Social Chain Group Acquires The Football Republic

05 Feb 2018 | tshego

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The Social Chain Group has acquired The Football Republic (TFR) from FremantleMedia.

The deal will see TFR’s brands such as The Full Time Devils become a part of Media Chain – The Social Chain Group’s social media publishing house.

According to The Social Chain Group, the acquisition will increase Media Chain’s sport network reach by more than 2.5 million, taking the company’s global sport network to over 17 million followers, adding to the SPORF network.

Launched in 2015 by Shotglass Media, the digital arm of FremantleMedia UK, TFR has built an engaged fan base by providing football content, and has seen growth across all platforms, with three million followers across Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

Each month, TFR generates up to 35 million cross-platform video views and has a monthly Facebook reach of 100 million. A network of wider fan channels, including Chelsea Fan Channel, Spurred On and Blue Moon Rising have also been acquired, with relaunch plans being made for later in the year.

Media Chain commercial director Matthew Breen said: “Thanks to their highly innovative work, TFR have grown from strength to strength in a short period of time to become one of the most respected names in the industry. Naturally, they’re a perfect fit for Media Chain, which already operates SPORF. We’re incredibly excited to welcome them into the family.”

Richard Johnson, head of sports at Media Chain added: “As brands, rights-holders and broadcasters open their eyes to the power of social focused publishing, TFR, Full Time Devils and the wider network of fan channels will provide access to authentic fan engagement and a true alternative to traditional sponsorship. The team at Media Chain look forward to making this happen and continuing to see the brands grow.”

Kat Hebden, managing director, Shotglass Media, said: “We launched The Football Republic because we saw a gap in the market for football entertainment content that served a young, digital savvy audience. We are incredibly proud of the brand and network we have built, in particular its incredible reach and influence and we believe Media Chain will provide a great home for these communities to continue to flourish.”