DLA Piper advised Willow TV International, the leading cricket broadcaster in the US, in its acquisition by Times Internet, India's largest digital network and part of the Times of India Group. The DLA Piper team provided counsel on complex transactional and tax structuring planning and on execution advice for the sale of Willow's cross-border business.

The Times of India Group, India's largest media company, purchased Willow to capitalize on potential growth of cricket in the US and Canada. Willow televises cricket matches from around the world and is the only channel that solely broadcasts cricket in the US, with distribution by the largest satellite, cable, IPTV, and OTT platforms in a variety of subscription packages.

This deal is the Times of India Group's first US acquisition and is Times Internet's first international acquisition. It comes before Willow is set to exercise exclusive rights to air the Twenty20 World Cup, marking the first time a US television channel will broadcast the event.

The DLA Piper team was led by partner Eric Geppert (Washington, DC) and included partners Gerald Rokoff (New York) and David Plewa (Silicon Valley) and associate Seojung Park (Silicon Valley) on tax-related matters and associates Alexander Steinberg and Caleb Ginsberg (both of New York) on M&A matters.