XLMedia Announces Commercial Partnership with Star Tribune Media Company, Largest Upper Midwest News Organization, to be its Exclusive Provider of Sports Betting Content
XLMedia PLC (AIM: XLM) the global digital media company that manages a portfolio of premium brands with an emphasis on sports and gaming in regulated markets, announces a commercial partnership with the largest US Upper Midwest news organization, Star Tribune Media Company. As part of this partnership, XLMedia will be the exclusive provider of sports betting commercial content for Star Tribune, which attracts more than 7 million unique monthly digital users. Anchored in Minnesota, Star Tribune’s audience numbers are consistently in the top five in the country amongst regional and national publishing peers.
The strategic partnership with Star Tribune is another major win for XLMedia’s Media Partnership Business (MPB,) as it expands the company’s reach in Minnesota and neighboring states with a highly esteemed partner boasting seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards in journalism excellence. While there is no set timeline regarding online sports betting regulation, the state is ranked in the top five for Daily Fantasy Sports usage and has a sizable sports audience indicating a potentially robust market when the time arrives.
Drawing on XLMedia’s expertise in monetizing highly engaged audiences in current and future sports betting states, the deal allows Star Tribune to tap into advanced revenue streams from Daily Fantasy Sports in Minnesota, as well as sports betting in Midwest legalized states. XLMedia will leverage its industry-leading media partnership model to create high-quality commercial content, manage commercial deals with regulated sportsbook operators, and implement proven monetization strategies.
“We are thrilled to be working with the Star Tribune and are eager to begin collaborating with their talented team as we drive new revenue opportunities for both businesses,” said Kevin Duffey, President of XLMedia North America. “Publisher partnerships continue to be an area of focus for our business, and this new partnership is another milestone in our plan to expand our North American footprint and drive unique revenue opportunities both in 2024 and in the years to come.”
“We’re excited to partner with XLMedia to provide our readers with this highly engaging commercial content,” said Paul Kasbohm, EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, Star Tribune. “XLMedia brings tremendous credibility and expertise, allowing us to stay ahead of the curve and offer our audience the latest information to make their own informed decisions about this rapidly evolving space.”
The Group has made publisher partnerships a major focus area and continues to expand coverage, audience reach and revenue opportunities. This new collaboration with Star Tribune further establishes XLMedia as a leader in partnering with media businesses that have highly active audiences to drive user retention and new revenue. As XLMedia continues to expand its audience reach through partnerships, its North American teams is dedicated to pursuing additional key strategic agreements and to deliver excellent partner service.
