UK Social Media Start-up SharetheMatch Partners with Broadcasting Giant Televisa

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SharetheMatch today announces a deal with Latin America’s largest broadcaster, Televisa, that will see the football-based social network launch in Mexico.

“We have achieved the development of four of the most ten visited Facebook pages in México, and now we are turning on a Football Social Network partnering with SharetheMatch, from England.”

Reaching over 90 million football fans from Televisa’s existing audience, the global social network will be re-branded Vivafut for Mexico and will provide supporters with a dedicated platform to come together and discuss the beautiful game, wherever they are, via mobile, computer or smart TV.

SharetheMatch enables fans to upload predictions, comments, photos and videos to create live ‘fanstreams’, which can be shared with supporters all over the world. In addition, there are live match updates with news of goals, cards and substitutions as they happen. Users can also collect virtual badges and compete to become their team’s Number 1 Fan.

The latest version of SharetheMatch is free to download for iPhone and android devices and covers every major professional football league in the world and is translated into 12 languages. The breadth of coverage and the new deal with Televisa makes SharetheMatch the most global football social media app available.

Televisa is a $15billion company and the world’s largest Spanish-language broadcaster. Their coverage includes the exclusive rights to show more than 150 live games from Mexico’s Liga MX and Mexico National team. The deal brokered gives SharetheMatch a three-year exclusive partnership for the territory.

Commenting on the deal, Business Development Director Dominic Preston said: “Our dream has always been to build the largest social network for football in the world and this partnership with Televisa is a huge step towards realising that. Mexico is home to some of the most passionate soccer fans on the planet and we are excited to be channeling that passion with SharetheMatch/Vivafut.”

Announcing the deal, Televisa chairman Emilio Azcarraga said: “We have achieved the development of four of the most ten visited Facebook pages in México, and now we are turning on a Football Social Network partnering with SharetheMatch, from England."

SharetheMatch is a VC-backed company and secured funding from London–based private equity firm Talis Capital in June 2012. Talis Capital director and co-founder Matus Maar said: “We are delighted to have been able to raise the funding to support the development of SharetheMatch. The global potential of the app was immediately obvious to us and we are pleased that Televisa have seen that too.”