DAZN, a sports streaming platform controlled by tycoon Len Blavatnik, is negotiating the purchase of its smaller rival, Eleven Sports, according to sources close to the Financial Times newspaper. The negotiations reflect DAZN’s determination to acquire content and enter new markets at a time of great competition between platforms and groups such as Apple, Amazon or Disney for sports competition rights to retain or attract subscribers.
Eleven Sports was founded in 2015 by Italian entrepreneur Andrea Radrizzani, owner of football club Leeds United. The platform includes broadcasts of sports competitions such as the Champions League and the next three seasons of the English Premier League in Portugal or Formula 1 in Poland. In addition, Eleven Sports owns the documentary production company Neo Studios, from digital marketing company Team Whistle. Blavatnik company, which had a turnover of more than 300 million dollars in the last fiscal year, has its own streaming technology after acquiring MyCujoo in 2020.
Negotiations between DAZN and Eleven Sports are already underway, although there is no guarantee an agreement will be reached. A few months ago, Discovery snatched DAZN’s purchase of BT Sport, which owns England’s rights to the Premier League and Champions League. DAZN owns domestic rights to the Spanish football LaLiga, German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A.
“Entrepreneur. Internet fanatic. Certified zombie scholar. Friendly troublemaker. Bacon expert.”
