The tech-focused global sports media network has signed a partnership with the UK and Ireland’s sports and entertainment publication JOE to include technology integrations, content support and branded sponsorship opportunities.
Founded in 2010 by Niall McGarry and owned by Greencastle Media Group, JOE has a global following of 28 million and over two million unique monthly visitors. Commenting on the collaboration, FairPlay Sports CEO Stuart Simms highlighted JOE’s growth into “a household name for sports news and engaging content in the last decade” both in its core Irish market and worldwide.
Simms added that the media brand is “an ideal fit” for FairPlay's BetTech and betting consultancy services, which “together will enhance editorial content, deliver new revenue streams and ultimately create a better fan experience”. Under the agreement, JOE’s audience will now experience more dynamic betting-related content on-site, complementing the brand’s premium editorial output with seamless, higher-converting bet placement journeys with bookmaker partners.
FairPlay’s betting network and expertise will also leverage JOE’s brand equity and original editorial output for additional monetisation opportunities. These will initially include widget integrations within sporting content, deep-linked to partner website betslips and showcasing best value prices to users. Social media and video branding opportunities will follow, combining consideration and performance strategies for betting partners. In 2024, JOE’s content gathered 1.7 billion minutes of watch time, which will now be underpinned by the affiliate’s operator network.
“As a network, we’ve proven that we can offer huge value to partners by integrating complementary tools, adding sharper betting insight which levels the playing field for users and facilitating the link between sportsbooks and prominent media brands, like JOE, in order to fulfil their engagement and monetisation potential,” Simms said.
Paul O’Donohoe, managing partner at JOE Media Group, added that his team is “excited to partner with FairPlay Sports Media’s BetTech offering” and expects “a big step into the transactional space” with the affiliate’s tech integration and extensive operator network.
“The data we now have access to as part of this agreement will also help us to provide dynamic informative content around the sports conversation to help give our audience a richer fan experience and help them level the playing field,” O’Donohoe said.
Recently, FairPlay Sports Media also integrated its betting technology services into Territorio Apuestas, the betting affiliate website of Spanish sports newspaper Marca.