- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 906,944
- Reaction score
- 55
You must be registered for see images attach
Leo MacLehose (right), along with The Rail Media’s Andrew Jaffee (center) and Fanzo co-founder, Dom Collingwood (left)
LOS ANGELES -- FANZO, the global sports bar finder and fan engagement platform, has expanded into the United States through the acquisition of The Sports TV Guide, a long-established communications channel for American sports bars and restaurants.
The London-based company announced the deal on Thursday, giving FANZO direct access to The Sports TV Guide’s nationwide network of bar and restaurant operators. The acquisition accelerates FANZO’s push to reshape how fans discover venues and engage with live sports outside the home, while providing the platform with a built-in customer base and brand credibility developed over two decades.
FANZO has raised $8.2 million since its launch and attracted over 6 million users in 2025. More than 40,000 venues worldwide currently use the platform, which offers location-based sports discovery, fan engagement tools, and audience analytics.
For years, The Sports TV Guide has served as a primary channel to thousands of U.S. venue decision-makers, including national hospitality chains such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Applebee’s, Twin Peaks, and TGI Fridays. FANZO will begin migrating those operators to its international platform, blending local relationships with its global technology infrastructure.
“With this acquisition, we now have both the infrastructure and vision to bring a new era of fan engagement to the American sports bars market,” said FANZO co-founder Leo MacLehose. “Our goal is to unlock previously untapped value through measurable, authentic connections between fans, venues, brands, and rights holders.”
Andrew Jaffe, founder of The Sports TV Guide, said the move marks a natural progression for the business.
“Joining forces with FANZO marks a powerful next chapter,” Jaffe said. “We’ve spent more than two decades building trusted relationships with venues across the U.S., and FANZO brings the technology and global vision to elevate that work.”
The United States represents a significant opportunity for the company. An estimated 153 million American fans watch sports in bars, restaurants, and pubs, yet no centralized platform links those fans with venues and brand partners at scale. FANZO already operates in the U.K., France, Ireland, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand, and works with sports and media partners including UEFA, World Rugby, Canal+, TNT, Diageo, Anheuser-Busch, and Joe Hand Promotions.
Lucien Boyer, founding partner at Inspiring Sport Capital, said the timing positions FANZO to take advantage of major events ahead.
“This is the perfect time for FANZO to enter the U.S. market, with the FIFA World Cup this summer and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028,” Boyer said. “We are excited to welcome The Sports TV Guide team and support FANZO’s growth.”
The acquisition gives FANZO an immediate U.S. launchpad as it aims to define a new digital ecosystem for sports fans and venues across North America.
Continue reading...
