Sony announced that AT&T sold its streaming service Crunchyroll to its competitor Funimation Global Group, LLC . Funimation is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Aniplex Inc. a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan). In other words, Funimation is buying Crunchyroll.
According to Sony Crunchyroll is described anime service within AT&T's WarnerMedia segment, with over 3 million subscribers. It serves 90 million registered users in more than 200 countries, offering AVOD, mobile games manga , merchandise, and distribution.
Sony also said that the combination of Crunchyroll and Funimation broaden offerings to consumers.
Tony Goncalves , Chief Revenue Officer at WarnerMedia:
He said, "The Crunchyroll team has done an extraordinary job not only in growing the Crunchyroll brand, but also in building a passionate community of anime fans. Crunchyroll's success is a direct result of the company's culture and commitment to its fans.".
By combining it with Funimation, they will continue to nurture a global community and bring more anime to more people. I am extremely proud of the Crunchyroll team and what they have been able to accomplish in the digital media space in such a short period of time. They have created a cutting-edge, end-to-end global ecosystem for this incredible art form.
Tony Vinciquerra , CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, commented:
We are proud to bring Crunchyroll into the Sony family. Through Funimation and our fantastic partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan, we have a deep understanding of this global art form and are well-positioned to deliver exceptional content to audiences worldwide. Together with Crunchyroll, we will create the best possible experience for fans and greater opportunities for creators, producers, and publishers in Japan and beyond. Funimation has been doing this for over 25 years, and we look forward to continuing to leverage the power of creativity and technology to succeed in this rapidly growing entertainment segment.
Ultimately, Crunchyroll was bought for $ 1.175 AT&T wanted.
Crunchyroll launched in 2006 as a streaming service that offered anime titles without authorization.
Source: ANN
