Media entertainment company Whistle Sports is aiming to significantly increase its content portfolio and international footprint with an ongoing $28 million Series D funding round, the company announced Thursday.
With big plans for operations in Asia and Europe and a much larger content portfolio, Whistle secured its largest investment from Aser, which owns ELEVEN Sports and was founded by Andrea Radrizzani. She will join Whistle Sports as a member of its board.
“This is more than just an investment. It is an innovative collaboration with a leader in social content creation and distribution that will help Aser’s portfolio to engage these young audiences by creating exciting, engaging and positive content that today’s fans love to watch and share,” Radrizzani said in the announcement.
Whistle Sports, which launched in 2014, has amassed 450 million subscribers on social media channels. Paired with ELEVEN Sports’ own international reach, the network could significantly increase that number through distribution in the large European and Asian youth markets.
With the $28 million raised so far in Series D, Whistle has accumulated almost $100 million through other investment rounds led by NBC Sports and Sky Sports.
“We are thrilled to receive an investment from—and partner with—a leading edge, dynamic and like-minded company such as Aser,” John West, Whistle Sports’ founder and CEO, said in the announcement. “We are looking forward to partnering with their invaluable global network and the key relationships they possess in important markets in Asia, Europe and around the world as we look to expand the Whistle Sports footprint. Today’s young sports fans have global interests, and with Aser, we can reach and engage them in new and exciting ways.”
SportTechie Takeaway
With the new investment from Aser, Whistle Sports gains a global partner for sports content distribution focusing on the lifestyle and culture in which athletes and influencers engage. With a massive social following—2.6 million Instagram followers and 1.1 million YouTube subscribers—the social content network should be able to expand into Europe and Asia and take advantage of the soccer-obsessed cultures there.