• Loading stock data...
Monday, June 2, 2025

DAZN Wipes Debt, Looks to Betting, Gaming

  • DAZN is having its balance sheet wiped clean by Len Blavatnik’s investment firm.
  • The firm is also buying an additional $250 million stake.
DAZN
DAZN/Design: Alex Brooks

DAZN is wiping the slate clean with a $4.3 billion recapitalization from its billionaire owner.

Len Blavatnik’s investment firm Access Industries Holdings LLC, DAZN’s principal shareholder, has retired loans, converted shares, and taken on a greater stake in the sports streaming service to eliminate DAZN’s debts as of the end of 2021.

Blavatnik saw his wealth grow by $9.8 billion from the beginning of 2021 to $31.2 billion by mid-May.

DAZN recorded a loss above $1.3 billion for 2019. The company said its revenue has risen 20%, but it is still far from profitable.

Access is putting an additional $250 million into DAZN as it seeks to expand into new markets.

Specifically, the company is lining up moves into:

  • Sports betting
  • Gaming
  • NFTs

On Wednesday, DAZN struck a deal with Buzzer, which will provide short-form boxing highlights available via micropayments. 

Fight for Rights

DAZN built its audience through combat sports but has recently sought out some of the largest audiences in other sports, particularly soccer.

It holds Serie A broadcasting rights and turned down an offer from Sky of $1.8 billion over three years to split them. Those rights are credited with helping to drive its subscriber count from 9 million to 11 million.

In December, it scored a shared deal with Movistar to broadcast La Liga. The five-year pact is worth a combined $5.6 billion

However, DAZN suffered a significant setback when a deal to acquire BT Sport and its coveted English Premier League rights fell through. BT is now in negotiations with Discovery.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.

Featured Today

Around the Horn - October 26, 2020
May 23, 2025

‘Quirky, Nutty, Bombastic’: 10 ‘Around the Horn’ Faces on Their Top Moments

“A quirky, nutty, bombastic, mostly wrong, sometimes right, crazy sports family.”
AA Mint Cards
May 18, 2025

Young Collectors Are on a High-Stakes Chase for Ultra-Rare Trading Cards

“They just want that excitement of the chase,” says a 23-year-old collector.
Donnie Gobourne JDL
May 17, 2025

U.S. Professional Softball Players Are Flocking to Japan to Get Paid

The Diamond League offers paychecks and amenities that the U.S. can’t beat.
May 30, 2025

Panthers-Oilers Rematch Could Be Big in Canada. Will U.S. Ratings Dip?

Likely viewership declines in the U.S. are countered by robust Canadian audiences.
May 30, 2025

French Open Scheduling Sparks Backlash Over Women’s Time Slots

Coco Gauff has also said the French Open schedule could be improved.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
May 28, 2025

NBA East Finals Delivers Strong TV Ratings, but West Is Struggling

The Pacers and Thunder are both up 3–1 in their conference finals series.
Around the Horn
May 23, 2025

Behind the Scenes of Around the Horn’s Final Days

FOS followed Tony Reali at the penultimate taping of the ESPN icon.
May 22, 2025

NBC Eyes MLB Rights, Looks to Own Sunday Nights Year-Round

The league continues to shop media rights being forfeited by ESPN.
May 21, 2025

Paige Bueckers’s WNBA Debut Delivers 121% Ratings Bump on Ion

Friday’s doubleheader averaged 612,000 viewers.