ACE Media, the content development and production subsidiary of the NFL Players Association, Thursday announced a strategic investment by Allied Global Marketing, the entertainment, sports and lifestyle marketing agency.
This partnership will arm ACE Media with additional capital, production capabilities, and sales and marketing resources to accelerate the company’s growth and expand the scope of content opportunities for athletes, distribution networks and brand partners.
Allied Sports, the sports division of Allied Global Marketing, which connects advertisers and publishers with consumers through unique sports-related branded content, will serve as the exclusive sales and partner development agency for ACE Media. Through a previously announced partnership between ACE Media and Allied Sports, Allied Global Marketing and its parent company, Belmont Capital, saw firsthand the unmatched potential of what ACE Media could do, and quickly decided to double down with a significant investment in its future.
“A rising new media powerhouse, ACE Media is changing the sports-lifestyle content business by building it around the athletes,” said Clint Kendall, CEO of Allied Global Marketing. “More than ever, athletes are taking greater control of their brands, all while fan affinity – fueled by connectivity, social media and athlete-centric industries such as fantasy sports and video gaming – has shifted toward players and away from teams and leagues that have historically been the center of fan focus.”
Sean Barror, managing director of Allied Sports, added, “Brands have correspondingly begun to transfer their spending from traditional programs and platforms toward player-first opportunities that are more authentic, personal and valuable to consumers. With unrivaled access to players and proprietary events, and the ability to identify and develop untold stories, unknown passions and unexplored interests within the athlete community, ACE Media is leading this evolution and stands ready to mine untapped athlete-driven sports-lifestyle content opportunities for all media platforms.”
ACE Media’s services and capabilities span all phases of the content creation process, including creative development, athlete procurement, a full suite of production services and distribution. Since its founding by the NFLPA in late 2015, ACE Media’s revenue has grown more than 500 percent.
