Octagon Appoints John Shea As CEO

IPG DXTRA has announced that John Shea will become Chief Executive Officer of Octagon Sports and Entertainment Network (OSEN), the industry-leading collection of marketing, talent management, communications, influencer, and creative firms, including Octagon, R&CPMK, ITB, Futures, FRUKT, and Milkmoney.

Shea, who is currently Global President of Octagon Marketing & Events, will assume day-to-day operating responsibilities of OSEN effective immediately. Rick Dudley, who has been OSEN’s Chairman and CEO for the past 18 years, will remain as Chairman and continue to provide strategic direction and support to OSEN’s Executive Committee, and will also focus on several key areas of the global network of agencies, including new business, client growth, and strategic planning. Shea and Dudley will report to IPG DXTRA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andy Polansky.

Phil de Picciotto, Founder and President of Octagon, will co-manage the agency with Shea, and continue in his role leading global operations of Octagon’s worldwide talent and property representation, event management, and financial wealth management businesses.

Cindi Berger, Chairman, and Mark Owens, CEO of R&CPMK and ITB, will continue to lead the entertainment and cultural communications marketing powerhouse, which serves 50+ world-class brands and provides 300+ film, TV, and music superstars with marketing and PR support.

“Rick’s tremendous vision and leadership have built OSEN into one of the world’s largest and most respected organizations in sports and entertainment,” Polansky said. “John has worked in partnership with Rick for more than two decades, and his contributions have been a driving force behind the growth and success of Octagon. With an executive management group and global workforce that are unparalleled in the sports and entertainment industry, OSEN is very well positioned for the future.”

Dudley added, “I’m confident in passing the CEO baton to one of the most trusted, talented, and creative executives in the industry, and have no doubt he will only continue to take OSEN to new heights.”

Shea, who joined Octagon in 1994, has been responsible for oversight of Octagon’s U.S. and international marketing practices and global marketing offices, including all partnerships, events, experiential marketing, strategy, content, technology, and creative offerings. In addition, he has led the agency’s marketing relationships with sports leagues, teams, and properties worldwide, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, LPGA, Premier League, UEFA, MLS, NWSL, FIFA, USOPC, and IOC.

Under Shea’s leadership, Octagon has expanded beyond its core sports marketing capabilities to become a global creative agency focused on sports and entertainment. During his tenure, the agency’s expanded work and services have been recognized by Cannes, Clio Sports, Sports Business Journal, and many others. Shea’s management has also supported both long-tenured and new client partnerships with brands including AB InBev, Allstate, Bank of America, BMW, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Delta, LinkedIn, Mastercard, PlayStation, Taco Bell, and others.

Dudley is a 40-year veteran in the sports industry, who has worked for the NFL, MLB, and NHL.  His leadership of OSEN’s sports and entertainment enterprises has been marked by comprehensive growth domestically and internationally across OSEN’s extensive collection of agencies and divisions. With more than 1,200 employees and 50 offices in 22 countries around the world, OSEN currently encompasses six industry-leading agencies, specializing in sports, entertainment, lifestyle marketing, talent representation, and public relations for brands, athletes, and celebrities. OSEN agencies offer more than 30 different service capabilities, and the agency network’s combined portfolio features an unmatched client roster of over 1000 of the most prominent and influential athletes, actors, musicians, producers, directors, and content creators, as well as nearly 100 major brands.

Shea commented, “I’m honored and incredibly excited to be given the opportunity by Andy and Rick to take on this new role and lead our remarkable organization. Rick’s insight and reputation are why OSEN has been the benchmark of excellence across the industry throughout our history. The passion, experience, and talents of our OSEN team around the world are why we continue to be the best. I look forward to working with all of our colleagues worldwide, as we help to create opportunities for our clients and teammates.”

BLAST Premier Agrees Partnership With Cryptocurrency Platform Coinbase

Esports tournament organiser BLAST Premier has announced a sponsorship with leading cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase to sponsor their Counter-Strike Spring Season. 

BLAST Premier and Coinbase will be looking to use the sponsorship to help bring the world of esports and gaming closer to cryptocurrency through integrated digital activations and player-led content.

As part of the deal, Coinbase branding will feature prominently across the Spring Showdown (13-18 April) and Final (15-20 June), including branded content opportunities and fan-led activations.

Founded in 2012, Coinbase is the largest cryptocurrency platform in the United States by trading volume and aims to build a cryptoeconomy that offers users a more fair, accessible, efficient and transparent financial system. Coinbase has over 43 million verified users in more than 100 countries and allows customers to securely invest, spend and earn cryptocurrency.  

The cryptocurrency exchange platform will sponsor BLAST Premier’s ‘The Economy Play’ broadcast segment, which sees analysts dissect and discuss economy rounds in between key matches. The broadcast segment will be a deep dive into how teams decide to spend their money in-game, and provide insight on how teams perform in this area of CS during a match. The Coinbase logo will also feature on the caster backdrop, in-game animated branding and sponsor bars. 

Last season, BLAST Premier was broadcast in over 105 territories around the world and enjoyed more than 83 million hours of content watched across all seven of its tournaments, Coinbase will look to benefit from this platform to reach a global and highly engaged audience. 

Oliver Clarke, Head of Brand Partnerships for BLAST, said: “Esports and cryptocurrency both share a strong relationship with technology and innovation. BLAST Premier is enjoyed on a global scale with an audience that is known to be tech savvy. We look forward to seeing the result of fans engaging with the safe, secure and world-leading cryptocurrency exchange platform.”

LDN UTD Signs Content Partnership With Matchroom

LDN UTD – the esports org that uses gaming and esports to promote healthy lifestyle and address social issues, and Matchroom – the renowned supplier of sports programming over the last four decades – have announced a content partnership to merge the world of esports with competitive sport.

Entertainment content appearing on Matchroom and LDN UTD social channels will firstly feature athletes from the Professional Darts Corporation alongside players from LDN UTD’s rosters of FIFA, League of Legends, Valorant and Fortnite. In addition, Matchroom’s athletes will appear in LDN UTD campaigns addressing inclusion, diversity, and wellness.

The content series entitled “Matchroom Mondays” will commence later this month and feature engaging content across various esports titles, with varying themes to complement the esports players and athletes. Opportunity will also be provided for the community to engage and participate directly throughout the series.

Matthew Porter, Director of Matchroom said, “Esports is the fastest growing consumer industry, and has only become more prominent during the pandemic. It therefore made sense to align with an esports organisation that wants to grow a community by promoting a healthy lifestyle and social issues. We’re looking forward to showcasing our athletes in a different environment and engaging the community”.

Oliver Weingarten, CEO of LDN UTD, said “The trajectory of esports might not be the obvious direction for Matchroom, but as a sports entertainment business, they’ve recognised the growth of esports, its demographic, and potential to continue to bring new fans to their sports. At LDN UTD, we believe in collaboration and look forward to working with Matchroom on creating some original content to entertain the community”.

Adam Ryan, LDN UTD’s FIFA Pro said, “I am excited for Matchroom Mondays. It is no secret that during lockdown in between my FIFA practice, I have been throwing darts and getting the odd 180. I’m looking forward to competing against the PDC players at FIFA and honing my darts skills at the same time.”

Professional Triathletes Organisation Appoints MATTA As Creative Agency

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has announced that it has appointed award-winning creative agency MATTA to deliver the campaign for the upcoming PTO flagship event, the inaugural Collins Cup, which takes place on 28 August 2021 at the extraordinary x-bionic® sphere in Šamorín, near Bratislava, Slovakia.


The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) is a not-for-profit entity consisting of both men and women professional triathletes who have come together to form a representative body which not only gives them a meaningful voice in the way the sport operates but a means to contribute to its growth for the benefit of the entire triathlon community.

The PTO seeks to showcase the passion, talents, determination, struggles and achievements of its dedicated professionals through iconic events, reimagined broadcast and compelling storytelling, inspiring global sports fans to watch, engage and participate in Triathlon.


A key thrust of MATTA’s brief is to deliver the multi channel promotional campaign in the months leading up to the inaugural Collins Cup – a new race format modelled after the Ryder Cup, which will see teams of In ternational, European and USA athletes pitted against one another. The Collins Cup aims to create and leverage the excitement, rivalry, drama and personalities of the sport of triathlon to attract a wider fan base.

Tim Godfrey, Chief Marketing Officer of the PTO, stated: “Through our innovative ownership model, market leading gender equality policies including equal prize purses, equal broadcast airtime and paid maternity
leave as well as the global broadcast of The Collins Cup, with a record-setting prize purse of $1.5M, the PTO is impacting the sports world and bringing new opportunities to athletes and fans like never before. We are thrilled to be working with an agency of MATTA’s creative stature and global experience to help do our great sport of triathlon justice – and tell the captivating stories of our athletes to a large, global audience.”


In appointing MATTA – an award-winning agency that has run the global creative campaign for another ath lete-led sporting body, the ATP for over 3 years – the PTO has signalled its ambition to broaden the profile of triathlon and attract a wider fan base.


Matt Campbell, Executive Creative Director, MATTA, stated: “Since it arrived on the scene, The Professional Triathletes Organisation has clearly demonstrated its ambition to transform triathlon from an increasingly popular participation sport into a broader, mass-consumed, fan-friendly international sporting property.

We look forward to helping raising the profile of the PTO’s Collins Cup, led through the captivating stories of the athletes, to a global audience in 2021. We are delighted to partner with an innovative, disruptive sports or ganisation on its flagship event, and look forward to playing our part in changing how triathlon is seen.”

Cazoo Bolsters Sports Portfolio With The Derby Festival Sponsorship

Cazoo, the UK’s leading online car retailer is named as the main sponsor of The Derby Festival featuring the world’s most famous Flat race, under a new agreement with The Jockey Club, which runs Epsom Downs Racecourse.

The multi-year partnership includes naming rights, significant brand exposure and exclusive naming of eight races during the Cazoo Derby Festival, which will take place on June 4th and 5th in 2021. This historic sporting event features two of the ‘Classics of the Turf’ – The Cazoo Oaks on day one and The Cazoo Derby on day two – pinnacles of the Flat racing season globally. All races will be shown live on ITV.

In addition to the two days of the new Cazoo Derby Festival, this comprehensive partnership will also provide Cazoo with significant year-round exposure and branding rights all year round at all of The Jockey Club’s 15 racecourses across the UK.

Cazoo has rapidly become one of the UK’s largest sports sponsors with an impressive portfolio which now includes two top Premier League football teams (Aston Villa and Everton), The Hundred (cricket’s newest format), the EFL (across all 72 clubs), the Rugby League World Cup 2021 and multiple snooker events including the Players Championship, Tour Championship and World Grand Prix.

Cazoo’s mission is to transform the car buying experience for consumers across Europe by providing better selection, quality, transparency, convenience and peace of mind. Cazoo aims to make buying a car no different to any other product online today, where consumers can simply and seamlessly purchase, finance or subscribe to a car entirely online for either delivery or collection in as little as 72 hours.

Cazoo offers thousands of top-quality cars on its website that it owns and has fully reconditioned and every Cazoo car comes with a full seven-day money back guarantee and comprehensive 90-day warranty. Cazoo is pioneering the shift to online car buying and has already delivered over 20,000 cars to consumers across the UK who have embraced the selection, transparency and convenience of buying cars entirely online.

Alex Chesterman OBE, Founder and CEO of Cazoo said: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring The Cazoo Derby Festival, one of the biggest events in horseracing. As the second biggest spectator sport in Britain, we look forward to engaging with racing fans around the country through this extensive partnership with The Jockey Club and to delivering the best car buying experience to horseracing fans across the country.”

Nevin Truesdale, Chief Executive of The Jockey Club, said: “Cazoo is a highly ambitious and successful growth brand that matches our ambitions for the future of the world’s most famous Flat race. You cannot overstate the importance of The Cazoo Derby to our sport globally and it’s vital we work with a partner passionate about bringing that to life in the years ahead. I’m delighted to welcome the Cazoo team to The Jockey Club and horseracing as a sport.”

FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Announce 9 Host Cities

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 announced the 9 Host Cities and 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand that will host matches during the tournament.

With just over two years to go until some of the best players in the world take to the field in Australia and New Zealand, the Host City announcement represents a major milestone for many football fans and players around the world, as well as in the preparations for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 – which will be the first-ever co-hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup and the first edition to feature 32 teams.

The Host Cities and stadiums for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 are:

  • Adelaide – Hindmarsh Stadium
  • Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau – Eden Park
  • Brisbane – Brisbane Stadium
  • Dunedin / Ōtepoti – Dunedin Stadium
  • Hamilton / Kirikiriroa – Waikato Stadium
  • Melbourne – Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
  • Perth – Perth Rectangular Stadium
  • Sydney – Stadium Australia and Sydney Football Stadium
  • Wellington /  Te Whanganui-a-Tara  – Wellington Stadium

In addition to revealing the Host Cities and stadiums, FIFA has also announced today that Eden Park in Auckland will host the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 with Stadium Australia in Sydney selected to host the Final.

Both Australia and New Zealand will also host one semi-final each with the full match schedule for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 to be announced later this year.

Speaking on the selection of the Host Cities for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said:

“The appointment of the 9 Host Cities represents a major milestone for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, as well as for players and football fans across Australia, New Zealand and around the world.

“Building on the incredible success of France 2019 both on and off the pitch, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and 9 Host Cities across Australia and New Zealand will not only showcase the world’s very best players, but will also provide a powerful platform to unite and inspire people, transform lives and create a lasting legacy for women’s football in Australia and New Zealand and around the world.”

Chris Nikou, Football Australia President, said: “The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will be the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, showcasing Australia and New Zealand to a global audience of over one billion people.

“Today’s announcement of the Host Cities and match venues for the tournament is a major milestone in the build-up to the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™ – a tournament that will unite nations, inspire generations, and provide our diverse and multicultural game with the perfect platform to grow over the coming years.” 

Johanna Wood, President of New Zealand Football, said: “It is a privilege to co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 with Australia and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes and their supporters to Aotearoa New Zealand.”

“We have and will continue to work with our partners to deliver the biggest, most exciting and best tournament to date. The legacy of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 starts now and will go on to leave a lasting impression on women’s sport across both countries and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”

England Cricket Agrees Multi-Year Deal With Lifebuoy

Unilever brand Lifebuoy, the world’s number one hygiene soap1 brand, has announced a multi-year partnership with England Cricket ahead of the start of the new season.

This is in addition to the previously announced partnership with the ECB’s innovative new competition, The Hundred.


As part of the new partnership, Lifebuoy will become the ‘Official Hygiene Partner’ and ‘Official Community Cricket Hygiene Partner’ of England Cricket and ECB.

In partnership with ECB, all recreational cricket clubs across England and Wales will be able to apply to receive a free ‘ECB Hygiene Bundle’ pack as part of the drive to help cricket return safely.


The partnership includes branding at all England Home Internationals. Lifebuoy will provide product to all international England teams at matches and hotels. They will also support All Stars Cricket and Dynamos Cricket, first class counties and county cricket boards.


Russell James, Sales and Marketing Director, said: “We’re delighted to have partnered with Lifebuoy to support all forms of cricket, from elite through the grassroots of the game.


“The potential return of spectators will be a welcome sight for players and the public alike. We know that a lot of fans will be thinking about hygiene as an important consideration when returning to watch cricket this summer. We have worked closely with the Lifebuoy team to help make fans safe so they can follow England Cricket with confidence this summer.”

Chris Barron, Vice President, Beauty & Care, Unilever UK & Ireland, commented: “As the world’s number one hygiene soap brand, Lifebuoy has a clear role to play in helping us all to stay safe. We’re proud to be working with England Cricket to help the safe return of the nation’s summer sport, and as official Hygiene Partner of England Cricket we’ll be providing hygiene support to players and spectators alike at both elite and grass-roots level.”


In addition to providing All Stars Cricket and Dynamos registered children with hand sanitiser bottles via their clubs, Lifebuoy have created three further hygiene bundles of sanitiser products for clubs at a subsidised rate ahead of the coming season via Lifebuoy’s ‘online portal’.


Nick Pryde, ECB Director of Participation said: “We’re really excited to have the support of Lifebuoy, helping recreational cricket return safely this summer. We’re going to see COVID-adapted match play and training, and the subsidised bundles they are offering clubs, together with guidance and clarity through ongoing communication and guidance is invaluable. We know cricket’s role in the local community and look forward to celebrating this as we look forward to the summer.”

ICC Signs Himalaya MEN As Official Men’s Grooming Partner

Himalaya MEN, The Himalaya Drug Company’s Men’s care range, is named as the Official Men’s Grooming Partner for International Cricket Council’s (ICC) men’s events through 2022.

This association covers the ICC World Test Championship Finals 2021, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.

Anurag Dahiya, Chief Commercial Officer, ICC, said, “Our events provide leading brands an unparalleled, high-reach platform for conversations with tremendously involved and passionate fans. We are pleased to have Himalaya MEN on board as a partner for some of our marquee men’s tournaments, beginning with the final of the ICC World Test Championship between India and New Zealand to be held in Southampton, ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 in India, followed by the ICC Men’s T20 World 2022 in Australia.”

Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Business Director – Consumer Products Division, The Himalaya Drug Company, said, “Cricket is a sport that is enjoyed by everyone in India, and it is indeed a great opportunity to have associated with the world governing body of cricket, International Cricket Council. This is a fantastic opportunity to take a homegrown Men’s Grooming Brand like Himalaya MEN to a global platform, as it further reinforces our commitment to wellness and sports. We are extremely delighted that this partnership will further enhance our brand vision of ’Wellness in Every Home and Happiness in Every Heart’ to our large consumer base.”

Ashwani Gandhi, Associate General Manager – Consumer Products Division, The Himalaya Drug Company, added, “Men, not only in metro cities but also in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, have increasingly become conscious about the way they look and present themselves. Personal grooming also plays a very important role in boosting self-confidence, and that is exactly what Himalaya MEN believes in. Himalaya’s connection with cricket goes back to its association with the Indian Cricket Team captain, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, who are the brand ambassadors for Himalaya MEN.

Today, Himalaya MEN as a brand has widened its presence to Men’s Face Care, Hair Care, Beard Care solutions, and shaving range of products. Over the coming months, we will have an exclusive activation campaign on this association. We are looking forward to the beginning of a very exciting partnership with ICC.”

RedBird Capital Partner Makes ‘Significant Investment’ In Liverpool Owners Fenway Sports Group

RedBird Capital Partners makes significant investment in Fenway Sports Group (FSG), a global sports, marketing, media, entertainment, and real estate platform.

The deal is part of an ongoing strategic alliance between the two companies that will focus on the active pursuit of growth opportunities for FSG.

In addition to the organic growth anticipated for FSG’s current portfolio, the partnership with RedBird will enhance the company’s ability to develop and launch new businesses modeled after successful growth companies built by Gerry Cardinale and RedBird. FSG and RedBird will also develop opportunities for strategic acquisitions in sports, including teams and venues, media and related businesses that enhance or extend FSG’s existing platform.

The investment by RedBird into FSG is based on an enterprise valuation for FSG of $7.35 billion. As part of the overall transaction, LeBron James, Maverick Carter and their longtime business partner Paul Wachter will exchange a previously held interest in Liverpool Football Club and become part of FSG’s ownership group along with RedBird.

FSG leadership, comprised of Principal Owner John W. Henry, Chairman Tom Werner and President Mike Gordon said, “Over the years, Fenway Sports Group has been able to attract a dedicated group of executives and partnerships seeking to compete for titles in the most challenging and rewarding landscapes. Our strategic partnership with Gerry and the entire team at RedBird will enhance our ability to pursue future growth opportunities in a more accelerated way but with the same selectiveness that has served us so well.

“We are also pleased to welcome to our ownership group LeBron, Maverick and Paul, with whom we have enjoyed a successful collaboration for well over a decade. Their addition is an important milestone for FSG and expands and deepens a longtime friendship and relationship that began in 2010.

“To our fans and supporters: Winning continues to be the driving force for all of us. The growth of FSG as an organization allows us to further strengthen our resources and commitment to the communities we serve, and we look forward to having these talented new partners join us in the next chapter of FSG’s evolution.”

Gerry Cardinale, Founder and Managing Partner of RedBird, said, “Fenway Sports Group is unique not only for the quality of its sports properties and assets, but for the highly disciplined, results-oriented organization that John, Tom, Mike and the FSG team have built over the past 20 years. RedBird shares the same passion for performance-driven investing, business operations, fan experience and service to the community. We look forward to contributing our experience growing premier sports properties and working alongside this tremendous leadership team, including our fellow new owners LeBron, Maverick and Paul.”

“Working with Fenway Sports Group for the past decade has taught LeBron and me so much about the business on a global scale, and we’ve always believed it would lead to something bigger,” said Maverick Carter. “We are proud to be part of this iconic ownership group and are excited about the opportunities that come with that to continue creating change and empowering people of every race, gender and background to be part of the process.”

“Although Some Industry Reports Describe A Decline Of Interest In Sport Amongst Gen-Z, We’ve Been Seeing The Opposite”

Recently, Discovery and Snap Inc. announced a new content and advertising partnership to bring the Olympic Games to a new generation of fans. We spoke with Kahlen Macaulay, International Sports Partnerships Manager at Snap Inc. to explore what they want to achieve through the deal.

So tell us about your recent partnership with Discovery surrounding the upcoming summer and winter Olympics games, how do you aim to bring the younger generation to the Olympic games?

We’ve announced this new content partnership with Discovery to bring the best of both the Tokyo Olympic Games and Beijing Winter Olympic Games to our community. We know how much Snapchatters love sports and we’re very excited to bring the Games to a new generation of fans.

There will be a daily Eurosport Olympics Show on Snapchat Discover, showcasing the must-see Olympic moments from Discovery+ and Eurosport. The episode will be updated twice a day during the Games and will be available to watch by Snapchatters across Europe, with local language and Olympic team content in select markets. To get Snapchatters hyped for the Games, Discovery are also going to be launching content leading up to the opening ceremony, focussing on the best stories to look out for during the Olympics.

What are the goals that the company is looking to achieve from this partnership and why is sport an important tool for the organisation to be able to utilise?

Every day, 265 million people use Snapchat to stay connected with their loved ones, be entertained, stay informed, and learn about the world. Our Discover platform features content from the world’s best storytellers and creators – everything from news and entertainment to sports, beauty and lifestyle.

“With many sporting events looking different this year, we’ve been really thinking about how we can forge great partnerships that bring unique and meaningful experiences to our community.”

Sport in particular has an amazing way of bringing people together. Whether you’re a football enthusiast, a fan of figure skating, or simply love how your country rallies together to support your national team – there’s something for everyone.

The wider the range and variety of sports content we have on our platform, the more relevant the experience we are able to create for Snapchatters. With many sporting events looking different this year, we’ve been really thinking about how we can forge great partnerships that bring unique and meaningful experiences to our community. We’re grateful to be able to showcase such inspiring content on Snapchat, bringing them to the heart of the Games and other sporting events from the comfort of their phone.

How do you work with your official publishers to get the best content?

Very closely! We deeply value our partners and collaborate with them to tell great stories in creative and innovative ways. We built Discover with clear values: we value content that is authoritative and credible, we value diverse perspectives and we believe that content made for mobile is fundamentally different to other mediums.

We work with media and sports organisations who believe this too, from Sky Sports in the UK and beIN Sports in France, to the International Olympic Committee and Formula 1. Shows have become a popular format on Snapchat – the time spent watching Shows increased by over 70% over the past year – and it’s been amazing to see our partners reimagine how a mobile-first generation consumes sports highlights on Snapchat. We’ve introduced Highlights Shows, which update in near real-time so Snapchatters won’t miss a moment.

“In September 2020, more than 40% of the U.S. Gen-Z population watched sports Discover content.”

These Highlight Shows are to mobile what live sports programming is to television, and it’s been fundamental for us to be an extension of our partners’ reach. We also work with our partners to create experiences on different parts of Snapchat including Augmented Reality, Spotlight, Bitmoji, Maps, SnapKit and more. There are so many ways to experience sports on Snapchat and for teams, athletes, organisations and brands alike to share their fandom in a visual and immersive way.

How did Covid-19 impact the traction of users on Snapchat and what has been the subsequent behaviour of them in more recent months?

Whilst the pandemic has been an incredibly challenging time for people all around the world, it’s safe to say one experience that has been universal is a renewed understanding of the value and importance of friendship. Snapchat has always been a platform for close friends and family to communicate and it’s been amazing to be able to serve our community in this time – keeping them connected whilst many of them are apart.

When it comes to content behaviour more specifically, we’ve seen consistent growth and strong engagement. 90% of the U.S. Gen-Z population were watching Shows and publisher content in Q4 2020 and in September 2020, more than 40% of the U.S. Gen-Z population watched sports Discover content.

Snap Inc. has partnered with Discovery to bring a new audience to the Olympic Games

We see similar engagement in other markets such as in the UK and Norway, where nearly 60% and over 75% of the Gen Z population respectively watched premium sports content on Snapchat in Q3 2020. Global sports partners such as Wave.tv reach an average monthly audience of 64 million Snapchatters and SportsCenter’s viewership on Snapchat increased by 80% from July 2020 to September 2020. 

How are you looking to continue utilising sports content moving forward, what are the next focusses and are you looking to expand your portfolio further? May we see more partnerships with major events in the future?

Sports are one of the few things that can unite us regardless of age, location or language. With that in mind, sports content has been a key part of the Discover experience from the very beginning. Fans use Snapchat throughout sporting events to show their support, celebrate the wins (or commiserate the losses!) together with their friends.

Although some industry reports describe a decline of interest in sport amongst Gen-Z, we’ve been seeing the opposite. In fact, there is a growing appetite from our community to experience sports content in different ways – wherever they are, whenever they want, and in formats that fit into their lives. We reach 90% of the 13-24 population in the U.S., U.K, France, Canada and Australia, and so plan to continue being a place where Snapchatters can immerse themselves in the sports they love, and our sports partners, rights holders, owners, teams and athletes can connect with new audiences and create their fans of the future.

In the UK, we found that 68% of Snapchatters use the app while watching sports. That’s a huge opportunity for our partners to elevate the viewing experience, differentiate their sport and build lifelong fandom. Providing avenues for audiences to consume on their terms, and the opportunities for our partners to be the place for that consumption, is really what we’re trying to do.

“Augmented reality has been a real differentiator for us. Over 200 million Snapchatters engage with AR on Snapchat every single day.”

We’re constantly innovating and evolving our product so that our community has a range of unique and compelling experiences. Augmented reality has been a real differentiator for us. Over 200 million Snapchatters engage with AR on Snapchat every single day. By combining the power of our camera with great sports content, we can reimagine the fan experience with our partners.

Flagship partnerships with the NFL and NBA are really great examples of this, where content in the form of Highlights Show is one pillar of what they do, but this is complemented with AR Lenses that create another level of engagement around their sport, putting fans in the center of the action, no matter where they are, right from their phone. We hope to see more of these sorts of partnerships in the future and will continue to collaborate with organisations that want to innovate alongside us.