Sponsorship and acquisition income lift Better Collective’s publishing business
Publishing revenue rose 11% in the second quarter, with sponsorships and cost-per-acquisition income growing faster than revenue share. The August results show differing earnings profiles across publishing and paid media.
Better Collective’s publishing business increased second-quarter revenue by 11% to €57.5 million, supported by sponsorship and cost-per-acquisition income. The interim report, published on 20 August, puts the segment’s EBITDA before special items at approximately €17 million, up 26%, with its margin rising from 26% to 29%. [1]
Publishing sponsorship income rose 44% to €12.2 million, while cost-per-acquisition revenue increased 45% to €5.3 million. Revenue-share income grew more slowly, by 3% to €30.9 million. The company attributed the sponsorship growth to commercial demand for talent-led formats, premium sports content and access to engaged audiences. [1]
The report links stronger publishing acquisition income to prediction-market partners in North America. It also records a 15% fall in publishing CPM advertising revenue, partly because advertisers moved budgets towards sponsorship around the NBA Finals and FIFA World Cup. The quarter therefore combined growth in some commercial channels with a decline in another. [1]
Paid media has a different cost base
Paid Media revenue rose 6% to €26.5 million, with revenue-share income increasing 10%. Its EBITDA margin before special items remained around 26%. That business buys advertising on external platforms, creating upfront acquisition costs, while the publishing segment mainly reaches audiences through direct visits and organic search. [1]
A portfolio spanning sports and esports
Better Collective’s investor announcement identifies a portfolio that includes Action Network, Playmaker HQ, The Nation Network and Bolavip, alongside esports communities HLTV and FUTBIN and betting-data brand AceOdds. The Copenhagen-headquartered group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and Nasdaq Copenhagen. Those businesses provide the audience and content base behind its wider digital sports media strategy. [2]
Across the group, second-quarter revenue reached €89.1 million and EBITDA before special items €27 million, increases of 9% and 20% respectively. European Gaming’s coverage of the results highlighted North America as the main growth contributor and reported that Better Collective retained its full-year guidance. It also noted UK and Brazilian regulatory costs, placing the stronger publishing figures within a quarter that still included pressure on the broader business. [3]
Sources
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