XLMedia has expanded its footprint in Ohio after entering into a partnership with Advance Local, the sports betting information provider for Cleveland.com, a website which over the last few years has become the top written news source in the Buckeye State, attracting 9.9 million unique users a month.
The deal couldn’t have come at a better time for XLMedia: Ohio is a sports-mad state, with a range of professional options, and it is due to legalize betting by the fourth quarter of this year.
Cleveland.com is due to benefit as well, for, as the star of sports betting rises in the state, so people will be drawn to the website’s exclusive content.
Per the terms of the agreement, XLMedia will create content covering the intersection of sports betting and the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, UFC, NCAA and others. Commercial deals with sportsbook operators will also be managed under the new deal.
While Cleveland.com is XLMedia’s largest media partner to date, this move in no way signifies its first rodeo. The company has established relationships with publishers across the US and Canada.
Speaking on the deal, XLMedia Director of Media Partnerships Cody Darwick commented: “We are thrilled to partner with Advance Local’s Cleveland.com platform, as this deal represents a major step in our strategic efforts to strike media partnerships with premium North American publishers looking to capitalize on the fast-growing online sports betting industry.
“The timing couldn’t be more perfect ahead of Ohio’s anticipated statewide sports betting launch later this year.”
Said Advance Local’s Vice President of Sports Betting and iGaming on the matter: “We are looking for the right partner to bolster Cleveland.com’s award-winning sports betting coverage and found exactly that in XLMedia – a talented team of writers that will bring informative content to our audience along with a proven ability to create new revenue streams.”
