Canada
PLAYMAKER ACQUIRES VIDEO-FIRST MEDIA PLATFORM CRACKS, YOUTUBE’S LARGEST SPANISH-LANGUAGE SPORTS NEWS CHANNEL
Playmaker Capital Inc., the digital sports media company that delivers authentic content experiences through its portfolio of sports media and technology brands, announced today the acquisition of Mexico-based video-first sports platform, Cracks. Cracks is a soccer-centric collection of digital media assets that has a total audience across all channels in excess of 12.6 million subscribers worldwide, including the most followed Spanish-language sports news channels on YouTube (Cracks Global Edition, Cracks Mexico, Cracks Colombia, and Cracks Argentina).
Cracks Global, its flagship YouTube channel, has nearly 5.5 million subscribers and has attracted more than 2.7 billion lifetime views on YouTube. Based on January 7, 2022 data, Cracks Global generates an average of 502,000 views per video, which ranks 15th amongst the top-50 sports channels by subscribers on YouTube globally. Across the entire Cracks YouTube portfolio, including Cracks Global, Cracks Mexico, Cracks Colombia, and Cracks Argentina, there are over 7 million active subscribers.
Cracks, originally founded by Guadalajara-native Manuel Bravo, one of the most prominent YouTuber’s in Mexico and Latin America, also significantly increases Playmaker’s social media following across other key social channels. Cracks reaches 2.9 million followers on Facebook, 1.1 million followers on Instagram, 203,000 followers on Twitter, 818,000 followers on TikTok, and 46,000 followers on Twitch.
The acquisition of Cracks establishes video production and monetization as a new centre of excellence for Playmaker, complementing its existing robust in-house editorial expertise across its multiple web properties, social media channels, mobile apps, and fan pages. The acquisition will also provide additional opportunities for enhanced partnerships, including the creation of on-premise original content created during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar featuring Manuel Bravo as lead talent.
“Cracks’ story is one of passion, persistence and professionalism, led by “Manu” since the company’s inception. We are thrilled that he chose Playmaker to take Cracks to the next level,” commented Federico Grinberg, EVP of Playmaker and CEO of Futbol Sites, a Playmaker brand. “Cracks will give us access to a completely new revenue stream: original video creation and monetization through syndication on third-party platforms, mainly YouTube and Facebook. This acquisition will enrich our commercial offering by bringing an original product and adding the talented Cracks staff to our team, providing Playmaker the opportunity to offer much more powerful branded content solutions to our advertisers.”
“Cracks started as an amateur project that maintained a continuous upward growth trajectory despite its limitations,” commented Bravo. “Since the platform was created, our team’s job transitioned from creating high-quality and entertaining content to becoming leaders and a point of reference in the industry. Now that Playmaker is acquiring Cracks, we will not only continue to be leaders in our field but can also aspire to make a leap in quality across the board. Ultimately, we are confident our audience will benefit, as we continue to build the best possible version of Cracks.”
In line with one of Playmaker’s goals to be the definitive digital sports media destination for the Latin American and US Hispanic markets, Playmaker has now acquired four Latin American-based organizations since November, 2021, including Varsky Sports (Argentina), Grupo SuperPoker (Brazil), Futmarketing (Brazil), and Cracks (Mexico). These businesses will be operated by the Futbol Sites leadership team. Playmaker’s aspiration to be the premier source of sports content in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market mirrors its efforts in North America. In 2021, Playmaker acquired Yardbarker (USA) and The Nation Network (Canada).
TRANSACTION DETAILS
Pursuant to the terms of an asset purchase agreement, Playmaker acquired 100% of the digital assets, marks, and copyright of Cracks for aggregate consideration of up to US$1.7 million. The purchase price consideration consisted of (i) a cash payment of US$0.4 million on closing, and (ii) cash payments of up to a maximum of US$1.3 million payable to the seller upon Cracks achieving certain milestones and performance related targets over the 12-months following closing.
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Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.
Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.
Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.
As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.
Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.”
Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.”
The post Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Africa
INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER
Leading B2B games provider, Incentive Games, today announced its new agreement with premium gaming company and content provider Light & Wonder, Inc.
Through this agreement, Incentive Games will distribute its premium pay-to-play games – including new arcade-style titles – to key global regulated markets including the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK, and within Europe via Light & Wonder’s extensive operator network. Additionally, Incentive Games’ popular free-to-play content will be made available to a wider audience through Light & Wonder’s content marketplace.
The agreement brings together two industry leaders in iGaming and the strengths of both companies to deliver exceptional player experiences and elevate customer engagement.
Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games said, “This agreement is a landmark moment in our company’s history. Previously, we’ve worked directly with major operators such as bet365, FanDuel, and Sky Bet. Now, we can distribute our games via Light & Wonder, an exceptional aggregator that we trust will handle our games with care.”
Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partners at Light & Wonder, said: “We are excited to work with Incentive Games, a leader in gamification solutions. We look forward to leveraging their innovative platform and bringing their customisable crash and fast game content to all major regulated markets.”
The post INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
With the Ottawa Senators securing a playoff spot in the NHL, ToonieBet will be there every step of the way, engaging fans with exclusive giveaways, premium entertainment, and a casino experience that mirrors the team’s energy and excitement.
The Ottawa Senators and Tooniebet, an online casino for players across Ontario, announced a partnership that will make Tooniebet the NHL team’s Official Online Casino Partner.
Tooniebet, which launched in 2024 is part of Soft2Bet – one of the world’s fastest growing iGaming turnkey solutions providers with iGaming brands around the world with a portfolio of 19 global licenses, including Ontario.
Additional highlights of the Ottawa Senators and TonnieBet partnership will include:
- In-Arena & Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced dashboards for home and away games
- In-rink board signage for home games
- Virtual slot signage for various games
- Digital inventory throughout the Ottawa Senators site on NHL.com
- Direct Fan Engagement: Social contests and promotions hosted on Senators’ digital platforms
- Television Broadcast Branding: Digitally enhanced rink boards for home and away games
- In-arena rink board signage for home games
Martin Ballard, VP Corporate Partnerships, Ottawa Senators stated: “We are thrilled to welcome ToonieBet as an official partner of the Ottawa Senators. Cooperating with a brand that shares our commitment to providing fans with an exceptional and trusted experience is incredibly exciting. Together, we look forward to delivering memorable moments and engaging our passionate fanbase in new and innovative ways.”
Oksana Tsyhankova, Chief Marketing Officer at Soft2Bet, commented: “Partnering Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet brand with the Ottawa Senators is a significant milestone that reinforces our strong brand presence in Ontario. In a short period, we have achieved impressive performance and retention results, with a primary focus on localised, engaging experiences for Canadian players, which makes ToonieBet truly set itself apart.”
By tapping into the Senators’ digital platforms and in-arena presence, ToonieBet will stay close to the action and connect with fans in real, engaging ways while continuing to offer a top-quality online casino experience.
ToonieBet offers a fast, localised online casino experience for players in Ottawa and across Ontario. Through this partnership, fans will have the chance to win Senators merchandise and tickets while ToonieBet grows its presence in a competitive Ontario market. With in-arena branding, regional broadcast coverage, and digital promotions, ToonieBet will be highly visible to the team’s loyal supporters.
The post Soft2Bet’s ToonieBet Partners with the Ottawa Senators as Official Online Casino Partner appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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