DAZN Group

DAZN Group is a British sports-media and entertainment company whose best-known consumer service is DAZN, a subscription and advertising-supported streaming platform focused on live and on-demand sport. The group is headquartered in London and is controlled by Access Industries, the investment group founded by Sir Leonard Blavatnik. Its corporate history began in 2007, when Premium TV Limited and the Inform Group were combined to create Perform Group. Perform initially supplied sports rights, data, video and digital publishing services to broadcasters, platforms and sports organizations. Over time it assembled a portfolio that included the football website Goal, sports-data businesses such as RunningBall and Opta, and interests in sports publishing and distribution. The DAZN platform was introduced in 2015 and first launched in Austria, Germany, Japan and Switzerland in 2016. Its proposition was built around direct-to-consumer access to live sport without a traditional pay-television bundle. The service became associated with a large and increasingly international rights portfolio, including football, boxing, mixed martial arts, motorsport, basketball, tennis and other sports. The acquisition of a long-term Japanese J.League package was an especially important early rights decision, giving DAZN a substantial domestic platform in Japan and demonstrating its willingness to commit significant capital to premium rights. DAZN expanded into Canada in 2017 and the United States and Italy in 2018, followed by Spain and Brazil in 2019. In the United States, its launch was strongly identified with boxing, including a major relationship with Matchroom Boxing and a high-value agreement with Canelo Álvarez. In Europe, DAZN acquired or sublicensed major football properties, including Serie A, LaLiga, Bundesliga-related rights and UEFA club competitions in selected markets. Rights vary by territory and by contract period, so the service is not a uniform global catalogue. In 2018, Perform Group reorganized. Its sports-data operations became a separate business that later formed Stats Perform after investment by Vista Equity Partners, while the consumer-facing streaming and media activities were retained under DAZN Group. The restructuring reflected the strategic shift from business-to-business sports information toward a global consumer sports platform. DAZN also developed DAZN Media for advertising and sponsorship, DAZN Player for syndicated video, DAZN X as an innovation hub, and Mercury as a proprietary video player. The COVID-19 pandemic created severe pressure because sporting competitions were suspended while rights obligations, production costs and subscriber expectations continued to affect the business. DAZN sought additional investment and reassessed content commitments. In 2021, Shay Segev became chief executive after previously leading Entain, while Kevin A. Mayer became chairman. The group continued to invest in women’s sport, boxing and football rights and expanded the platform beyond conventional streaming. From 2022 onward, DAZN pursued a broader sports-entertainment model involving betting, gaming, ticketing, merchandise, non-fungible tokens and other commerce. DAZN Bet launched in the United Kingdom with technology and product-development support from Pragmatic Group. DAZN Moments, an NFT-related initiative, was later discontinued, illustrating the experimental nature of some diversification projects. The group remains principally positioned as a digital sports broadcaster, with its strategic challenge being to balance expensive rights, subscriber growth, advertising, regional pricing and newer commercial services.

DAZN Group developed from Perform Group, formed in 2007 through the combination of Premium TV Limited and the Inform Group. The resulting company operated across sports rights, digital publishing, video, data and distribution. It acquired Goal.com in 2011 and added RunningBall and Opta to strengthen its sports-information capabilities. A 2013 combination of its United States activities with The Sporting News created Sporting News Media, in which Perform held a majority stake. Access Industries became increasingly influential and raised its stake to 77 percent, resulting in Perform's 2014 delisting. Perform subsequently pursued major media partnerships, including arrangements involving the Women's Tennis Association and FIBA. The decisive strategic move came in 2016, when the company obtained a ten-year worldwide Japanese J.League package. DAZN was launched as the consumer brand for that service and entered Austria, Germany, Japan and Switzerland, presenting an alternative to conventional pay television. The platform expanded rapidly. Canada followed in 2017 with NFL and other rights, while the United States and Italy launched in 2018. In the United States, boxing partnerships with Matchroom and the Canelo Álvarez agreement gave the service a distinctive premium proposition. Italy was built around Serie A and other sports, and DAZN subsequently entered Spain and Brazil. Canadian growth included Champions League, Europa League, Premier League, basketball and other rights. In 2018, Perform separated its data operation from the DAZN-centered consumer businesses; the data unit later became part of Stats Perform. DAZN's European expansion continued through football rights and distribution arrangements with Eurosport. It also invested in original programming and partnerships, including a content agreement with Major League Baseball and programming associated with Pat McAfee, although some arrangements were later ended or reduced. In 2020, the pandemic halted much live sport. DAZN stated that it would not pay for undelivered content under affected rights arrangements and sought new funding while managing the impact on subscriptions and production. The company also sold or reduced several publishing assets, including interests associated with Goal and Sporting News. Leadership changed in 2021, when Shay Segev became CEO and Kevin A. Mayer became chairman. DAZN continued to acquire and renew rights, including Japanese women's football and UEFA Women's Champions League rights, and introduced its Mercury player and DAZN X innovation unit. In 2022, the company broadened its commercial model through DAZN Bet, ticketing, merchandise, gaming and digital collectibles. DAZN Moments was later wound down, with the company announcing an end to transactions and eventual customer access. Despite these experiments, the group's core identity remains a global digital sports broadcaster whose performance depends on rights economics, regional subscriber scale, advertising and the reliability of its streaming technology.

• 2022

  DAZN Bet launched

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  The group entered regulated sports betting in the United Kingdom.

• 2021

  New senior leadership

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Shay Segev became CEO and Kevin A. Mayer became chairman.

• 2018

  United States launch and corporate reorganization

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  DAZN entered the United States and Perform separated data activities from the DAZN-centered consumer group.

• 2016

  Initial DAZN launches

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  DAZN launched in Austria, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.

• 2015

  DAZN platform established

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  The direct-to-consumer DAZN platform was created within Perform's broader sports-media business.

• 2014

  Perform delisted

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Access Industries increased its stake and Perform Group left the London Stock Exchange.

• 2011

  Goal.com acquired

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Perform expanded its consumer sports-media portfolio through the acquisition of Goal.com.

• 2007

  Perform Group formed

  [1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Premium TV Limited and the Inform Group merged to create the predecessor of DAZN Group.

A global, digital-first sports entertainment platform intended to provide direct-to-consumer access to premium live and on-demand sport, increasingly combined with advertising, betting, commerce and interactive services.

• Sports streaming platform · 2015

  DAZN

  The group's principal consumer service, providing live and on-demand sports programming through internet-connected devices. Rights and pricing differ by country, with football, boxing, combat sports, motorsport, basketball and other properties distributed under regional agreements.

• Advertising and sponsorship · 2019

  DAZN Media

  A commercial media operation selling advertising, sponsorship and partner activation around DAZN's global sports audience. It also supports data-informed communications and syndicated video distribution.

• Sports betting · 2022

  DAZN Bet

  A sports-betting service launched in the United Kingdom as part of DAZN's strategy to combine sports media with interactive wagering. Its development involved a strategic relationship with Pragmatic Group.

• Digital collectibles · 2022

  DAZN Moments

  A digital-collectibles and NFT initiative connected to sports moments. The service was subsequently discontinued, with purchases and sales ending in 2023 and customer holdings affected by a later termination timetable.

• Video technology · 2021

  Mercury

  DAZN's proprietary video player, introduced to support delivery of live and on-demand programming across its streaming service.

• 2021UEFA Women's Champions League global distribution

  Europe and selected international markets

  DAZN combined a four-year rights agreement with a YouTube simulcast for selected matches, increasing free visibility for the women's club competition while promoting the paid service.

  Outcome. Expanded DAZN's women's-sport profile and audience reach.

  Source
• 2018DAZN United States launch boxing campaign

  United States

  DAZN used boxing, Matchroom programming and Michael Buffer-led promotional messaging to explain its subscription model as an alternative to individual pay-per-view purchases.

  Outcome. Established boxing as a central acquisition and positioning vehicle for the US launch.

  Source

• 2022

  Entry into sports bettingProduct launch

  Background

  DAZN sought to increase engagement and diversify beyond subscription streaming.

  Action taken

  It launched DAZN Bet in the UK and partnered with Pragmatic Group on product development.

  Aftermath

  Betting became part of DAZN's broader sports-entertainment and commerce strategy.

  Source

• 2018

  Separation of sports-data operationsStrategy

  Background

  The group was increasingly focused on funding and scaling the DAZN consumer streaming platform.

  Action taken

  Perform separated its sports-data activities from the consumer properties retained under DAZN Group.

  Aftermath

  The data business later became part of Stats Perform, while DAZN concentrated on streaming and media.

  Source

• 2016

  Commitment to J.League rightsStrategy

  Background

  Perform sought a major premium domestic rights position for the new DAZN service in Japan.

  Action taken

  It agreed a ten-year J.League media-rights contract and moved coverage of all three divisions to DAZN from 2017.

  Aftermath

  The agreement became a foundation of DAZN's Japanese business and was later extended to 2033.

  Reported contract value. ¥210 billion (Ten-year agreement announced in 2016)

  Source

• 2022

  DAZN launched betting and broader sports-commerce initiatives[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The group expanded into betting, gaming, tickets, merchandise and digital collectibles alongside streaming.

• 2021

  Shay Segev appointed chief executive[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The former Entain chief executive became DAZN's CEO after a transition period alongside James Rushton.

• 2021

  Kevin A. Mayer became chairman[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  The former Walt Disney Direct-to-Consumer and International executive replaced John Skipper as chairman.

• 2020

  COVID-19 disruption affected sports rights and programming[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Suspended competitions created material operational and financial pressure; DAZN sought investment and cancelled MLB-related programming before the 2020 season.

• 2018

  DAZN signed Matchroom Boxing partnership[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  A major boxing relationship supported the American launch and became a central part of DAZN's positioning in the United States.

• 2018

  DAZN agreed major Canelo Álvarez boxing contract[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  DAZN announced a five-year, eleven-fight agreement with Canelo Álvarez, reported at a minimum value of $365 million.

• 2018

  Perform Group reorganized around DAZN consumer operations[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The sports-data business was separated from the consumer media and streaming activities retained under DAZN Group.

• 2017

  DAZN expanded to Canada and the United States[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The service added Canada and subsequently launched in the United States with a strong boxing proposition.

• 2016

  DAZN platform launched in four initial markets[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  The new streaming service began operations in Austria, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.

• 2016

  DAZN secured long-term J.League media rights[1]DAZNen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  Perform Group agreed a major ten-year Japanese football rights contract, with coverage moving to DAZN from 2017.

Showing the 10 most recent.

1. 1DAZNen.wikipedia.org
2. 2DAZN Group official websitedazngroup.com