Minute Media, a leading global technology and digital publishing platform, and The Players’ Tribune, a first-of-its-kind athlete-led content platform, today announced that The Players’ Tribune will become part of Minute Media’s publishing portfolio, adding this prestigious brand to Minute Media’s sports offering while providing enhanced technology, infrastructure and global reach to The Players’ Tribune. Terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
When we led this category of athlete-driven stories five years ago, we couldn’t imagine The Players’ Tribune would transform the landscape the way it did,” said Derek Jeter, founder of The Players’ Tribune in a first-person editorial on The Players’ Tribune website. “Our vision was to give athletes the tools they needed to speak in their own voice and bring fans closer to the game. Over the last few years, The Players’ Tribune has become a real force, bringing attention to issues and stories in a way we’ve never seen before. We’re looking forward to continuing to give athletes a voice – around the world.”
The acquisition is the latest premium asset to be added to the company portfolio, and further enhances Minute Media’s sports offering by uniquely providing sports content from all touchpoints. This includes premium player access from the voice of the athlete (with The Players’ Tribune), sports media insights (with The Big Lead), fantasy and sports betting expertise (through its partnership with FanDuel), and storytelling from the fan’s point-of-view (with 12up, 90min and DBLTAP). The acquisition, Minute Media’s third and largest to date, follows a year of significant growth for the company and the addition of trusted media brands to its portfolio through acquisition.
“The Players’ Tribune represents one of the most dynamic sports digital media brands in the world,” said Asaf Peled, founder and CEO of Minute Media. “Adding the brand’s athlete community, authentic storytelling and premium content offering to our portfolio is an incredible asset. Our goal at Minute Media is to strengthen this established brand position and accelerate the vision of becoming the world’s leading global athlete-driven platform. While we continue to seek out premium content brands across sports and lifestyle, we’ve identified those with potential to scale globally and those that have developed significant loyalty and trust in their audience, of which the Player’s Tribune is a premier example.”
As part of the Minute Media sports portfolio, The Players’ Tribune will continue to exist as a stand-alone brand but with the benefit of expanded global reach and access to an industry-leading, end-to-end publishing platform inclusive of audience development tools. Jeter will continue to be directly involved in the business as the founder and will join Minute Media’s board of directors.
“This was a strategic decision to accelerate growth in a crowded media landscape, allowing us to further our global expansion and utilize advanced technology developed by Minute Media,” said Jeff Levick, CEO of The Players’ Tribune. “It’s been five years since The Players’ Tribune was founded. Since then, the landscape for athlete-led media platforms has grown tremendously. We’re looking to continue our evolution by accelerating our growth and global presence, and this relationship allows us to maintain our position as a trusted resource for athletes, while also giving us the tools and services to do even more.”
The deal is another step forward for The Players’ Tribune toward its goal of building the world’s largest community of athletes by providing them with unprecedented tools and services so that they can create their own content, increase engagement with fans, and inspire others through their stories.