LinkedIn
YouTube
The sports marketing business Eleven Sports Media has secured a multi-million-pound investment from BGF. Eleven’s proposition is powered by its transformative proprietary technology which turns data into content, to enhance the in-stadium experience for fans and create digital advertising for sponsors.
Headquartered in the North West of England, Eleven has established itself as a global leader in the creation and execution of community-driven partnerships, across the highest level of professional sport, including the:
- Premier League
- NFL: National Football League (USA)
- EFL: English Football League
- MLS: Major League Soccer (USA)
- NBA: National Basketball Association (North America)
- NHL: National Hockey League (North America)
Founded in 2009, by CEO Matt Cairns, Eleven constructs high-value, local partner programmes for rights holders at the world’s most iconic sporting venues, from Yankee Stadium to London Stadium. It provides local businesses with a growth platform through fan, club, and community engagement.
BGF’s investment will supercharge Eleven’s international growth and increase its foothold in the US market. The business will continue to grow its Manchester team, and make strategic hires in the US to support the opening of an office in Charlotte, USA in 2025.
Already accounting for more than half of the business’ overall sales, Eleven entered the US with the win of New York City Football Club in 2021, and the business has since added the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets in 2023. More recently, Eleven has attracted partners in the NBA and NHL, with the wins of Milwaukee Bucks and New Jersey Devils this year.
Commenting on the deal, Matt Cairns, Founder and CEO of Eleven, said: “We were looking for an investment partner that will add significant value to our business while allowing us to remain in control of the day-to-day direction. It was also important to us to find a culture fit and a team that we get along with – BGF ticked all of those boxes.”
“We’ve been impressed throughout the deal process and we’re really excited about the future potential, driven by our combined experience and networks. Our success to date is testament to the quality of team we’ve built and high-performance culture we’ve nurtured, and I’d like to thank everyone who has played a role in reaching today’s milestone.”
The deal was led by Rhys Davenport and Josh Bean, investors in BGF’s North West team. Josh Bean will join the Eleven board.
Rhys Davenport, BGF Investor, added: “We’re excited to be backing such an impressive business, which has established itself as a market leader in the UK, and gained rapid traction and opportunities in the US. We have a strong track record of working with business owners to help them scale internationally, so can add value through our experience and network. Building on the success in the US, we look forward to achieving this with Eleven and exploring more growth opportunities.”
