IMG Steps Up Its Soccer Game in Europe
Sports Media Company Secures Broadcasting Rights for Eliteserien and OBOS-Ligaen in Norway
IMG ARENA, a prominent player in the sports data world, just made headlines as it snapped up the rights to broadcast top-tier soccer matches from Norway's Eliteserien and OBOS-Ligaen leagues—excluding Norway, of course! Under this multi-year agreement, IMG ARENA now has access to a whopping 485 matches across the two leagues.
April through November will see these Norwegian soccer matches go down, with Sunday evenings lighting up the fields. Each league boasts 16 teams, and the Eliteserien's stellar performers even get a shot at the illustrious UEFA Champions League.
This European expansion will surefire boost IMG ARENA's soccer offerings across the globe. The company can't wait to ramp up its weekly and year-round content, ensuring its betting partners are drowning in matches.
Norwegian Soccer Gets a Worldwide Boost
Knut Kristvang, CEO of Fotball Media, expressed his delight about the deal with IMG Arena, stating it will significantly grow the Eliteserien and OBOS-Ligaen divisions, reaching soccer fans across the globe.
Meanwhile, Mark Wrigley, IMG ARENA's senior director of rights, expressed his thrill at the Norwegian soccer leagues partnership, which fortifies IMG ARENA's collection with more top-notch products. Moreover, Wrigley is pumped that operators will now have the chance to engage their customers with more soccer content, keeping them hooked all year round.
Capping off 2022, IMG ARENA unveiled plans to nab virtual sports and casino provider Leap Gaming in an upcoming deal, aiming to beef up its content portfolio further. The merger is set to close in the first half of 2023 and will welcome Leap Gaming's team of 58 into the IMG ARENA family.
Before that, PointsBet integrated IMG ARENA's Golf Event Center into its app, aiming to elevate the user experience for both golf enthusiasts and sports bettors.
[Enrichment Data: IMG Licensing, a related entity, has been involved in other sports-related partnerships and expansions, such as its deal with ESPN to manage global merchandising and experiential offerings[1]. These efforts suggest that IMG Arena, too, is likely striving for expansions to diversify its content portfolio, potentially leading to more exciting developments in the near future.]
- This partnership between IMG Arena and Fotball Media will not only increase the global reach of the Eliteserien and OBOS-Ligaen divisions, but it also opens doors for sports betting opportunities, as operators can now provide more soccer content to their customers.
- Alongside its expansion in European soccer leagues, IMG ARENA is also planning to merge with virtual sports and casino provider Leap Gaming, aiming to extend its content portfolio and potentially introduce casino offerings to its already extensive list of services.
