TORONTO - Rogers Media Inc., a major magazine publisher and broadcaster owned by Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX:RCI.B), says it has acquired PoolExpert Inc., one of Canada's biggest online fantasy sports information and technology providers.
The pricetag for the acquisition, announced Tuesday, was not disclosed.
Fantasy sports are growing in popularity across North America as sports fans build baseball, football, basketball, hockey or Formula One racing teams that compete against each other in online leagues based on the statistics generated by individual players or teams in Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, NHL or Formula One.
The PoolExpert deal allows Rogers to combine the acquired company's products and services with those available at major sports properties owned by Rogers such as the Rogers Sportsnet broadcaster and Toronto sports radio station The Fan 590.
"This is a growing business with excellent prospects for success," Tony Viner, president and CEO of Rogers Media, said in a release.
"As the owner and operator of some of the country's leading sports and entertainment websites, we're excited about bringing a unique experience to our digital audiences."
Patrice Boissonneault, the founder of eight-year-old PoolExpert, said the deal expands the scope of Canada's largest bilingual provider of online fantasy sports pool management software, draft kits and real-time statistics. The company has hundreds of thousands of registered members.
"Canadians will soon have access to the latest and most innovative commission-style fantasy sports pools when they visit sites such as Sportsnet.ca and fan590.com," said Boissonneault, who will oversee the fantasy sports technology at Rogers as lead programmer of Rogers Digital Media.
Rogers Media has several operating units, including Rogers Broadcasting, with 52 AM and FM radio stations, five Citytv stations and OMNI multicultural stations as well as Rogers Sportsnet and other properties.
Rogers Publishing, meanwhile, produces many well-known consumer magazines such as Maclean's, Chatelaine, Flare, L'actualite and Canadian Business, and is the leading publisher of ndustry, medical and financial publications.
Rogers Media also owns The Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club and Rogers Centre, the former Skydome sports stadium.
