The Acquisition Also Included SportsDirect Inc .

Covers.com, previously called SportsDirect, is an online publication that offers sports-related info and data analysis. It is based in Post Falls, Idaho, United States.


History


Covers.com was established in 1995 by Paul Lavers and Joe MacDonald as an online information platform for sports gamblers. [1] [2] [3] Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the platform acquired appeal amongst sports betting enthusiasts due to its extensive coverage of betting information. [1]

For the 1997 World Figure Skating Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, SportsDirect established the first site to offer real-time coverage of the event. [1] During the early 2000s, Covers.com became a significant affiliate and information resource for sportsbooks. [4] In 2005, it got Wagerline.com. [5]

In 2007, Covers was granted Halifax's business of the year award. [5]

In 2009, the creators divided their service interests: Lavers concentrated on a sis company (SportsDirect Inc.), while MacDonald became the sole owner of Covers.com. [6] Under MacDonald's instructions, Covers expanded its content and international audience. [6]

In 2015, Covers Media Group, which operated Covers.com, was acquired by Gracenote, a U.S.-based data company owned at the time by Tribune Media, as part of an expansion into sports stats services. [7] The acquisition likewise included SportsDirect Inc., with the combined deal valued at approximately $54 million. [7] Following the acquisition, Covers operated as part of Tribune Media's digital assets.Tribune sold Gracenote to Nielsen in 2017 but retained Covers.com as a direct consumer-focused home. [8]

In 2022, Covers and Postmedia Network consented to disperse betting analysis and chances content across Postmedia's national news outlets. [9] [10]

Platform


Covers.com is an online platform providing sports and tools to users. It publishes real-time material covering significant sports leagues and events and launched a mobile app in 2019. The platform also hosts community forums where users go over betting picks, and provides free-to-play contests. [11] It has an active neighborhood of 20 million users. [12]

References


^ a b c Brearton, Steve (April 12, 2006). "Media company ranked best employer". The Globe and Mail.
^ "High loonie blamed for cuts at sports information business". CBC.ca.
^ "Nova Scotia accepts sports-tip organization as sure thing". The Globe and Mail. April 12, 2006.
^ "iGaming History WRIGHT".
^ a b Won, Shirley (February 9, 2007). "Internet sports organization wins top Halifax award". The Globe and Mail.
^ a b Bousquet, Tim (January 2, 2018). "Here are the Nova Scotians named in the Paradise Papers". Halifax Examiner.
^ a b Fisher, Eric (May 27, 2015). "Gracenote Jumps Into Sports Data Market After Buying Infostrada, Sports Direct For $54M". Sports Business Journal.
^ Weitman, Gary (February 1, 2017). "Tribune Media Completes Sale of Gracenote for $560 Million".
^ "Postmedia and Covers Launch Content Partnership|Postmedia".
^ "Postmedia partner with Covers.com for state-of-the-art gaming coverage". Toronto Sun.
^ "Covers.com Celebrates Their $25,000 Streak Survivor Contest Winner".
^ "Covers.com profile".