- Swiss media conglomerate Ringier AG has made a significant investment of £50 million in LiveScore Group.
- LiveScore Group is best known for their long running soccer score ticker. It has been one of the ‘go to’ sites for soccer updates since 1998.
- LiveScore Group was spun off from Gamesys in 2019. Gamesys is now part of Bally’s Corporation.
Sports betting media continues to be big business worldwide. Particularly in the US, it might be a bigger ‘growth industry’ than actual sports betting. Sports betting media isn’t subject to the protectionist whims of boneheaded regulators and politicians. It also is able to leverage what the ‘new wave’ of sports betting industry players and regulators either don’t know or won’t admit–sports betting has always been huge in the United States.
The regulatory situation in Europe is different though the sports media dynamic is the same. That’s why Swiss media conglomerate Ringier Sports Media has just made a £50 million investment in LiveScore Group. We’ll discuss more about the brands that comprise LiveScore Group today but they’re best known for the international soccer live score ticker from which the company’s name is derived. LiveScore has been one of the ‘go to’ sources for live soccer scores since 1998. They’ve been through several ownership hierarchy changes during that time and at one point was owned by Gamesys before they ‘demerged’ in in 2019. Most of you will recall that Gamesys was acquired by Bally’s Corporation in October 2021.
So who is Ringier AG? They just sent me a press release, so I’ll let them give you their ‘elevator pitch’:
Ringier is a Media- and Technology Company Swiss by nature. The Group includes over 130 companies operating numerous leading media brands, digital platforms, and marketplaces. Ringier addresses every walk of life and touches the lives of millions of people – every day around the globe in 19 countries. 73 percent of operating profit comes from the digital sector. This puts Ringier in the group of leading European media companies. The family-owned enterprise believes in entrepreneurship, collaboration, innovation, trust and courage for nearly 190 years. In a world that’s becoming ever more complex and challenging, Ringier`s mission is to keep interest alive and to ensure that customers, users, or readers never lose sight of what connects them: We create interest in the world around you – and beyond. www.ringier.com
Ringier’s investment gives the LiveScore Group a valuation of a cool £500 million–that’s just under $575 million USD at current exchange rates.
LiveScore Group isn’t just about sports betting media–they also operate two sportsbook brands in Europe. Here’s the rundown of their primary brands from the aforementioned press release:
- LiveScore
An early pioneer in the online sports media space, LiveScore™️ was founded in 1998 and is one of the world’s leading sports updates and streaming services. Following its acquisition in 2017, the LiveScore business was subsequently demerged into the Anzo Group in 2019. With millions of global users across over 200 territories, it’s long been an essential part of the match-day experience for football fans who rely on the service to provide the simplest, fastest, and most reliable updates on matches that matter to them. - LiveScore Bet
LiveScore Bet™, is a sportsbook offering customers in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, and Netherlands a new and improved betting experience. Building on the existing user relationship with the trusted LiveScore brand that is already a core part of the live sport experience, LiveScore Bet seeks to deliver a best-in-class product and represents a new opportunity for customers to bet responsibly. - Virgin Bet
Virgin Bet™ was launched in the UK in May 2019. With access to a huge range of betting markets across all the top sports, as well as the nation’s most popular casino products, Virgin Bet delivers a top-quality experience for its customers and has the perfect line-up to disrupt the sportsbook industry. VIRGIN and the Virgin Signature Logo are trademarks of Virgin Enterprises Limited and are used under licence.
Marc Walder, CEO Ringier AG, is pleased to be getting into business with a well known, respected brand like LiveScore:
“From delivering real-time sports scores and free-to-air live streams to millions of global users, to offering the most innovative and trusted sportsbook betting opportunities, LiveScore Group has demonstrated it is already a true industry leader and will be a fantastic business partner for Ringier. Together, we aim to enhance, and increase the enjoyment of sport, through innovative products, and immersive experiences under the operational lead of the Ringier Sports Media Group. With LiveScore Group’s support we will better understand the way people feel about sport and what it means to them. Our vision is to fuel the fans’ passion for sport.”
Having a strong presence in sports betting media *and* having actual sports betting platforms is really a ‘best case scenario’ for any company. They can take bets in jurisdictions with favorable regulations while leveraging the massive popularity of sports betting worldwide.
