Better Collective strengthens Swedish presence with €3.7million acquisition of four sports brands

Article by : Charles Perrin Aug 22, 2023

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According to reports, better Collective has made a significant step in consolidating its presence in Sweden by acquiring four prominent sports brands.

The Danish digital sports media affiliate has bought out four sites — SvenskaFans.com, HockeySverige.se, Fotbolldirekt.se, and InnebandyMagazinet.se — for the princely sum of €3.7m ($4m).

With an overriding mission to become the leading digital sports media group, Better Collective has made its intentions clear.

It isn’t believed that the newly purchased assets won’t directly impact Better Collective hitting its financial targets for the rest of 2023, and shareholders will have warmly received the news.

Flexing its financial muscle

The Better Collective business model focuses on monetisation through advertising, and its portfolio looks rather extensive on paper.

The €3.7m laid out to acquire the aforementioned Swedish sports media brands will be paid in three separate instalments. It will also be entirely funded through Better Collective’s capital, which ultimately reflects the company’s financial strength.

Better Collective has been busy snapping up a wide range of sports media businesses over the past few years, including Action Network, one of the most trusted sources of news and information for sports betting enthusiasts.

And the latest acquisitions indicate the strides the Swedish digital sports media brands have made over the past few years.

Across the board, SvenskaFans.com, HockeySverige.se, Fotballdirekt.se, and Innebrandymagazinet.se have pulled in a combined nine million visits.

Of those brands, HockeySverige.se is the most prominent, as it has achieved, on average, 2.2 million monthly visits.

Reacting to the news of Better Collective’s foray into Sweden, the company’s CEO, Jesper Sogaard, said: “That’s why these sports media brands fit perfectly into our portfolio.

“We expect the media to deliver additional growth for our business in Sweden, adding to our leading market position within affiliation and expanding towards general advertisement.

“With our vision to become the leading digital sports media group, we want to be the go-to partner for any brand wanting to gain exposure and engagement among sports fans.”

Spelling out their vision

Better Collective hasn’t concealed its desire to become a serious player on the global scene, let alone in Sweden.

With over 18 offices worldwide and over 900 employees on its books, Better Collective was first listed on the NASDAQ exchange in 2018.

And with nearly 20 years of experience behind it in the industry, Better Collective has its finger on the pulse, and it has picked up a few things along the way.

Meanwhile, Hannes Andersson, the CEO of Everyspoort Group, which represents the four brands bought out by Better Collective, admits the deal underlines the robustness of the sites.

He said: “We are proud to have developed the websites into some of Sweden’s most prominent news media in their respective sports.

“Today’s deal confirms Everysport’s digital innovation and execution capabilities, and it is a logical next step for both the brands and the group.”

Editorial shake-up

But it’s not just the acquiring of sports media assets that will have caught the attention of investors. No, there have also been further changes executed behind the scenes.

Earlier this week, Better Collective announced that Rene Schroder has taken up the role of Editor in Chief at the company’s headquarters in Copenhagen.

Schroder’s expertise lies within video and production, and he will develop the editorial roadmaps for all of Better Collective’s digital assets to flourish in the long term.

Discussing the news surrounding Schroder, Esben Skou Vinther, Better Collective’s VP of Europe, said: “The appointment reinforces our commitment to maintaining a leading position in the European market and delivering high-quality sports content to a broader audience.”

Such announcements have only emphasised that Better Collective is encouraged, and Schroder hopes to take Better Collective to the next level.

Final Thoughts

All the noises coming out of Better Collective are highly positive and undoubtedly exciting times for the company.

While Better Collective has made significant headway in other European markets, Sweden has been specifically targeted as an area for expansion. It will be fascinating to see what it does with its newly acquired assets and the strategies it puts in place to drive more traffic to the respective sites.

Better Collective has experienced a lot of growth over the past few years, and it has a severe pedigree with multiple awards amassed for its contribution to the industry.

The world is Better Collective’s oyster, and if they can crack Sweden, they will continue to push on. Perhaps Better Collective will set its sights afield, and we may have a clearer idea about this in the following years.