet Group management team to drive skysports.com
through the next phase of its development. They are
innovative with proven skills in building a leading on-line
sports business. The business and the people provide a
terrific fit for BSkyB. I have every confidence that we will
continue to occupy a leading position in the broadband era.'
Commenting on today's announcement, Peter Wilkinson, Executive
Deputy Chairman of Sports Internet Group, said:
'I am delighted to recommend the offer made by BSkyB to Sports
Internet shareholders.
The services Sports Internet Group offers Sky are truly
complementary to its existing output. I am personally
delighted to be working with a company which is at the
forefront of the broadband revolution. I believe that this is
a very exciting step for both companies.'
This summary should be read in conjunction with the full text
of the attached press release.
Enquiries:
BSkyB 020 7705 3000
ANALYSTS/INVESTORS
MARTIN STEWART
Roger Blundell
Press
Julian Eccles
GOLDMAN SACHS INTERNATIONAL 020 7774 1000
RICHARD CAMPBELL-BREEDEN
Francis Crispino
Bell Pottinger 020 7353 9203
WENDY TIMMONS
Sports Internet Group 01423 700800
Peter Wilkinson
Jeremy Fenn
UBS WARBURG 020 7567 8000
Alex Wilmot-Sitwell
Andrew Bracey
College Hill 020 7457 2020
NICOLA WEINER
Archie Berens
The Offer will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or
into, or by the use of the mails or any means or
instrumentality (including without limitation, telephonically
or electronically) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or
any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the US,
or in or into Canada, Australia or Japan and the Offer will
not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means,
instrumentality or facilities or from within the US, Canada,
Australia or Japan. Doing so may render invalid any purported
acceptance. Accordingly, copies of this announcement are not
being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded,
distributed or sent in or into or from the US, Canada,
Australia or Japan and all persons receiving this announcement
(including nominees, trustees or custodians) must not mail or
otherwise forward, distribute or send it into or from the US,
Canada, Australia, or Japan. The New BSkyB Shares have not
been, and will not be, registered under the United States
Securities Act of 1933, as amended or under securities laws of
any state of the US. Furthermore, the relevant clearances have
not been, and will not be, obtained from the securities
commission of any province of Canada, nor any city or
prefecture of Japan. No prospectus in relation to the New
BSkyB Shares has been, or will be, lodged with or registered
by the Australian Securities Commission. Accordingly, except
pursuant to an exemption, if available, from any applicable
registration requirements or otherwise in compliance with all
applicable laws, the New BSkyB Shares may not be offered,
sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into
the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan nor to or for
the account or benefit of any person resident in the United
States, Canada, Australia or Japan.
Goldman Sachs International, which is regulated in the United
Kingdom by The Securities and Futures Authority Limited, is
advising BSkyB in connection with the Offer and no-one else
and will not be responsible to anyone other than BSkyB for
providing the protections afforded to customers of Goldman
Sachs International nor for providing advice in relation to
the Offer.
UBS Warburg, a financial services group of UBS AG, which is
regulated in the United Kingdom by The Securities and Futures
Authority Limited, is advising Sports Internet Group in
connection with the Offer and no-one else and will not be
responsible to anyone other than Sports Internet Group for
providing the protections afforded to customers of UBS Warburg
nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer.
Goldman Sachs International and Credit Suisse First Boston de
Zoete & Bevan Limited are joint brokers to BSkyB.
This announcement does not constitute an offer or invitation
to purchase any securities.
Recommended Offer
by Goldman Sachs International
on behalf of
BRITISH SKY BROADCASTING GROUP PLC
for
SPORTS INTERNET GROUP PLC
1. INTRODUCTION
The Boards of BSkyB and Sports Internet Group today
announce that they have reached agreement on the terms of
a recommended offer to be made by Goldman Sachs
International on behalf of BSkyB for all the issued and
to be issued share capital of Sports Internet Group.
The Offer is being made on the basis of 0.5622 New BSkyB
Shares for each Sports Internet Group Share. On the
basis of the Closing Middle Market Price of 1512p per
BSkyB Share on 9 May 2000, the last business day prior to
the date of this announcement, the Offer values each
Sports Internet Group Share at approximately 850p and the
existing issued share capital of Sports Internet Group at
approximately £301.3 million.
BSkyB has received irrevocable undertakings to accept the
Offer from all the shareholder directors of Sports
Internet Group in respect of 18.2 million Sports Internet
Group Shares representing approximately 51.5 per cent. of
Sports Internet Group's existing issued share capital.
BSkyB attaches great importance to the skills and
experience of the Sports Internet Group management and
intends that they will contribute to the development of
skysports.com.
The Sports Internet Group Board, which has been so
advised by UBS Warburg, financial adviser to Sports
Internet Group, considers the terms of the Offer to be
fair and reasonable and unanimously recommends all Sports
Internet Group Shareholders to accept the Offer. In
providing advice to the Sports Internet Group Board, UBS
Warburg has taken into account the Sports Internet Group
Board's commercial assessments.
2. TERMS OF THE OFFER
On behalf of BSkyB, Goldman Sachs International will
offer to acquire, subject to the conditions and further
terms set out below, in Appendix I and in the formal
offer document and form of acceptance, all the issued and
to be issued share capital of Sports Internet Group on
the following basis:
For each Sports Internet 0.5622 New BSkyB Shares
Group Share
On the basis of the Closing Middle Market Price of a
BSkyB Share of 1512p on 9 May 2000 (the last business day
prior to the date of this announcement), the Offer values
each Sports Internet Group Share at approximately 850p,
representing a premium of approximately 10.0 per cent.
over the Closing Middle Market Price of 772.5p per Sports
Internet Group Share on 9 May 2000, and a premium of
approximately 34.4 per cent. over the Closing Middle
Market Price of 632.5 p on 28 April 2000, the last
business day prior to the date on which Sports Internet
Group announced it was in talks which may lead to an
offer.
Full acceptance of the Offer, assuming exercise of all
options and rights outstanding as detailed in Appendix
II, would result in the issue of approximately 21.8
million New BSkyB Shares, representing approximately 1.2
per cent. of BSkyB's enlarged issued share capital.
Application will be made for the New BSkyB Shares to be
admitted to the Official List and to begin trading on the
London Stock Exchange. The New BSkyB Shares will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of
1933, as amended.
The Sports Internet Group Shares which are the subject of
the Offer will be acquired by BSkyB fully paid and free
from all liens, charges, equitable interests, third party
rights and encumbrances and together with all rights now
or hereafter attaching thereto, including the right to
receive all dividends and other distributions (if any)
declared, made or paid after the date of this
announcement.
The New BSkyB Shares issued pursuant to the Offer will be
issued credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in
all respects with the existing BSkyB Shares including the
right to receive and retain in full all dividends and
other distributions declared, made or paid after the date
of this announcement.
Further details of the bases and sources of thethis
financial information on, and the financial effects of
acceptance of, the Offer are set out in Appendix II.
3. IRREVOCABLE UNDERTAKINGS
BSkyB has received irrevocable undertakings to accept the
Offer from all the shareholder directors of Sports
Internet Group in respect of 18.2 million Sports Internet
Group Shares representing approximately 51.5 per cent. of
Sports Internet Group's existing issued share capital.
BSkyB has also received an irrevocable undertaking from
Hay & Robertson plc to accept the Offer in respect of
approximately 1.8 million Sports Internet Group Shares to
be issued to it on completion of the agreement dated 7
February 2000 in respect of the acquisition by Sports
Internet Group of 49 per cent. of the issued share
capital of Sports Etail Limited.
The undertaking given by Peter Wilkinson who holds in
aggregate 15.0 million Sports Internet Group Shares,
representing 42.3 per cent. of the issued share capital
of Sports Internet Group, will lapse if the average of
the Closing Middle Market Prices of a BSkyB Share for
each of the five dealing days immediately before he is
required to accept the Offer is less than £11.75. He has
agreed not to withdraw his acceptance thereafter unless
the average of the Closing Middle Market Prices of a
BSkyB Share for any five consecutive dealing days is less
than £11.75.
He has also agreed not to dispose of certain of the New
BSkyB Shares he will receive pursuant to the Offer for
periods of up to two years following the date on which
the Offer becomes or is declared wholly unconditional.
4. BACKGROUND TO AND REASONS FOR THE OFFER
BSkyB is investing in new media and skysports.com in
particular. The Board of BSkyB believes that the
combination of Sports Internet Group with skysports.com
will create a leading sports portal in the UK.
Specifically:
- Scale: the combined traffic volumes will enhance the
advertising revenues and e-commerce opportunities of the
two companies' sports websites;
- Management: the Sports Internet Group management will
strengthen skysports.com's management team and provide
further opportunities for the development of BSkyB's new
media on-line sports properties;
- Content: the combination draws together journalistic
talent and associated on-line content from both
companies;
- Distribution: the combination will have deals with
leading portals/ISPs such as Yahoo!, Freeserve and
others;
- Relationships:Relationships the combination will have
service agreements with sports bodies (including football
clubs and sports federations) for the design and
maintenance of their websites;
- Betting: the Enlarged Group will benefit from the
expertise of Sports Internet Group in sports betting.
5. INFORMATION ON THE BSKYB GROUP
BSkyB, incorporated in England and Wales in April 1988,
currently operates a leading pay television broadcasting
service in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with
approximately 8.6 million subscribers to its services as
of 31 March 2000.
BSkyB Group's principal activities consist of the
operation (including production of programming),
marketing and distribution (both via satellite, cable and
digital terrestrial television) of wholly owned
television channels and the marketing and distribution to
direct to home customers of channels owned and operated
by third parties (including some joint ventures in which
BSkyB participates).
For the financial year ended 30 June 1999, BSkyB Group
reported turnover of £1,545 million and a loss before tax
of £389 million. As of 30 June 1999, BSkyB Group had net
liabilities of £625 million. In its unaudited interim
results for the six months ended 31 December 1999, BSkyB
Group reported turnover of £850 million, a loss before
tax of £62 million and, as at 31 December 1999, had net
liabilities of £665 million.
BSkyB is a constituent of the FTSE-100 Index. Based on
the Closing Middle Market Price of 1512p per BSkyB Share
on 9 May 2000 (the last business day prior to the date of
this announcement), BSkyB's current market capitalisation
is approximately £27.6 billion.
6. INFORMATION ON THE SIG GROUP
Sports Internet Group is one of the UK's leading online
providers of sports websites, statistics, betting and e-
commerce services. Founded in 1999, Sports Internet
Group has grown through acquisition and now consists of
four key interdependent divisions:
- Planetfootball: provision of web management and hosting
services to football clubs and federations;
- Opta: official statistical analysis for the FA Carling
Premier League and Scottish Premier League;
- Surrey Group: off-line and on-line sports betting;
- Sports Etail: e-commerce business focused on the
provision of on-line merchandise sales for sports
federations; currently contracted to the Football
Association and the England Cricket Board.
Sports Internet Group now offers a combination of the
above services through its own websites and websites it
manages, which include Premiership and First Division
football clubs and sports federations. It also maintains
extensive links to major UK portals, including the
provision of branded football news for Freeserve and
LineOne, and statistics for Yahoo!'s FA Premiership
Fantasy Football. In addition, Sports Internet Group
recently announced an agreement with the Wireless Group
to manage talkSport.net.
Peter Wilkinson, the Executive Deputy Chairman, was the
founder of Planet Online and one of the architects of
Freeserve. Jeremy Fenn, the Group Chief Executive, was
previously Chief Executive of Leeds Sporting plc.
As of March 2000, Sports Internet Group recorded
approximately 1.5 million unique users and approximately
30 million monthly page impressions making it a major
sports website operator in the UK.
The interim results to 31 August 1999 contained only four
months of trading for Planetfootball and two months of
Opta trading. In addition, the Surrey Group acquisition
occurred in October 1999 and is therefore also not
accounted for. Turnover for the six month period ended
31 August 1999 was £0.24 million with the loss before tax
amounting to £0.82 million. As of 31 August 1999, the
SIG Group had net assets of £37.8 million.
7. MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
BSkyB attaches great importance to the skills and
experience of the existing management and employees of
Sports Internet Group and believes that they will benefit
from the wider opportunities in the BSkyB Group. In
particular, BSkyB expects that the senior management of
Sports Internet Group will continue in their current
roles. Peter Wilkinson, Executive Deputy Chairman of
Sports Internet Group, and Jeremy Fenn, chief executive
officer of Sports Internet Group, have entered into
service agreements for initial periods of two years.
BSkyB intends to invite Messrs Wilkinson and Fenn to join
the board of skysports.com.
BSkyB has given assurances to the directors of Sports
Internet Group that the existing employment rights,
including pension rights (if any), of the management and
employees of the Group will be fully safeguarded.
8. SPORTS INTERNET GROUP OPTIONS
The Offer will extend to any Sports Internet Group Shares
issued or unconditionally allotted while the Offer
remains open for acceptance (or such earlier date as
BSkyB may, subject to the City Code, determine) pursuant
to the exercise of share options granted under the Sports
Internet Group Share Option Schemes. To the extent that
such options are not exercised and in the event that the
Offer becomes or is declared wholly unconditional in all
respects, appropriate proposals will be made, in due
course, to the holders of options under the Sports
Internet Group Share Option Schemes. It is intended that
such proposals will include the opportunity for option
holders to exchange their subsisting options over Sports
Internet Group Shares for replacement options over new
BSkyB Shares on the basis of 0.5622 new BSkyB Shares for
each Sports Internet Group Share. The replacement
options will have an option price which will ensure that
the option gain achieved on exercise of the replacement
option will be at least equal to the gain that would have
been achieved had the option holder exercised his
subsisting option at the time of the exchange. To
facilitate this exchange, an amendment will be required
to the Sports Internet Group Share Option Schemes. The
directors of Sports Internet Group will convene an
extraordinary general meeting to approve such amendment
as soon as practicable.
9. GENERAL
On 9 May 2000, BSkyB agreed to purchase from Freeserve a
warrant to subscribe for 400,000 Sports Internet Group
Shares at an exercise price of £7.50 for each Sports
Internet Group Share. The consideration for the purchase
of the warrant is the issue to Freeserve of such number
of new BSkyB Shares as equals the difference between the
value of the Offer (calculated by reference to the
Closing Middle Market Price of a BSkyB Share for the last
business day prior to the date of this announcement) and
the exercise price of the warrant. The acquisition is
conditional upon the Offer becoming unconditional in all
respects.
Save as disclosed herein, neither BSkyB nor any director
of BSkyB, nor to BSkyB's knowledge, any person acting in
concert with BSkyB, owns or controls any Sports Internet
Group Shares or holds any options to purchase any Sports
Internet Group Shares or has entered into any derivative
referenced to securities of Sports Internet Group which
remain outstanding. In the interests of secrecy, BSkyB
has not made any enquiries in this respect of certain
parties who may be deemed by the Panel to be acting in
concert with it for the purpose of the Offer.
The availability of the Offer to Sports Internet Group
Shareholders who are not resident in the United Kingdom
may be affected by the laws of the relevant
jurisdictions. Persons who are not resident in the United
Kingdom should inform themselves about and observe any
applicable requirements.
The formal Offer documentation will be despatched to
Sports Internet Group Shareholders and participants in
the Sports Internet Group Share Option Schemes as soon as
is practicable.
Enquiries:
BSkyB
Analysts/Investors 020 7705 3000
Martin Stewart
Roger Blundell
Press 020 7705 3000
Julian Eccles
GOLDMAN SACHS INTERNATIONAL 020 7774 1000
Richard Campbell-Breeden
Francis Crispino
Bell Pottinger 020 7353 9203
Wendy Timmons
Sports Internet Group 01423 700800
Peter Wilkinson
Jeremy Fenn
UBS WARBURG 020 7567 8000
Alex Wilmot-Sitwell
Andrew Bracey
College Hill 020 7457 2020
Nicola Weiner
Archie Berens
The Offer will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or
into, or by the use of the mails or any means or
instrumentality (including without limitation,
telephonically or electronically) of interstate or
foreign commerce of, or any facilities of a national
securities exchange of, the US, Canada, Australia or
Japan and the Offer will not be capable of acceptance by
any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from
within the US, Canada, Australia or Japan. Doing so may
render invalid any purported acceptance. Accordingly,
copies of this announcement are not being, and must not
be, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in
or into or from the US, Canada, Australia or Japan and
all persons receiving this announcement (including
nominees, trustees or custodians) must not mail or
otherwise forward, distribute or send it into or from the
US, Canada, Australia, or Japan. The New BSkyB Shares
have not been, and will not be, registered under the
United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended or under
securities laws of any state of the US. Furthermore, the
relevant clearances have not been, and will not be
obtained from the securities commission of any province
of Canada, nor any city or prefecture of Japan. No
prospectus in relation to the New BSkyB Shares has been,
or will be, lodged with or registered by the Australian
Securities Commission. Accordingly, except pursuant to an
exemption, if available, from any applicable registration
requirements or otherwise in compliance with all
applicable laws, the New BSkyB Shares may not be offered,
sold, resold or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or
into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan nor to
or for the account or benefit of any person resident in
the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan.
Goldman Sachs International, which is regulated in the
United Kingdom by The Securities and Futures Authority
Limited, is advising BSkyB in connection with the Offer
and no-one else and will not be responsible to anyone
other than BSkyB for providing the protections afforded
to customers of Goldman Sachs International nor for
providing advice in relation to the Offer.
UBS Warburg, a financial services group of UBS AG, which
is regulated in the United Kingdom by the Securities and
Futures Authority Limited, is advising Sports Internet
Group in connection with the Offer and no-one else and
will not be responsible to anyone other than Sports
Internet Group for providing the protections afforded to
customers of UBS Warburg nor for providing advice in
relation to the Offer.
Goldman Sachs International and Credit Suisse First
Boston de Zoete & Bevan Limited are joint brokers to
BSkyB.
APPENDIX I
CONDITIONS AND FURTHER TERMS OF THE OFFER
The Offer, which will be made by Goldman Sachs International
on behalf of BSkyB, will comply with all applicable rules and
regulations of the UK Listing Authority, the London Stock
Exchange and the City Code, and will be governed by English
law and be subject to the jurisdiction of the Courts of
England.
CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER
The Offer will be subject to the following conditions:
(a) valid acceptances being received (and not, where
permitted, withdrawn) by 3.00 p.m. on the first closing date
(or such later time(s) and/or date(s) as BSkyB may, subject to
the rules of the City Code, decide) in respect of not less
than 90 per cent. (or such lesser percentage as BSkyB may
decide) of the Sports Internet Group Shares to which the Offer
relates, provided that this condition will not be satisfied
unless BSkyB shall have acquired or agreed to acquire, whether
pursuant to the Offer or otherwise, Sports Internet Group
Shares carrying, in aggregate, more than 50 per cent. of the
voting rights then exercisable at a general meeting of Sports
Internet Group, including for this purpose to the extent (if
any) required by the Panel, any such voting rights attaching
to any Sports Internet Group Shares that may be
unconditionally allotted or issued before the Offer becomes or
is declared unconditional as to acceptances whether pursuant
to the exercise of any outstanding conversion or subscription
rights or otherwise; and for this purpose:
(i) the expression 'Sports Internet Group Shares to which the
Offer relates' shall be construed in accordance with sections
428-430F of the Companies Act 1985; and
(ii) shares which have been unconditionally allotted shall be
deemed to carry the voting rights which they will carry upon
issue;
(b) the UK Listing Authority agreeing to admit the New BSkyB
Shares to the Official List and such admission and admission
to trading on the London Stock Exchange becoming effective in
accordance with paragraph 7.1 of the Listing Rules and by the
decision by the London Stock Exchange to admit such shares to
trading being announced in accordance with the LSE Admissions
Standards;
(c) the Office of Fair Trading indicating, in terms
satisfactory to BSkyB, that it is not the intention of the
Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to refer the
proposed acquisition of Sports Internet Group by BSkyB or any
matter arising therefrom to the Competition Commission;
(d) no government or governmental, quasi-governmental,
supranational, statutory or regulatory body, court, trade
agency, professional association or any other person or body
in any jurisdiction (each a 'Relevant Authority') having
decided to take, instituted, implemented or threatened any
action, proceedings, suit, investigation or enquiry, or made,
proposed or enacted any statute, regulation or order or taken
any other steps and there not continuing to be outstanding any
statute, legislation or order thereof, which would or might
reasonably be expected to:
(i) make the Offer or the acquisition by BSkyB of any Sports
Internet Group Shares, or control of Sports Internet Group
void, illegal or unenforceable or otherwise restrict,
restrain, prohibit or otherwise materially and adversely
interfere with the implementation of, or impose additional
conditions or obligations with respect thereto, or otherwise
materially and adversely challenge or interfere therewith;
(ii) result in a delay in the ability of BSkyB, or render
BSkyB unable to, acquire some or all of the Sports Internet
Group Shares;
(iii) require or prevent the divestiture by Sports
Internet Group or any of its subsidiaries or subsidiary
undertakings or any associated company or any company of which
20 per cent. or more of the voting capital is held by the SIG
Group or any partnership, joint venture, firm or company in
which any member of the SIG Group may be interested (the
'wider SIG Group') or by BSkyB or any of its subsidiaries or
subsidiary undertakings or any associated company or any
company of which 20 per cent. or more of the voting capital is
held by the BSkyB Group or any partnership, joint venture,
firm or company in which any member of the BSkyB Group may be
interested (the 'wider BSkyB Group') of all or any portion of
their respective businesses, assets or property or impose any
limitation on the ability of any of them to conduct their
businesses or own their assets or property in each case to an
extent which is material in the context of the wider SIG Group
or, as the case may be, the wider BSkyB Group provided that in
the case of the wider BSkyB Group such divestiture or
limitation shall be required or prevented, as the case may be,
as a result, directly or indirectly, of the implementation of
the Offer or the acquisition by any member of the wider BSkyB
Group of shares in any member of the wider SIG Group;
(iv) impose any material limitation on the ability of any
member of the wider SIG Group or the wider BSkyB Group to
acquire or to hold or to exercise effectively any rights of
ownership of shares or loans or securities convertible into
shares in any member of the wider BSkyB Group or of the wider
SIG Group held or owned by it or to exercise management
control over any member of the wider BSkyB Group or of the
wider SIG Group provided that, in the case of the wider BSkyB
Group, such limitation is imposed as a result, directly or
indirectly, of the Offer or the acquisition by any member of
the wider BSkyB Group of any shares in any member of the wider
SIG Group;
(v) require any member of the wider BSkyB Group or the wider
SIG Group to offer to acquire any shares in any member of the
wider SIG Group for a consideration which is material in the
context of the wider SIG Group; or
(vi) otherwise materially and adversely affect the financial
position or prospects of any member of the wider BSkyB Group
or of any member of the wider SIG Group;
and all applicable waiting and other time periods
during which any such Relevant Authority could
decide to take, institute, implement or threaten any
such action, proceeding, suit, investigation or
enquiry having expired, lapsed or been terminated;
(e) all necessary filings having been made, all appropriate
waiting periods under any applicable legislation or
regulations of any jurisdiction having expired, lapsed or been
terminated, in each case in respect of the Offer and the
acquisition of any Sports Internet Group Shares, or of control
of Sports Internet Group, by BSkyB, and all authorisations,
orders, recognitions, grants, consents, licences,
confirmations, clearances, permissions and approvals
('Authorisations') necessary or appropriate for, or in respect
of, the Offer and the proposed acquisition of any Sports
Internet Group Shares, or of control of Sports Internet Group,
by BSkyB and to carry on the business of any member of the
BSkyB Group (following the implementation of the Offer) or of
the SIG Group having been obtained, in terms and in a form
reasonably satisfactory to BSkyB, from all appropriate
Relevant Authorities and from persons or bodies with whom any
member of the SIG Group has entered into contractual
arrangements (where such arrangements are material in the
context of the Offer) and all such Authorisations remaining in
full force and effect and there being no notice of an
intention to revoke or not to renew any of the same and all
necessary statutory or regulatory obligations in any
jurisdiction having been complied with;
(f) there being no provision of any arrangement, agreement,
licence or other instrument to which any member of the wider
SIG Group is a party or by or to which any such member or any
of their assets may be bound, entitled or be subject and
which, in consequence of the proposed acquisition of any
Sports Internet Group Shares, or control of Sports Internet
Group, by BSkyB or otherwise, would or might, to an extent
which is material in the context of the SIG Group, reasonably
be expected to, result in:
(i) any monies borrowed by, or other indebtedness actual or
contingent of, any such member of the wider SIG Group being or
becoming repayable or being capable of being declared
repayable immediately or prior to their stated maturity;
(ii) the creation of any mortgage, charge or other security
interest over the whole or any part of the business, property
or assets of any such member or any such security (whenever
arising or having arisen) becoming enforceable;
(iii)any such arrangement, agreement, licence or
instrument being terminated or adversely modified or any
action being taken of an adverse nature or any obligation
arising thereunder;
(iv) any assets of any such member being disposed of other
than in the ordinary course of business;
(v) the interest or business of any such member in or with
any firm or body or person, or any arrangements relating to
such interest or business, being terminated or adversely
modified or affected;
(vi) any such member ceasing to be able to carry on business
under any name under which it presently does so; or
(vii)the financial position of the wider SIG Group being
otherwise adversely affected;
(g) except as publicly announced by Sports Internet Group
prior to the date hereof, no member of the wider SIG Group
having, since 31 August 1999:
(i) issued or authorised or proposed the issue of additional
shares of any class, or securities convertible into, or
rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or acquire, any
such shares or convertible securities (save as between Sports
Internet Group and wholly-owned subsidiaries of Sports
Internet Group and save for options granted, and for any
Sports Internet Group Shares allotted upon exercise of options
granted under the Sports Internet Group Share Option Schemes)
or redeemed, purchased or reduced any part of its share
capital;
(ii) declared, paid or made or proposed to declare, pay or
make any bonus in respect of shares, dividends or other
distribution other than to other members of the wider SIG
Group;
(iii)authorised or proposed or announced its intention to
propose any merger or demerger or acquisition or disposal of
assets or shares (other than in the ordinary course of
trading) or any such material change in its share or loan
capital;
(iv) issued or proposed the issue of any debentures or
incurred any indebtedness or contingent liability;
(v) disposed of or transferred, mortgaged or encumbered (save
for mortgages and encumbrances arising by operation of law)
any asset or any right, title or interest in any asset in any
manner;
(vi) entered into any contract or commitment (whether in
respect of capital expenditure or otherwise) which is of a
long-term or unusual nature or involves or could involve an
obligation of such a nature or magnitude;
(vii)entered into any reconstruction, amalgamation,
transaction or arrangement (otherwise than in the ordinary
course of business);
(viii)taken any corporate action or had any order made for
its winding-up, dissolution or reorganisation or for the
appointment of a receiver, administrator, administrative
receiver, trustee or similar officer of all or any of its
assets and revenues;
(ix) entered into or varied the terms of any service agreement
with any of the directors of Sports Internet Group; or
(x) entered into any agreement or commitment or passed any
resolution with respect to any of the transactions or events
referred to in this paragraph (g);
(h) since 31 August 1999, except as publicly announced by
Sports Internet Group prior to the date hereof:
(i) there having been no material adverse change in the
business, financial or trading position or prospects of any
member of the wider SIG Group;
(ii) no litigation, arbitration proceedings, prosecution or
other legal proceedings having been instituted, announced or
threatened by or against or remaining outstanding against any
member of the wider SIG Group which in any such case would be
material in the context of the wider SIG Group;
(i) BSkyB not having discovered that:
(i) the financial or business information
concerning the wider SIG Group as contained in
the information publicly disclosed at any time
by any member of the wider SIG Group and which
is material in the context of the Offer and
which was not, if material, corrected by a
subsequent public announcement either contains
a material misrepresentation of fact or omits
to state a fact necessary to make the
information contained therein not materially
misleading; or
(ii) any member of the wider SIG Group is subject to any
liability, contingent or otherwise, which is not disclosed in
the interim report for the six months to 31 August 1999 and
which is material in the context of the Offer and which was
not, if material, corrected by a subsequent public
announcement; and
(j) in relation to any release, omission, disposal or
other fact or circumstance which causes or might
cause pollution of the environment or harm to human
health, no past or present member of the SIG Group
having, in any manner, to an extent which is
material in the context of the wider SIG Group (i)
committed any violation of any laws, statutes,
ordinances, regulations or other requirements of any
Relevant Authority; and/or (ii) incurred any
liability (whether actual or contingent) with
respect thereto.
BSkyB reserves the right to waive, in whole or in part, all or
any of conditions (c) to (j) inclusive. If BSkyB is required
by the Panel to make an offer for Sports Internet Group Shares
under the provision of Rule 9 of the City Code, BSkyB may make
such alterations to the above conditions, including condition
(a) above, as are necessary to comply with the provisions of
that Rule.
The Offer will lapse if the acquisition of Sports Internet
Group by BSkyB is referred to the Competition Commission
before 3.00 pm on the first closing date of the Offer or the
date on which the Offer becomes or is declared unconditional
as to acceptances, whichever is the later. If the Offer so
lapses the Offer will cease to be capable of further
acceptance and accepting Sports Internet Group Shareholders
and BSkyB will cease to be bound by forms of acceptance
submitted before the time when the Offer lapses.
The Offer shall lapse unless the conditions set out above
(other than condition (a) to the Offer) are fulfilled or (if
capable of waiver) waived or, where appropriate, have been
determined by BSkyB in its reasonable opinion to be or remain
satisfied no later than 21 days after the first closing date
of the Offer or after the date on which the Offer becomes or
is declared unconditional as to acceptances, whichever is the
later. If the Offer so lapses the Offer will cease to be
capable of further acceptance and accepting Sports Internet
Group Shareholders and BSkyB will cease to be bound by forms
of acceptance submitted before the time the Offer lapses.
FURTHER TERMS OF THE OFFER
The Offer will be made on, inter alia, the following terms:
(a) The Offer will extend to all Sports Internet Group Shares
unconditionally allotted or issued on the date on which
the Offer is made and any further Sports Internet Group
Shares unconditionally allotted or issued while the Offer
remains open for acceptance (or such earlier date or
dates as BSkyB may decide).
(b) The New BSkyB Shares to be issued under the Offer will be
issued credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu in all
respects with the existing issued BSkyB Shares, including the
right to receive in full all dividends and other
distributions, if any, declared, made or paid after the date
hereof.
(c) The Sports Internet Group Shares are to be acquired by
BSkyB fully paid and free from all liens, charges and
encumbrances, rights of pre-emption and any other third party
rights of any nature whatsoever and together with all rights
attaching thereto, including the right to all dividends or
other distributions declared, paid or made after the date
hereof.
(d) Fractions of New BSkyB Shares will not be allotted or
issued to accepting Sports Internet Group Shareholders.
Fractional entitlements to New BSkyB Shares will be aggregated
and sold in the market and the net proceeds of sale
distributed pro rata to the Sports Internet Group Shareholders
entitled thereto, save that individual entitlements to amounts
of less than £3.00 will be retained for the benefit of the
Enlarged Group.
APPENDIX II
Financial and Other Information on the Offer
1. Bases and Sources
(i) Unless otherwise stated, financial information
concerning BSkyB and Sports Internet Group has been
derived from the published annual report and
accounts and interim statements of the relevant
company for the relevant periods.
(ii) The value of the Offer is based on approximately 35.5
million Sports Internet Group Shares in issue. References to
the exercise of all rights and options outstanding are based
on the foregoing number of issued Sports Internet Group Shares
and to 1.5 million Sports Internet Group Shares under option
pursuant to the Sports Internet Group Share Option Schemes,
and 1.8 million Sports Internet Group Shares to be issued on
completion of the agreement dated 7 February 2000 between
Sports Internet Group and Hay & Robertson plc. It is also
assumed that BSkyB completes the purchase of the Freeserve
warrant referred to in section 9 of the attached press release
for the issue of approximately 0.03m new BSkyB Shares based
upon the Closing Middle Market price of a BSkyB Share of 1512p
at the close of business on 9 May 2000, the last business day
prior to the date of this announcement.
(iii)The Closing Middle Market Prices of Sports Internet
Group Shares and BSkyB Shares are derived from the London
Stock Exchange Daily Official List for the relevant date.
2. Financial Effects of Acceptance
On the bases and assumptions set out in the notes below,
for illustrative purposes only and assuming the Offer
becomes or is declared unconditional in all respects, the
following tables show the effects on capital value for a
holder of one Sports Internet Group Share who accepts the
Offer.
Offer(p)
Capital value
Market value of 0.5622 New BSkyB Shares (1) 850.0
Market value of one
Sports Internet Group Share (2) 772.5
-----
Increase in capital value 77.5
This represents an increase
of approximately 10.0 %
Notes:
(1) The market value of New BSkyB Shares is based on the
Closing Middle Market Price of a BSkyB Share of
1512p at the close of business on 9 May 2000, the
last business day prior to the date of this
announcement.
(2) The market value of Sports Internet Group Shares is based
on the Closing Middle Market Price of a Sports Internet Group
Share of 772.5p at the close of business on 9 May 2000, the
last business day prior to the date of this announcement.
(3) No account has been taken of any liability to taxation or
the treatment of fractions under the
APPENDIX III
DEFINITIONS
The following definitions apply throughout this
announcement unless the context requires otherwise:
'BSkyB' or the 'Company' British Sky Broadcasting Group
plc
'BSkyB Group' BSkyB and its subsidiary and
associated undertakings and,
where the context admits, each
of them
'BSkyB Shares' Ordinary shares of 50p each in
BSkyB
'City Code' The City Code on Takeovers and
Mergers
'Closing Middle Market The closing middle market
Price' prices for the relevant shares
as derived from the Daily
Official List of the London
Stock Exchange
'Enlarged Group' The BSkyB Group as enlarged by
the acquisition of the SIG
Group
'Goldman Sachs Goldman Sachs International of
International' Peterborough Court, 133 Fleet
Street, London, EC4A 2BB
'London Stock Exchange' London Stock Exchange Limited
'New BSkyB Shares' The new BSkyB Shares to be
issued, credited as fully
paid, pursuant to the Offer
'Offer' The recommended Offer to be
made by Goldman Sachs
International on behalf of
BSkyB to acquire all of the
issued and to be issued Sports
Internet Group Shares,
including where the context
permits, any subsequent
revision, variation, extension
or renewal of such Offer
'Offer Document' The document to be posted to
Sports Internet Group
Shareholders containing the
Offer
'Official List' The list maintained by the UK
Listing Authority pursuant to
Part IV of the Financial
Services Act 1986
'Panel' The Panel on Takeovers and
Mergers
'Sports Internet Group' Sports Internet Group plc
'SIG Group' Sports Internet Group and its
subsidiary and associated
undertakings and, where the
context admits, each of them
'Sports Internet Group Ordinary shares of 10p each in
Shares' Sports Internet Group
'Sports Internet Group Holders of Sports Internet
Shareholders' Group Shares
'Sports Internet Group The Employee Share Option
Share Option Schemes' Scheme Part B - Unapproved
Options, the Subscription
Option Agreement dated 1 March
1999 between (1) Sports
Internet Group plc and (2)
Rodger David Sargent and the
Subscription Option Agreement
dated 1 March 1999 between (1)
Sports Internet Group plc and
(2) Christopher Robin Akers
'UBS Warburg' UBS Warburg, a financial
services group of UBS AG
'UK' The United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland
'UK Listing Authority' The Financial Services
Authority as the competent
authority for listing in the
United Kingdom
'United States' or 'US' The United States of America,
its territories and
possessions and the District
of Columbia and all other
areas subject to its
jurisdiction