The Players’ Tribune, which launched in 2014, has secured $58 million in funding during its three and a half year tenure and now eyes a global expansion of its platform.
“While The Players’ Tribune has already become a trusted destination for many athletes, it’s clear that there is a real opportunity to double down on our traction on a global scale,” said co-founder Derek Jeter during the announcement.
Through a partnership with Spanish professional Soccer player, Gerard Piqué, The Players’ Tribune is expected to launch across Europe, Middle East, and Africa this spring providing content to European football fans as the 2018 World Cup nears.
Jeter continued, “Our athlete community is extremely important and has been the driving force behind everything we do, so I’m excited to welcome Gerard to the team and look forward to working with him on building an even larger community as part of the next evolution of [The Players’ Tribune].”
The Players’ Tribune will open offices in London and Barcelona. According to CEO Jeff Levick, the platform which mainly provides content written by professional athletes, will have an added emphasis on video.
In addition to Gerard Piqué, other athletes involved with the global launch include Ronaldinho, Dani Alves, Carmen Jordá, Thibaut Courtois, David Villa, Pau and Marc Gasol, Ivan Rakitić, Tomáš Berdych, Stipe Miocic and Thiago Alcântara.
“On behalf of athletes worldwide, I can undeniably say there has never been a bigger need for a platform like The Players’ Tribune,” says Piqué. “There are so many things that happen in our lives and careers, away from the media spotlight and beyond what is reported in the news.“
The Hollywood Reporter states the Player’s Tribune attracts 3 million visitors per month in the U.S. To compare, ESPN sees monthly traffic between 85 and 95 million users to its site.
Brandon Contes is a freelance writer for BSM. He can be found on Twitter @BrandonContes. To reach him by email click here.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
