Sky Media Acquires Online Sales Agency
Sky Media, the advertising sales division of BSkyB, has expanded its internet advertising business with the acquisition of online sales agency, Aura Sports Ltd.
Sky Media says that Aura’s network of sports and entertainment websites Aura will now join Sky’s wholly-owned websites in an enhanced online advertising offering.
This is the first time that Sky Media’s third-party advertising sales model has moved to the internet advertising sector.
Following the acquisition, Aura Sports and Aura Play will be fully integrated into Sky Media and Paul Wright, MD of Aura Sports, will become Head of Business Development for Sky Media.
Aura Sports currently represents some 150 sports related websites, ranging from the official websites of over 90 UK professional football clubs, from Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle and Celtic to Rushden and Diamonds in the Conference League. Aura Sports also represents the official websites of the RFU, ECB as well as websites in sports such as horseracing, motor sport, golf, boxing and snooker.
Aura Sports was co-founded by Wright in September 2002 as a privately funded company, while Sky has been a minority shareholder in Aura Sports Ltd since February 2004.
Steven Nuttall, business development director of Sky, said: “Aura Sports has been an influential force in consolidating what was previously a very fragmented and difficult to reach marketplace, bringing a high degree of creativity and accountability to this space. The industry leading approach and expertise that Aura has developed will play an important part in the ongoing development of Sky Media’s successful online sales business.”
Paul Curtis, deputy managing director of Sky Media, said: “For Sky Media this agreement marks an important acquisition and the natural extension of our successful third-party sales business. Paul and his team have done a fantastic job in creating Aura Sports, and now the challenge is to use that experience to enhance Sky Media’s existing online sales business.”
Sky: 08702 40 40 40 www.sky.com