Better Collective Debunks Spotlight Takeover Rumors

Posted on: May 9, 2022, 08:44h. 

Last updated on: May 10, 2022, 12:07h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

Better Collective was reportedly considering making an offer to buy Spotlight Sports Group, the owner of The Racing Post. The global gaming affiliate has publicly denied the “highly speculative” details.

Better Collective
Better Collective’s sign in front of its offices. The company denies rumors it might acquire Spotlight Sports Group. (Image: Better Collective)

The Racing Post is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting news publisher.

The UK’s The Sunday Times reported yesterday that global gaming affiliate Better Collective had its eyes on Spotlight Sports Group. Unidentified sources stated that Spotlight was a “front-runner” to acquire the owner of The Racing Post after other companies dropped out of the race.

Better Collective was apparently flattered by the notion that it was in a position to make the purchase. However, it had to downplay any interest, and stated that the idea was only “speculation.”

Still, it wouldn’t be the first time a company denied acquisition rumors before completing a deal.

Thanks, But No Thanks

M&A, mergers and acquisitions, is a segment that is receiving a lot of attention in the gaming space. Sometimes, wires get crossed and what seemed like a sure thing actually wasn’t. However, Exponent, a private equity firm and the owner of Spotlight, is reportedly looking for a sale and hired investment bank PJT Partners to make it happen.

When the news broke yesterday that Better Collective, which has been in accelerated M&A mode since last year, was a prime candidate, the company reacted quickly to squash the rumors. It said in a statement that it wasn’t “surprised to be mentioned when there are rumors of sales processes in the industry.” However, the “highly speculative” report simply wasn’t true.

While some acquisitions don’t always provide the results businesses expect, Better Collective has had success on the M&A front. It purchased Action Network last year for $240 million and Canada Sports Betting this past March for $23.6 million.

A couple of weeks ago, Better Collective added more eSports to its portfolio when it acquired Futbin for $110.6 million. This was after it acquired HLTV.org for $35 million in 2020.

Last year’s acquisitions drove the company to report $199.2 million in revenue for 2021, a 94.2% year-on-year increase. The subsequent acquisitions will produce even greater returns.

Using AI to Fuel Expansion

Better Collective would be a good option to take over Spotlight. The Racing Post was once as much a part of horse racing as the horses themselves. However, the COVID-19 pandemic stopped most races dead in their tracks, leading to revenue declines.

The pandemic has served as a catalyst to drive more digital operations at Spotlight, which now account for around 70% of its revenues. Last month, it teamed up with Intelitics in a new partnership that will help it enhance its digital operations.

Intelitics, a provider of analytics and performance marketing platforms, added Better Collective as an affiliate partner. The partnership will boost the company’s operations and growth in global markets, with Better Collective using Intelitics’ technology across multiple channels.

The company also embraced Intelitics’ real-time data collection and detailed campaign reporting to allow it to optimize its spending. The result is a more robust platform with granular marketing capabilities for improved efficiency and product delivery.