partnerships
Southampton FC scouting sports tech startups for Future of Football challenge
The Future of Football challenge is open to innovative companies ready to shape and test their solutions for updated football experiences in either the football development or fan engagement space. In spirit with its values of innovation and doing things differently, Southampton FC will offer a 4-week virtual programme — powered by Sport Republic and Yolo Group — to create opportunities and break away from conventional methods.
The challenge welcomes Web3 and sports tech startups and scaleups with novel solutions to:
- Football development (scouting, training, recovery, game analytics etc.)
- Fan engagement (gamification, loyalty programmes, matchday experiences, global fan engagement etc.)
Selected teams will rapidly test and pilot their solutions, participate in tailored workshops, and have regular and direct access to Southampton FC, Sport Republic, and Yolo Group decision-makers. At the St. Mary’s finale, teams will pitch for a commercial relationship with SFC and a £100k discretionary prize pool for post-programme solution development.
“Southampton FC’s commitment to innovating and creating a positive impact is central to the way we operate and make decisions. We’re excited to see programme participants create the future of football” said Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships as SFC.
Sport Republic, the owner of Southampton Football Club is a London-based investment firm in the sports and entertainment industry. Founded by Henrik Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen and backed by Lead Investor Dragan Šolak, Sport Republic’s vision is to grow high potential sports businesses and sports tech companies.
“Sport Republic are really looking forward to being part of the Future of Football challenge to power innovation in sports tech. We are continuously seeking the most innovative sports tech companies to join our portfolio and leveraging our clubs to drive growth and achieve digital transformation. ” said Henrik Kraft, Sport Republic and SFC Chairman.
Yolo Group is the managing partner for the Future of Football challenge. Yolo Group is a leader at the cross section of gaming, fintech, and blockchain, and operates the Sportsbet.io brand. Sportsbet.io is Southampton FC’s Main Club Partner.
“This programme is designed to push boundaries, to bring together a spectrum of solutions from startups around the globe. It’s a chance to create truly unique approaches — and test them. We’re driven by innovation; so, we’re looking forward to seeing the results,” said Tim Heath, GP at Yolo Investments, and founder of Yolo Group. The application deadline is 23 February 2023. Find more information and apply here: https://www.southamptonfc.com/saints-partners/future-of-football-challenge
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eSports
MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth
The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.
Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.
Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.
“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”
Relevant data as follows:
- MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
- Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
- MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.
The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Aigars Jurgelans
Amusnet Announces Strategic Partnership with Concorde Casino Group
Amusnet, a leading provider of next-generation gaming solutions, has announced a new strategic partnership with the Concorde casino group, which operates three casinos in Cyprus: Concorde Tower Casino in Nicosia, Concorde Luxury Casino in Bafra and Concorde Aria Casino in Kyrenia. This collaboration marks a significant step in Amusnet’s strategy to expand its gaming portfolio into the vibrant Cyprus Land-based casino market.
The partnership’s initial phase includes installing 16 of Amusnet’s state-of-the-art Type S 32 slot cabinets across the two locations. Manufactured to the highest standards of the global casino industry, Amusnet’s premium slot machines combine cutting-edge technology, sleek design and exceptional player engagement. The game selection features some of Amusnet’s most popular titles, including Crazy Red, Candy Palace,100 Extra Crown, Art of Gold, Extra Crown, Vampire Beast and Phoenix Star.
The partnership started with the installation of 16 of Amusnet’s state-of-the-art Type S 32 slot cabinets at the group’s first two casino locations, Concorde Tower Casino in Nicosia and Concorde Luxury Casino in Bafra. Manufactured to the highest standards of the global casino industry, Amusnet’s premium slot machines combine cutting-edge technology, sleek design and exceptional player engagement. The game selection features some of Amusnet’s most popular titles, including Crazy Red, Candy Palace, 100 Extra Crown, Art of Gold, Extra Crown, Vampire Beast and Phoenix Star. The partnership continues with the installation of 8 Type S J55 slot cabinets at the newest Concorde Aria Casino, scheduled to open in May 2026.
“Our expansion into the Cyprus Land-based market is a testament to our shared vision and commitment to quality with Concorde Casino. This partnership provides us with a strong foundation of excellence and mutual trust. The collaboration allows us to continue our mission of providing exceptional gaming experiences, seamlessly introducing the success of our online portfolio to their premium Land-based venues,” said Borislav Marinov, Head of Business Development, Land-based at Amusnet.
“At Concorde Casinos, we are always looking for ways to diversify and strengthen our product offering. In my view, Amusnet brings a product that is particularly well-suited to players who are already familiar with and enjoy online slot games, helping us connect Land-based entertainment with modern player preferences. I am impressed by Amusnet’s innovations, the quality of their products, and the high level of technical support they provide. We are pleased to have them as a partner and look forward to developing this cooperation further,” said Aigars Jurgelans, Slot Director at Concorde Casinos.
The post Amusnet Announces Strategic Partnership with Concorde Casino Group appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
ADI Predictstreet
DAZN Enters into Strategic Partnership with ADI Predictstreet
DAZN, the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, and ADI Predictstreet, the new dynamic prediction market, have entered into a landmark strategic partnership to deliver a new era of interactive engagement to fans around the world.
DAZN will integrate ADI Predictstreet, the Official Prediction Market Partner of the FIFA World Cup 2026, into its platform, enhancing DAZN’s ecosystem of live and on-demand sports viewing, real-time scores, news, betting, gaming and FanZone.
DAZN’s footprint provides unparalleled distribution for ADI Predictstreet’s prediction market infrastructure. Through this partnership, prediction becomes a native part of the fan experience—embedded before, during, and after live events—allowing fans to engage with market sentiment, probability, and collective insight in real time.
This collaboration brings together two FIFA partners to create a seamless ecosystem where sport and prediction converge. Embedded directly into DAZN’s live streams, ADI Predictstreet will enable interactive prompts, real-time sentiment tracking, and dynamic prediction experiences tied to the world’s biggest sporting moments.
ADI Predictstreet, powered by ADI Chain’s blockchain infrastructure, is a new forecasting market platform that is programmed and trained on FIFA’s official historic data, allowing fans to predict things such as match outcomes, tournament statistics, and breakout players throughout the competition using an educated approach.
While the FIFA World Cup 2026 will serve as a launchpad, the partnership extends across DAZN’s premium sports portfolio. ADI Predictstreet will roll out across major leagues and events, driving deeper, more continuous fan engagement.
Shay Segev, CEO of DAZN Group, said: “DAZN is redefining sports entertainment by making it more immersive, interactive and connected for every fan. Partnering with ADI Predictstreet allows us to embed real‑time prediction directly into the live viewing experience, turning insight and sentiment into a native part of how fans engage with the world’s biggest sporting moments. With the FIFA World Cup 2026 as a catalyst and our platform as the engine, this partnership is a major step forward in how fans experience sport.”
Dimitrios Psarrakis, CEO at Predictstreet, said: “This partnership marks a defining moment in how audiences will experience sport. By combining DAZN’s unmatched reach with ADI Predictstreet’s real-time participation layer, we are transforming fans from spectators into active participants. This is not just an evolution of engagement, it is the creation of a new category where technology, collective intelligence, and global events intersect at scale.”
Designed to reward insight and informed participation, and with community building and interactive engagement sentiment at its core, ADI Predictstreet offers supporters new ways to engage with iconic sporting moments across DAZN’s sporting portfolio, including the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Underpinning this ecosystem is ADI Chain, an institutional-grade digital infrastructure designed to support high-volume, real-time transactions with transparency, security, and scalability at its core. This foundation enables ADI Predictstreet to operate seamlessly at global scale, supporting millions of users across live environments while maintaining a trusted and robust digital framework.
The post DAZN Enters into Strategic Partnership with ADI Predictstreet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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