Infront media attracts four potential bidders - source

(Reuters) - Two American and two Chinese groups are considering bids for Swiss sports marketing company Infront Sports & Media AG, whose owners are seeking a valuation of over 900 million euros (0.70 billion pounds), a source familiar with the situation said. U.S. private equity group Providence and Shanghai-based commercial property company Wanda are among the suitors for Infront, a firm led by Philippe Blatter, nephew of Sepp Blatter, head of soccer's global governing body FIFA, the source added. Another U.S. company and a Chinese firm are also in the running for Infront, which is owned by London-based private equity group Bridgepoint. However, no formal offers have yet been made ahead of a deadline of the end of the week. The Financial Times had earlier named Providence and Wanda as potential bidders. Infront has the sales rights for broadcast packages for the next two soccer World Cups in a number of Asian markets. FIFA is in turmoil over its handling of accusations of bribery linked to the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the following tournament to Qatar. Some potential buyers had raised questions over the impact of the investigation on Infront, the Financial Times reported. They were concerned that Infront might lose some rights if there were a change in FIFA leadership, it added. Reuters reported in September that several investors had approached the Zug-based company, when it announced its plans for expansion. Infront was bought by Bridgepoint in 2011 in a 550 million euro deal, and had estimated revenues of about 600 million euros in 2013. Bridgepoint declined to comment. (Reporting by Rishika Sadam in Bangalore, Danilo Masoni in Milan and Freya Berry in London; Editing by Keith Weir)