LatAm List – Based in Miami, Fanatiz is a sports-streaming platform that provides legal access to soccer and other sports through a personalized platform so users can follow their favorite teams from abroad. After registering 125% growth in paid subscribers since July 2019, Fanatiz announced a $10M Series A round led by 777 Partners, a private investment firm based in Miami.
“It is truly a milestone day for all of us at Fanatiz, and most importantly, our fans and viewers,” said Fanatiz’s Chilean founder and CEO, Matias Rivera. “The partnership with 777 Partners reflects our strong growth trajectory and solidifies our positioning as one of the main contenders in a competitive sports streaming marketplace. We are more excited than ever to start 2020 bolstered by this new support, enhancing our platform for loyal soccer fans everywhere.”
Fanatiz reports that it is now the most valuable sports-streaming platform, as well as the most affordable option for soccer fans, following a reduction in their subscriber pricing model in 2019. The platform registered record viewership during La Liga’s marquee soccer matchup between Barcelona and Real Madrid, El Clasico, in December, hinting at continued growth for the company in 2020.
Prior to this round, Fanatiz received investment from Magma Partners in 2018 while they were participating in 500 Startups’ Miami Scale program. Rivera also previously built two large charities in Chile, Jump Chile and Fundacion Reforestemos, before starting this platform. Fundacion Reforestemos was one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in Chile, receiving funds from over 60 countries to reforest a part of Torres del Paine that was lost to fire.
Within Fanatiz’ first year of business, the platform already had clients around the globe, including Pope Francis, who watched his team, San Lorenzo, from the Vatican using Fanatiz.
“We view our investment in Fanatiz as a fantastic opportunity for growth,” noted Juan Arciniegas, Principal at 777 Partners. “It gives our firm no greater satisfaction than to support organizations like Fanatiz that are working to become dominant players in fast-growing niche markets.”
Learn more about Fanatiz’ live sports-streaming services here or learn more about Matias Rivera on the Crossing Borders podcast.