Better Collective, a prominent player in the digital sports media landscape, recently finalized its acquisition of Playmaker Capital in a deal valued at €176m (£150m/$189m).
Initially announced in November, the agreement was projected to conclude within the first quarter of the current year.
Playmaker Capital, listed on both the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada and the OTCQX in the US, boasts a portfolio of media brands including Futbolsites.net, Yardbarker, and The Nation Network.
With this acquisition, Better Collective asserts its dominance in the South American market while fortifying its foothold in North America.
Expressing enthusiasm for the merger, Better Collective’s co-founder and CEO, Jesper Søgaard, hailed it as a pivotal stride towards the company’s aspiration of becoming the premier digital sports media group.
Søgaard extolled the constructive dialogues held with Playmaker’s management team, affirming his confidence in the combined future of the entities and anticipating fruitful synergies.
Similarly, Playmaker co-founder and CEO Jordan Gnat welcomed the acquisition as a new chapter in the company’s evolution, emphasizing the cultural alignment and mutual anticipation evident among both teams.
Gnat conveyed gratitude to Playmaker’s shareholders for their support, expressing eagerness for their continued backing of Better Collective as they collectively chart a course to leadership in the digital sports media realm.
This acquisition represents the latest in Better Collective’s strategic expansion efforts, following its acquisition of Playmaker HQ in July 2023 for $54m.
Situated in South Florida, Playmaker HQ specializes in crafting original sports and entertainment content tailored for the US audience, thereby enhancing Better Collective’s reach and leveraging its sponsorship sales expertise to maximize monetization opportunities beyond sports betting.
Moreover, Better Collective’s M&A activity in 2023 encompassed acquisitions of Tipsbladet.dk in Denmark, Torcedores.com in Brazil, as well as several Swedish brands and an advertising company.
These acquisitions underscore the company’s commitment to diversifying its portfolio and amplifying its global presence in the ever-evolving sports media landscape.