News
ITALY – BALICH WONDER STUDIO EXPANDS IN NORTH AMERICA AND OPENS THREE STRATEGIC HUBS IN NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES AND MEXICO CITY
The company thus accelerates a new phase of its growth, evolving from a creator and producer of live shows into a Global Creative Platform dedicated to sports, culture, and entertainment.
After producing six FIFA World Cup Ceremonies culminating with the Closing Ceremony in New York, Balich Wonder Studio, a Banijay Entertainment company, announces its expansion in North America through three strategic hubs: New York, Los Angeles, and Mexico City.
The company is thus accelerating a new phase of its growth, evolving from a creator and producer of live shows into a Global Creative Platform dedicated to sports, culture, and entertainment.
The announcement comes at the end of an extraordinary year for the Studio led by Marco Balich (pictured), which also saw the production of the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show, and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Ceremonies in Morocco, further consolidating its position among the world’s leading creators of major global events watched by billions of people.
The news also follows the completion of the merger between Banijay Entertainment and All3Media by Banijay Group and RedBird IMI, which has given birth to a new global media and entertainment powerhouse. Thanks to Banijay Entertainment’s international expertise in content production and digital, alongside RedBird IMI’s extensive experience in sports, media, and investment, the Group now boasts a unique positioning to create extraordinary live experiences capable of capturing global attention and evolving across different platforms and markets.
Co-founded by Marco Balich, one of the most authoritative live entertainment creators in the world, Balich Wonder Studio has been producing some of the most watched and iconic live experiences internationally for over twenty years. Its track record includes 17 Olympic Ceremonies, 21 Regional Games Ceremonies, 8 UEFA Champions League Kick Off Shows, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Ceremonies, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Ceremonies, and numerous other world-renowned events.
The Group’s international presence currently includes strategic hubs in Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Milan, Paris, Dubai, Riyadh, and Shanghai—key markets for the development of live entertainment, sports, and intellectual properties.
Marco Bassetti, CEO of Banijay Entertainment, stated: “Banijay Entertainment has grown to become a global media & entertainment powerhouse built on creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, talent, and an international presence. At the same time, Balich Wonder Studio has become one of the world’s leading creators of live experiences, trusted by the most prominent sports rights holders. By uniting our content and live event expertise with RedBird IMI’s strengths in media, sports, and investment, we have the opportunity—by strengthening our footprint in North America—to build a global platform capable of transforming the world’s biggest live events and making them live beyond the event itself.”
Jeff Zucker, CEO of RedBird IMI and Chairman of Banijay Entertainment, commented: “It is exciting to witness Balich Wonder Studio’s expansion into North America just as we have completed the merger between Banijay and All3Media. Strengthening our presence in North America and expanding in live event production represent two strategic priorities for our Group, and I am delighted that this goal has been achieved so quickly.”
Carlo Noseda, Global CEO of Balich Wonder Studio, stated: “For over twenty years, Balich Wonder Studio has been creating some of the world’s most memorable live experiences. Expanding into North America opens a new chapter, aimed at taking these moments even further: creating them, extending them, and amplifying their impact on a global scale. Today, sport is much more than competition: it is culture, entertainment, community, and global storytelling. Over the past six months, our teams have worked on the Winter Olympic Games, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA World Cup, and the Africa Cup of Nations. Few companies in the world have the privilege—and the capacity—to contribute simultaneously to so many symbolic moments of international sports and culture. Thanks to the support of Banijay Entertainment and RedBird IMI, we are ideally positioned to transform extraordinary events into lasting platforms capable of connecting talent, audiences, and ideas. Because what people remember longest is not what they saw, but what they felt.”
Balich Wonder Studio’s reputation extends far beyond the realm of major international sports events. Today, the Group collaborates with top brands and institutions across culture, luxury, fashion, and entertainment, offering integrated creative solutions ranging from concept development to the executive execution of immersive productions, original live entertainment formats, and tailor-made experiences. Through its dedicated division, Balich Bespoke, the Group designs bespoke experiences for the world’s leading luxury and fashion brands, hosting exclusive events worldwide. Clients include LVMH, Louis Vuitton, Formula 1, Gucci, Ferrari, Samsung, Bulgari, Maserati, Dolce & Gabbana, Buccellati, and Max Mara, alongside many other brands.
This expansion also strengthens the operations of Banijay Sports, Banijay Entertainment’s specialized division created to support rights holders, brands, and destinations in creating, enhancing, and growing the cultural and commercial value of sports. The division offers a comprehensive portfolio of services including live and venue experiences, premium content production and archive monetization, media and distribution strategies, creator partnerships, brand activations, commercial partnerships, consultancy, and IP development.
While contributing to Banijay Sports’ activities, Balich Wonder Studio will continue to operate within Banijay Live, the division established following the 2023 acquisition. More recently, Banijay Live expanded its portfolio with Banijay Live Studio, specialized in immersive experiences and creator of THE BLACK MIRROR EXPERIENCE®, and LOTCHI, the creator of Luminiscence.