CBS Sports Digital to Acquire 247Sports

NEW YORK: CBS Sports Digital has entered into an agreement to acquire 247Sports, a network of college and pro-team affinity sites.

247Sports’ network of sites and mobile apps, and its subscription recruiting information services, will become part of CBS Sports Digital’s multiplatform offerings, which include CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports apps for mobile and connected TV devices, CBS Sports fantasy games, SportsLine and MaxPreps. The acquisition builds on from a partnership that began between the two in 2013, when 247Sports’ premium football and basketball recruiting content was integrated into CBS Sports coverage across digital platforms. CBS Sports Digital also became the exclusive advertising sales partner for 247Sports.

“We are pleased to welcome 247Sports to the CBS Sports family,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, the senior VP and general manager of CBS Sports Digital. “Through our pre-existing partnership with 247Sports, we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with its leadership team and see first-hand the strength of their business and content models. 247Sports’ individual team focus and expertise in the recruiting space will bolster our coverage of the full spectrum of sports from preps to pros, and enable us to deliver more value to sports fans through expanded editorial coverage and product enhancements. Our combined advertising model will also allow us to create compelling new sponsorship opportunities across screens.”

“We are extremely excited to join CBS Sports,” added Shannon Terry, founder and CEO of 247Sports. “With our team-focused model, 247Sports is the perfect complement to CBS Sports Digital and its best-in-class pro, college and high school sports coverage. It was clear early in our partnership with CBS Sports Digital that we share a common vision to provide the most engaging content, from the national to the team level, for sports fans. This is a great opportunity for 247Sports to continue to reach a larger audience of passionate fans, while delivering a more robust product offering to our current members.”