PRESS RELEASE
Sky has invested $7 million in Whistle Sports, the world's largest sport-focused cross-platform network, as the two companies look to work together on creating exciting new content for younger sports fans, particularly ‘young millennials'. Whistle Sports partners with online personalities who create unique video content themed around sports, sports brands and franchises. The network uses a combination of youth-orientated celebrities, innovative programming ideas and formats to make sport more accessible for younger audiences.
The partnership with Whistle Sports builds on Sky's ongoing programme of investing in innovative startups that help Sky bring new ideas, insight and services into its business. This follows recent investments in Pluto.TV, the online video aggregator and the US ad tech firm Sharethrough. Sky has previously invested in a number of other pioneering US technology companies, including the IP streaming service provider Roku, the immersive 360 video specialists Jaunt and the video delivery firm 1 Mainstream.
Whistle Sports has a rapidly-growing library of videos covering a wide variety of sports including basketball, baseball, soccer, and American football, alongside emerging sports such as football freestyle, skateboarding, trick shots, and ultimate frisbee. It has relationships with stars such as Ultimate Frisbee champion Brodie Smith, Dude Perfect, Steve Roberts of STR Skill School and NBA player Jeremy Lin, who have millions of followers on over-the-top (OTT) video and social media platforms.
Whistle Sports also works with sports leagues and franchises such as the NFL, PGA Tour, NASCAR and Major League Baseball Advanced Media to help them engage with younger sports fans. They work together to create viral video content using Whistle Sports' talent network along with sports stars and venues, to be shared across a number of platforms including YouTube and Xbox. Whistle Sports has over 8.3 million subscribers, more than 192 channels and over 1.25 billion views. An example of Whistle Sports' work can be seen here.
Sky Sports is Europe's leading multi-platform sports broadcaster and is the home of sports such as English Premier League football, Formula 1, International Cricket, International Rugby and European and US Tour Golf. The relationship with Whistle Sports will offer the potential to collaborate on content creation and to share talent across both networks, as well as exploring innovative promotional opportunities aimed at introducing the respective brands - and their content - to new audiences.
Whistle Sports is based in New York but has offices in Los Angeles, Dallas and a new office in London, which is headed by former Global Head of Football for YouTube Jeff Nathenson. The new facility will give the Whistle Sports team easier access to Europe's top leagues and athletes.
Further details of our investments and Sky's US office can be found here.
Barney Francis, Managing Director, Sky Sports, commented: "Whistle Sports has very quickly established itself in the US as a major new sports network. We see lots of potential to harness Sky Sports' content and relationships with major sports bodies and brands to work alongside Whistle Sports' talent network. We look forward to exploring opportunities to collaborate on video content that helps broaden engagement in sport, especially for younger audiences."
Emma Lloyd, Director, Corporate Business Development, Sky, commented: "This latest investment reflects our ambition to partner with pioneering startups that can help extend our leadership in content distribution, especially online and on mobile. We are committed to developing partnerships right across our business that support and extend our leadership position in technology and innovation."
John West, Founder and CEO, Whistle Sports, commented: "This partnership is a tremendous fit for us, given our focus on international expansion. Sky is a recognized leader in sports entertainment and delivery and brings to the partnership some of the highest quality creative and production teams in sports. We look forward to connecting them with our rapidly growing audience and community of creators."
1) References to Whistle Sports are to Kids Sports Entertainment Inc. Whistle Sports is the consumer-facing brand of Kids Sports Entertainment Inc.
2) Gross assets subject to this transaction were $7m
3) Profits attributable to the assets subject to this transaction were $nil
About Sky
Sky is the UK and Ireland's leading home entertainment and communications company. Around 40% of all homes have a direct relationship with Sky through its range of TV, broadband and home telephony services.
Sky is the UK's biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.6 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News. Around two-thirds of Sky's content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.
Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.
Sky distributes its content broadly over several platforms, including satellite, cable, IPTV, mobile and WiFi. NOW TV, Sky's second consumer brand, builds on the company's leadership in internet TV. Sky is also the UK's fastest-growing home communications company and favourite ‘triple-play' provider of TV, broadband and home phone.
Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 25,000 people, has annual revenues of £7.6 billion and is estimated to support a £6.0 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY).
About The Whistle Sports Network
Whistle Sports is the first cross-platform entertainment network created to serve the digital generation of fans and athletes, providing compelling, quality content on multiple platforms. Since launching its Multi-Channel Network in January of 2014, Whistle Sports scaled to over 8.3M subscribers and 190 channel partners who have an additional social media reach of over 20 million fans and followers.
The network's content library of over 28,000 videos has been watched over 1.25 billion times. The company's owners, investors and content partners include sports heroes such as Derek Jeter and Peyton Manning and pro league partners like the NFL, PGA Tour, Major League Baseball, NASCAR, Major League Lacrosse, AVP (pro volleyball), Major League Soccer and the Harlem Globetrotters. The network has offices in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and London.
