Digital sports media group Better Collective has strengthened its position in Sweden through the strategic acquisition of four leading sports media brands from Everysport Group.
Acquired brands include SvenskaFans.com, HockeySverige.se, Fotbolldirekt.se and Innebandymagazinet.se, with a combined reach of 9 million monthly visits from Swedes.
Jesper Søgaard, CEO of Better Collective, commented: “An important pillar in Better Collective’s strategy is to acquire leading national sports media with strong brands and a loyal, repeat audience. That’s why these sports media brands fit perfectly into our portfolio.”
“We expect media to provide further growth for our business in Sweden, adding to our strong position in the affiliation market and expanding into general advertising.”
“We are very excited to bring one of Sweden’s strongest sports news teams to our team and make them part of the Better Collective.”
“With our vision to become the leading digital sports media group, we want to be the partner of choice for any brand looking to gain exposure and engagement among sports fans. This acquisition takes us one step further on that journey,” added Søgaard.
Better Collective’s Acquisitions
SvenskaFans is Sweden’s largest online sports fan community
SvenskaFans was founded in 2000 and spans everything from elite football and hockey to local leagues across Sweden.
Over the past 23 years, the sports media brand has built a large loyal audience through user-generated content such as game reports, interviews, chronicles and podcasts, and currently has over 750 active contributors and a popular YouTube channel, the FanTV.
The site has about 5 million monthly visits and is monetized only through advertising (CPM).
HockeySverige.se is Sweden’s largest ice hockey news website
The site features news and reports from the world of hockey, including the National Hockey League (NHL), Champions Hockey League (CHL), Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and HockeyAllsvenskan.
Powered by a popular YouTube channel and a strong social media presence, HockeySverigie.se has around 2.2 million monthly visits, monetized through advertising (CPM) and subscriptions.
Fotbolldirekt.se is one of Sweden’s leading football media outlets
The portal covers national and international football news and reports. The site has around 1.1 million monthly visits and is monetized through advertising and subscriptions.
InnebandyMagazinet is the largest floorball news site
The site covers both Swedish leagues and national teams. The sports media has around 500,000 monthly views and is monetized through subscriptions and advertising (CPM).
Hannes Andersson, CEO of Everysport Group, said: “We are proud to have developed the sites on some of Sweden’s biggest news media in their respective sports.”
“Furthermore, we have successfully marketed the brands and in all cases we have also turned negative financial development into good profitability.
“Today’s agreement confirms Everysport’s digital innovation and execution capabilities and is a logical next step for both the brands and the Group.”
“We are convinced that Better Collective is a strong, long-term owner who will continue to develop the brands in a meritorious manner. We wish them and their employees all the best,” concluded Andersson.
