XLMedia and Advance Local Sign Sports Content Partnership Deal

In exclusive agreement, XLMedia to create sports betting content and drive revenue for Advance Local's cleveland.com

LONDON, May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- XLMedia (AIM: XLM), a leading global digital performance publisher, has entered into a media partnership with Advance Local to be the exclusive provider of sports betting content for cleveland.com, the premier Ohio news and information website attracting an average of 9.9 million unique users every month.

Cleveland.com represents XLMedia's largest media partner to date, offering key U.S. and regional coverage by capitalizing on the brand's massive Ohio-based audience — a state slated to legalize mobile betting in Q4 2022. The deal provides cleveland.com advanced abilities to capture new revenue streams and is another proof point showcasing XLMedia's superior capabilities to monetize highly engaged audiences via partnerships.

"We are thrilled to partner with Advance Local's cleveland.com platform," said Cody Darwick, director of media partnerships, XLMedia. "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."

XLMedia has an industry-leading media partnership business offering significant scale, high quality commercial content and access to high-value advertiser relationships for leading publishers across the U.S. and Canada.

"XLMedia's expertise is an ideal fit for our business as Ohio prepares to embrace the new legalized online sports betting frontier," said Howard Kamen, vice president of sports betting and iGaming at Advance Local. "We were 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."

XLMedia will focus on creating highly engaging content related to sports betting across leagues like NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, UFC, NCAA sports and more. The team will also manage commercial deals with regulated sportsbook operators, and execute proven monetization strategies built upon years of industry expertise.

About XLMedia:

XLMedia (AIM:XLM) is a global digital performance publisher. Operating across sports, personal finance, and gaming, the Group utilizes data science to reach the right audiences with the right content at the right time — driving action and building valuable relationships between audiences and partners.

About Advance Local:

Advance Local, one of the largest media groups in the United States, operates the leading news and information companies in multiple states, reaching more than 55 million people monthly with its quality journalism and community engagement.

Never resting on our laurels, our company is built upon the values of Integrity, Customer-First, Inclusiveness, Collaboration, and Forward-Looking. Always innovating and evolving, our mission is to strengthen and empower the communities we serve.

Advance Local Media Groups include MLive Media Group, Advance Ohio, Alabama Media Group, NJ Advance Media, Advance Media NY, MassLive Media, Oregonian Media Group, Staten Island Media Group, PA Media Group; Headline Group, Advance 360, a marketing agency specialized in the education, healthcare, and travel industries; and ZeroSum, a leader in software, marketing, and data science focused solely on the auto industry. Visit Advance Local at www.advancelocal.com.

SOURCE XLMedia PLC