Czech sports app acquires Spanish rival to boost dominance on world market

In a major move to strengthen its position in the sports information market, the recognizable Czech-based Livesport firm—the world’s largest provider of sports information—has acquired 100 percent of Spanish soccer results app BeSoccer. This adds 25 million monthly users to its portfolio, expanding its total user base to around 130 million.

The acquisition, announced on Wednesday, will see Livesport's Flashscore network and app, which currently covers dozens of sports and has over 100 million monthly users, complemented by BeSoccer's specialized focus on soccer. With the addition of BeSoccer, Livesport will now have two services providing real-time sports information.

"BeSoccer will not only expand our presence in Spanish and French-speaking countries but also bring unique news content, offering many opportunities for synergies between it and our flagship Flashscore,” Livesport majority owner Martin Hájek said. 

Livesport is a Czech technology company founded in 2006. With 150 million app downloads, Flashscore delivers sports information from 38 sports to people in over 50 countries.

By downloads and users alone, Flashscore is the most successful Czech-made app in history. It is also one of the most-downloaded free apps on both the App Store and Google Play stores. Its parent company has over 1,000 employees globally and partners with sports organizations and teams, particularly in Europe, to enhance its brand visibility.

BeSoccer will continue to operate as a separate entity, with its existing team and infrastructure remaining intact. The acquisition also includes BeSoccer's Resultados de Fútbol and BeSoccer Pro, a business-to-business segment that offers analytical tools to football clubs and agents. BeSoccer covers more than 10,000 competitions and has information from results dating back to 1990. The app claims that it is the world's largest soccer database.

Last year, BeSoccer's monthly revenue was USD 17.1 million (about CZK 400 million).

Livesport Digital underwrote and executed the transaction, which is seen as a strategic move by Livesport to expand its presence in the global sports information market, following a year in which the company increased its net profit by 113 percent, to CZK 2.2 billion. The move increases the Czech firm’s profile as being a leading name in the sports-app market.