Catena Media signs content partnership with Lee Enterprises
Catena Media will partner all of Lee’s brands, serving 77 markets in 26 US states.
US.- Catena Media has announced a three-year partnership to provide online sports betting and casino content to the US newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises. Catena Media will become the exclusive partner for online sports betting and casino gaming content for all of Lee’s brands, serving 77 markets in 26 US states.
The deal will see Catena Media publish editorial and betting content at frontpagebets.com, Lee’s flagship betting product. The posts will also be supported through Lee’s social media channels.
Lee’s local news content will create growth opportunities for Catena Media in existing states through brands including Buffalonews.com and Tucson.com, part of the Arizona Daily Star. It also provides a springboard in other states ahead of potential market launches, including STLtoday.com in Missouri, and other brands in Texas, Minnesota, Alabama, and North Carolina.
Ryan Harper, vice president for North America, said: “Lee Enterprises is one of the largest publishers in the US and we are excited to work with them to bring high-quality editorial and advertorial betting content to their readers nationwide. The partnership with Lee allows us to continue to grow and bring our content to a broader audience. Our mission is to make sports betting and casino gaming more accessible and engaging for players, and this new collaboration aligns perfectly with that ambition.”
Joe Battistoni, vice president of sales and marketing at Lee Enterprises, added: “This partnership with Catena Media enables us to expand our offerings in this space. We look forward to working with Catena Media to provide readers with insightful and informative content on online sports betting and casino gaming.”
In December, Catena Media launched online sports betting affiliation in Maryland as the US state opens regulated online sports betting. Affiliation operations are being conducted through Catena Media’s network of national brands such as LegalSportsReport.com, GamingToday.com, TheLines.com and Lineups.com. The group is also operating via regional websites such as PlayMaryland.com.
In 2022, Catena Media reached a €45m deal to sell its AskGamblers brand to Gaming Innovation Group (GiG). It will receive an initial €20m to be followed by €10m a year after closing the sale and €15m after 24 months. It’s expected that the sale will complete in the first quarter of 2023.
