Bavaria-based sports and film producer Constantin Media, in a preliminary 9-months earnings statement said trading for the period were better than expected. Constantine also expects additional cash to flow from a “cost reimbursement” related to the long-running Formula 1 actions and Bernie Ecclestone, and expected in this current Q4 period.

Constantin, perhaps better known under its older name of EM-Entertainment and EM-Sport Media, was founded by Thomas Haffa in 1989 although was restructured in 2001 following the Dot-Com crash in 2000.  At one period it owned the animation archive of the Leo Kirch Group, acquired the Jim Henson Company in 2000 and 25 percent of the Formula 1 business SLEC from Bernie Ecclestone.  The business changed its name to Constantin in 2009.

The 9-months period saw revenues of €361.6 million (€316m in the same period 2013). “In particular the Sports and Film segments contributed to this positive development,” said a company statement.

Constantine owns the Sport 1 brand, and also benefited from increased ad-revenues.