Booyah! Whistle Sports Scores $28 Million Series B -- That's "Big" In Any Language

Whistle Sports, THE leading sports-focused MCN (and a Manatt Digital Media client) just scored big -- very big -- as in $28 million big, for its just-announced Series B round.  Two major international media companies joined the round as significant strategic investors -- BSKYB and Liberty Media (via its Liberty Global Ventures arm).  BSKYB's individual investment is $7 million, joining lead investor Emil Capital Partners (an affiliate of Germany-based Tengelmann Group) which adds to the round's overall international flavor.  Why relevant?  Because sports obviously is (are?) universal -- truly global in terms of interest and potential reach.  These massive new investors can accelerate that global reach -- which is smart, very smart (for all involved).

Want more?  Sports legends Peyton Manning and Derek Jeter -- both investors in the original $8 million Series A round -- also joined this one.  That's a good sign -- one that need not be hidden from the bench.

Whistle Sports essentially bills itself as a new ESPN for millennials -- built for a digital-first/native audience in an increasingly digital-first, smartphone-driven world.

They've got a massive market opportunity (a global passionate audience willing to spend on all things sports).  Great creative talent (include those "Dude Perfect" guys).  Seasoned coaching (CEO John West, co-founder Jeff Urban, and #2 Brian Selander).  A deep bench of executive talent.  Impressive metrics (12 million subs who have viewed the videos of 225 channel partners over 2 billion times).  And now a boatload of cash.

That's a winning combination in my book ...

MCN Feeding Frenzy Continues, As Food Network Invests In Tastemade

As expected, the MCN frenzy of the past few months shows no signs of abating (a frenzy which I have chronicled in great detail and previously highlighted Tastemade).  Now, Scripps Liberty Media -- the company behind the Food Network -- just announced that is leading a major $25 million round in leading food-focused and LA-based Tastemade.  Media giant Comcast’s venture arm also joins the party.  Obviously, these major media companies -- like the others jumping into the stew in the past few months -- are following the bread crumbs to where the action is.  That means mobile -- where the kids are -- where marketers increasingly are going -- and where we see the rise of short form premium video.