Industry News

Better Collective Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Playmaker Capital

Published

2 years ago

November 8, 2023

Better Collective has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Toronto-based Playmaker Capital, a leading digital sports media group that owns and operates a number of strong sports media brands in the US, Canada, and across South America. Upon closing of this transformational transaction, Better Collective is expected to become the market leader in South America with the largest audience across its sports media brands and will also strengthen its leading position in North America.

Acquisition Highlights

Better Collective’s second largest acquisition with a total price consideration of 176 mEUR
Transformational acquisition to take market leadership in South America and enhance North American market leadership
Acquiring strong digital sports media brands with a combined monthly audience of more than 200 million visits from across the Americas
Experienced leadership team to stay onboard to help drive the business forward
Clear path to synergies post integration bringing EV/EBITDA of 2026e to below 5x, implying an EBITDA margin in line with Better Collective’s publishing business of +40%. Positive synergistic effects are expected to expand further in the years thereafter
The transaction will be funded by 65% Better Collective shares (partly by the transfer of 1,387,580 treasury shares and up to 1,713,300 newly issued shares) and 35% cash, corresponding to a dilution of approximately 3.1%. Better Collective shares will be settled at 270.48 SEK/share
Upon closing of the transaction Better Collective will revisit its long-term financial targets for the period 2023-2027.

Playmaker Capital is a leading digital sports media group operating a strong portfolio of sports media brands across the Americas. Following the closing of the transaction, Playmaker Capital will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Better Collective. Once integrated, Better Collective expects to significantly ramp up its media capabilities and expand its audiences across its sports media portfolio.

Jesper Søgaard, Co-founder & CEO of Better Collective, said: “Acquiring Playmaker Capital is in many ways transformational for Better Collective and will be an important milestone in our journey towards becoming the leading digital sports media group. Upon closing of the acquisition, we will significantly grow our audience and reach a larger segment of generalist sports fans. For years, Playmaker Capital has built incredibly strong sports media brands and excited sports fans across the Americas with high-quality sports content, cultivating a loyal and dedicated following. The skilled team behind Playmaker Capital brings a unique set of media competencies that will boost our organization. Saying that I am excited to welcome the new team to the Better Collective group would be an understatement.”

Jordan Gnat, Co-founder & CEO of Playmaker Capital, said: “Over the past 12 months I have been talking a lot about a transformational deal for Playmaker and its shareholders that will take this company to the next level. Today’s announcement does exactly that and I could not be more excited for the Playmaker family to join the Better Collective family. Their success is undeniable and their vision to become the leading digital sports media group aligns with us exactly. The cultures of our companies are very similar and I see the integration and synergies to be incredibly accretive to shareholders.”

The closing of the transaction is subject to approval by the shareholders of Playmaker Capital, court approval, applicable regulatory approvals and certain other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature. The transaction is expected to close before the end of Q1 of 2024, whereafter Playmaker Capital will be consolidated into the Better Collective group.

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Industry News

StatRankings Launches with Aim to Deliver Faster, Cleaner, and Smarter Sports Data Experience

Published

2 weeks ago

September 5, 2025

Niji Narayan

StatRankings, the ultimate data hub for sports fans, bettors, and fantasy players, announced the launch of its new website. Designed for speed, simplicity, and privacy, StatRankings helps users make smarter decisions by removing the clutter of outdated, stat sites. With more than 500 NFL data points organized on dedicated, ad-free pages, fans can instantly find the data they need to help set fantasy lineups or put together a betting slip without endless tables, pop-ups, or dashboards getting in the way.

“The sports stats industry has been stuck in the past for too long. These sites supposedly designed for bettors, fantasy players, and media are archaic, cumbersome, and confusing. We are committed to keeping the experience of finding stats as smooth and easy as possible, without all the noise. We want StatRankings to represent a new standard in how sports data can be delivered,” said Kevin Adams, Founder of StatRankings and fantasy sports industry veteran.

In addition to the launch of its website, StatRankings created a partnership with One Week Season, a premium DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) subscription service that offers content, tools, and community. StatRankings data will be used across shows and articles found on One Week Season’s site for the duration of the NFL season.

“One Week Season is all about teaching people the ‘how’ when it comes to becoming a better DFS player. StatRankings helps us in that mission by making sharper and deeper data more accessible and doing so in a manner that has previously been awkward and downright clumsy. By incorporating StatRankings into our content, we’re able to offer the most optimized insights to our users for their success,” said One Week Season’s CEO Jordan Tohline.

Industry News

FanDuel Sports Network Appoints Damon Phillips to Lead South, Southeast, Florida and Sun Regions

Published

1 month ago

August 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

FanDuel Sports Network, owned and operated by Main Street Sports Group, announced that Damon Phillips is joining the Company as Executive Vice President, Team Partnerships, effective August 25. In this role, Phillips will assume oversight of the South, Southeast, Florida and Sun regions, including partnerships with the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Carolina Hurricanes, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Nashville Predators, Orlando Magic, and Tampa Bay Rays. He will report to David DeVoe, President of Main Street Sports Group.

“Damon brings an exceptional track record of using digital innovation, audience segmentation, and cross-platform strategies to drive fan growth and engagement. As we continue to invest in our local sports media platform, Damon’s deep leadership experience at both NBC Sports and ESPN, combined with his ability to scale technology-forward solutions for both media companies and team partners, provide a unique perspective as we continue to focus on team-first solutions in a dynamic local media landscape,” said DeVoe.

“I’m thrilled to be joining a company that’s reshaping what local sports media can deliver for fans and partners. FanDuel Sports Network has built a strong foundation and is uniquely positioned to harness the power of local fandom, scale engaged audiences and unlock new growth across its markets. I’m excited to help drive this next chapter,” said Phillips.

Phillips has spent more than three decades at the intersection of sports, media, and technology, including senior leadership roles at NBCUniversal and ESPN. At NBC Sports, he served as Senior Vice President, Digital Media & Emerging Businesses, overseeing NBCSports.com, Sports Betting, Fantasy Sports, the NBC Sports YouTube Channel, Peacock B2B distribution, and multiple podcast and streaming ventures. He led partnerships with DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, and others, and provided strategic direction for the company’s FAST and sports betting content initiatives.

Industry News

Caesars Entertainment Launches Signature American Roulette

Published

1 month ago

August 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

Caesars Entertainment has launched its third fully in-house developed proprietary online casino title: Signature American Roulette. Now live in New Jersey, the game is available across Caesars Palace Online Casino, Caesars Sportsbook & Casino, and Horseshoe Online Casino, bringing another standout addition to the Company’s Signature table game series.

Developed by Empire Creative, Signature American Roulette reflects Caesars’ growing investment in building its own proprietary content, a cornerstone of its online casino strategy aimed at delivering a best-in-class player experience.

“Our in-house content team’s latest addition to the Signature series of table games is a standout for our online casino players. Bringing Signature American Roulette to our iGaming platforms perfectly complements our suite of Caesars-branded table games and further strengthens the robust collection of digital offerings that bring the energy of the casino floor to players’ mobile devices,” said Matthew Sunderland, Senior Vice President and Chief iGaming Officer at Caesars Digital.

Signature American Roulette follows the recent launches of fan-favorite Signature titles, Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender in May and Signature Blackjack Surrender in June, both also developed by Empire Creative. Online casino players can enjoy these games across Caesars’ marquee iGaming platforms in New Jersey, Michigan and Ontario, with Caesars Palace Signature Multihand Blackjack Surrender now also available on Caesars Palace Online Casino in Pennsylvania.

“Signature American Roulette continues our commitment to delivering immersive and player-centric table games that align with our many iconic brands. From player-selectable wheel spin direction and speed to our intuitive favorite bets system, every detail is crafted to boost engagement. With seamless play in portrait or landscape modes and picture-in-picture win evaluations, we’re bringing the thrill of the casino straight to players’ fingertips,” said Scott Krell, Senior Director of Game Products and Head of Studio at Caesars Digital.

Those 21 and older in New Jersey can play Signature American Roulette by downloading the Caesars Palace Online Casino, Horseshoe Online Casino or Caesars Sportsbook & Casino apps on iOS or Android, or visiting the platforms on desktop. These platforms are also available in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, and West Virginia, offering a dynamic online casino experience that features Caesars-branded games, timeless casino classics, and unique titles from top game providers. Each platform offers a dynamic online casino experience with a range of unique games from top providers, Caesars-branded games, and timeless casino classics. Additionally, each platform integrates Caesars Rewards, the Company’s industry-leading loyalty program allowing players in the US to earn Caesars Rewards Credits redeemable for unforgettable experiences at more than 50 world-class Caesars Rewards destinations across North America.