Dream Sports, the parent company of fantasy sports platform Dream11, will invest $50 million (Rs 426 crore) in Cricbuzz, a leading live scorekeeping platform, and Willow TV, a cricket broadcasting company.
Both Cricbuzz and Willow TV are subsidiaries of Times Internet Ltd, which is itself owned by media conglomerate Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd.
Cricbuzz currently has over 185 million users and offers live commentary and real-time cricket scores. Willow TV streams over 1,500 live matches annually across the US and Canada, with recent expansion into the Middle East and Southeast Asia, a joint statement said. Together, the platforms provide scores, analysis, highlights, and live coverage to fans across more than 150 countries, it added.
The investment will enable Cricbuzz to provide real-time analysis and statistics, engagement and commerce integrations, and AI-driven predictions and personalization features. "Cricbuzz and Dream11 have worked together for over a decade, and with this investment, all cricket fans can expect much more fan engagement, interactive streams, and integrated commerce experiences that will bring them closer to the action and to each other,” Harsh Jain, co-founder and CEO of Dream Sports, said.
Avendus Capital served as the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction.
The deal follows a series of recent announcements by Dream Sports. Earlier this week, the company reportedly became a co-owner of English football club Salford City FC, as part of a nine-member consortium that includes football stars David Beckham and Gary Neville.
Additionally, Dream11 recently announced a gaming partnership with Microsoft during a summit in Mumbai earlier this month.
