DigitalBridge and Crestview Partners Complete Take-Private Acquisition of WideOpenWest (WOW!)

$1.5 billion transaction to expand fiber deployments, launch network modernization initiatives, and accelerate growth 

BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DigitalBridge Group, Inc. ("DigitalBridge" or the "Company") (NYSE:DBRG), a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure, and Crestview Partners ("Crestview"), a leading private equity firm, today announced that affiliated investment funds have completed their previously announced take-private acquisition of WideOpenWest, Inc. ("WOW!"), a top provider of fiber-broadband internet services and advanced connectivity solutions in the United States.

"We are excited to complete this transaction and begin a new era of growth. We look forward to investing in network and customer experience enhancements, pursuing operational excellence, and delivering an exceptional connected experience over WOW!'s high-performance networks," said Jonathan Friesel, Senior Managing Director and Head of Fiber at DigitalBridge.

Brian Cassidy, President and Head of Media at Crestview Partners, said, "As a private company, WOW! will have strategic flexibility and resources to compete more effectively in its markets and pursue long-term growth. We believe this strategic infrastructure investment will allow us to bring advanced technology to these markets more quickly and will strengthen WOW!'s competitive position."

WOW! shareholders will receive $5.20 in cash per WOW! share in a transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $1.5 billion. With the completion of the transaction, WOW! common stock is no longer traded or listed on any public securities exchange.

Advisors

Centerview Partners LLC acted as the sole financial advisor to the special committee of the WOW! Board of Directors formed to lead the evaluation of the potential transaction, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as its legal counsel.

LionTree Advisors acted as sole financial advisor to DigitalBridge and Crestview. Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs served as structuring advisors to the transaction.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal counsel to DigitalBridge, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as legal counsel to Crestview.

About DigitalBridge

DigitalBridge (NYSE:DBRG) is a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure. With a heritage of 30 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem, including cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages $108 billion of infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. For more information, visit: www.digitalbridge.com.

About Crestview

Founded in 2004, Crestview is a New York-based private equity firm focused on the middle market. The firm manages funds with over $10 billion of aggregate capital commitments and is led by a group of partners who have complementary experience and backgrounds in private equity, finance, operations and management. Crestview has senior investment professionals focused on sourcing and managing investments in each of the firm's specialty areas: media, industrials, and financial services. For more information, please visit www.crestview.com.

About WOW! 

WOW! is one of the nation's leading broadband providers delivering high-speed Internet services, cable TV, home phone, mobile phone, business data, voice, and cloud services to homes and businesses in 20 markets, including in Michigan, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. For more information, visit wowway.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release that are not historical facts contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements related to the acquisition of WOW! by funds affiliated with DigitalBridge Investments and Crestview Partners (the "Transaction"), including financial estimates and statements as to the effects of the Transaction.  These forward-looking statements represent our goals, beliefs, plans and expectations about our prospects for the future and other future events. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical fact and can be identified by terms such as "may," "intend," "might," "will," "should," "could," "would," "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "plan," "project," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "target" or similar expressions or the negative of these terms  or other comparable terminology that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. By their nature, forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend upon future circumstances that may or may not occur. These and other forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Important risk factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: (i) potential litigation relating to the Transaction that could be instituted against DigitalBridge, Crestview, WOW! or their respective affiliates, directors, managers or officers, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; (ii) the risk that disruptions from the Transaction, including the diversion of management's attention from WOW!'s ongoing business operations, will harm WOW!'s business, including current plans and operations; (iii) the ability of WOW! to retain and hire key personnel in light of the Transaction; (iv) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the  completion of the Transaction; and (v) the risks and uncertainties pertaining to WOW!'s business, including those set forth in Part I, Item 1A of WOW!'s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Part II, Item 1A of WOW!'s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings made by WOW! with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Consequences of material differences in results as compared with those anticipated in the forward-looking statements could include, among other things, business disruption, operational problems, financial loss, legal liability to third parties and similar risks, any of which could have a material impact on WOW!'s financial condition, results of operations, credit rating or liquidity. In light of the significant uncertainties in these forward-looking statements, WOW! cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this communication will prove to be accurate, and you should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by WOW!, its directors, officers or employees or any other person that WOW! will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified time frame, or at all. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and WOW! does not undertake to and specifically disclaims any obligation to publicly release the results of any updates or revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect future events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events, except as required by applicable law.

Media Contacts

DigitalBridge

Jonathan Keehner/Sarah Salky

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

(212) 355-4449

[email protected]

Crestview

Jeffrey Taufield or Daniel Yunger

Kekst CNC

(212) 521-4800

[email protected] or [email protected]

WideOpenWest, Inc. 

Debra Havins

Vice President, Corporate Communications

(720) 527-8214

[email protected]

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SOURCE DigitalBridge; Crestview Partners; WideOpenWest (WOW!)