Dream Sports, the parent company of leading Indian fantasy sports platform Dream11, has recently made a strategic investment totaling $50 million in Cricbuzz, a cricket content platform owned by Times Internet, and Willow TV, a North American broadcaster. This investment is part of an initiative to enhance the digital experience for cricket fans around the globe, focusing on deeper collaboration through content, technology, and commerce.
The deal includes Dream Sports acquiring minority stakes in both Cricbuzz and Willow TV. This collaboration is anticipated to capitalize on the unique strengths of the three entities. Dream Sports boasts a vast user base of over 250 million and expertise in sports technology. Cricbuzz holds its place as a premier digital hub, attracting over 185 million monthly active users for live scores, news, and analysis across more than 150 countries. Meanwhile, Willow TV has significant broadcasting power in North America, with exclusive rights to International Cricket Council (ICC) events through 2027 and the capability to stream more than 1,500 live matches annually. Recently, Willow TV has also expanded into the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
With this partnership, a variety of synergies are expected to emerge, focusing on the integration of content, community, and commercial opportunities to revolutionize digital sports consumption. Dream Sports, Cricbuzz, and Willow TV plan to collaborate on innovative features aimed at getting fans closer to the game. These initiatives will include enhanced real-time analytics, interactive streaming experiences, integrated commerce opportunities, and AI-driven predictions and personalized content across their platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Satyan Gajwani, Vice Chairman of Times Internet, underscored the importance of Cricbuzz and Willow TV in connecting millions of cricket fans daily. He expressed enthusiasm over the potential for new fan experiences through this collaboration.
Harsh Jain, Co-Founder and CEO of Dream Sports, reinforced the company’s mission to improve sports engagement for Indian fans. With a decade-long partnership between Cricbuzz and Dream11, Jain anticipates enhanced fan engagement, interactive streaming, and integrated commerce experiences that will deepen connections between fans and the sport.
This strategic investment aligns with Dream Sports’ long-term vision to cultivate a robust sports technology ecosystem. Beyond this latest collaboration, Dream Sports already encompasses various brands such as the sports content and commerce platform FanCode and the sports experience platform DreamSetGo. The recent $50 million investment will facilitate products and joint initiatives aimed at creating a more immersive digital atmosphere for cricket enthusiasts. Avendus Capital served as the financial advisor for Times Internet in this transaction.
Dream Sports’ investment reflects its ambitious expansion plans, which have included becoming part of the ownership group of English football club Salford City FC and returning its domicile to India. Overall, this partnership represents a significant step forward in enhancing the cricket viewing experience worldwide, fostering innovation, and setting a promising trajectory for digital sports engagement.