Baker McKenzie’s Bangkok office, in collaboration with Thammasat Law Extension (TULEX) hosted a seminar entitled “The New Playing Field: Trends, M&A and Investment Opportunities in Sports, Music, Film and Entertainment” on 7 October 2026.
The seminar featured Baker McKenzie partners Nont Horayangura (Intellectual Property), Nuchaya Timrat (M&A) and Naris Asavathongkul (M&A), the latter two specializing in M&A in Sports, Media and Entertainment, together with Thammasat University law lecturer Mespiti Poolsavasdi and leading industry executives Samkwan Tonsompong, Managing Director of Universal Music Thailand, and Siwat Vasantasingh, Founder and CEO of Ari.
The seminar delved into the changing dynamics and rapid growth of the sports, music, film and entertainment sectors, driven primarily by technological innovation and evolving consumer behavior, investment landscape and regulatory considerations arising from the new playing field.
“Content is no longer merely a creative product. It has evolved into a strategic asset capable of generating substantial commercial value across multiple channels and revenue streams. As intellectual property and content ownership become increasingly valuable, businesses and investors are actively seeking new ways to monetize, acquire, and leverage these assets for long-term growth”, commented Nont Horayangura, IP and Technology Partner.
Nuchaya Timrat, M&A Partner, commented “This is an exciting time to be discussing the future direction of the sports, music, film and entertainment as the transformation of the sports, music, film, and entertainment industries is not only changing how audiences consume content, but also creating entirely new business models and investment opportunities. As the industry evolves, we are seeing a significant increase in M&A activity and investment across the sectors”.
Nuchaya further noted during the seminar that “In entertainment-sector M&A, value extends far beyond corporate ownership to include intellectual property, content catalogues, talent, and industry relationships. Successful transactions require careful structuring, rigorous IP due diligence, assessment of monetization rights, strong compliance review, and appropriate risk-allocation mechanisms.”
“Globally, the M&A landscape in the sports industry follows a similar trend to the entertainment sector, with growing competition for premium content and media rights. Investors, private equity firms, and strategic buyers are increasingly acquiring sports teams, leagues, and exclusive rights holders, recognizing that the value of these assets extends beyond the game itself to encompass brand equity, fan engagement, and exclusive content. As a result, sports assets have emerged as attractive long-term investments with significant monetization potential”, added Naris Asavathongkul, M&A Partner.