Malaga-based BeSoccer sold to Czech tech business Livesport

“I’ve handed over the game.” With this phrase, the founder of BeSoccer, Manu Heredia, summed up his satisfaction with the deal he has just closed: the sale of the company he founded back in 2008 to the Czech company Livesport, which will maintain “and promote” the brand and its headquarters in Malaga, where 100 employees currently work. Heredia leaves the management team, but will continue to advise the board of directors, led by current CEO Ana Chapado, to “facilitate the transition.”

Rumours of a sale have circulated around BeSoccer for months and now it is confirmed. Its buyer is a company that until now competed with it in the market for live sports information, updates and sports scores. “We were rivals, but at the same time we had complementary audiences: they are very strong in the English-speaking market and we are very strong in the Spanish and French-speaking markets. That has convinced them and it also suits them how powerful BeSoccer is in the business-to-business sector with BeSoccer Pro, which works for more than 50 clubs, including Real Madrid, Betis, Valencia…”, Heredia explained to SUR.

With this merger, Livesport’s 100 million monthly user base will increase by another 25 million, consolidating its leadership in live scores, statistics and live sports news, reinforcing its “commitment to deliver unparalleled real-time sports data to fans around the world.” As the signatories put it in their statement following the signing: “This expansion promises to provide enriched services that further engage and inform its audience. The addition of BeSoccer’s features will enable the company to offer much more comprehensive football coverage, enhancing the experience for fans looking to receive timely and accurate information.”

Martin Hájek, chairman of the board of Livesport, emphasised the importance of this deal and said: “The acquisition of BeSoccer will significantly strengthen our position in the Spanish and French speaking countries, where BeSoccer has a strong user base. Its product and territorial reach perfectly complement Flashscore, especially in football, our leading sport among the more than 30 sports we cover.” For the Czech company this is the largest acquisition in its history, reflecting “our aspiration to remain at the forefront of the industry,” says its president. “BeSoccer’s platform will help us increase our reach to fulfil our mission: to broadcast all sports information instantly.” The acquisition encompasses three businesses: BeSoccer, BeSoccer Pro and Football Results.

“I had a dream to change the football industry and have been incredibly happy throughout the journey. I am especially proud to see what BeSoccer has become and the incredible team that has helped us become the world’s most popular live football scores app,” said Manu Heredia. “Now it’s time for BeSoccer to take an exponential leap forward with the support of Livesport, a world leader in sports information that shares our passion. Together we will explore new horizons for BeSoccer to continue to grow, not only as the largest football app, but as the ultimate go-to for fans and professionals of this wonderful sport. This is just the beginning of what BeSoccer is destined to become and from my position as advisor to the board I will continue to support it and guide its path,” he said.

What are Livesport and Flashcore?

Livesport is a Czech technology company founded in 2006 that grew from a local provider of live scores to world leader status in instant sports information, primarily known under the flagship product with the brand name of Flashscore. With over 100 million monthly users and more than 150 million app downloads, Flashscore offers all essential sports information from 38 sports going out to sports enthusiasts in more than 50 countries.

The BeSoccer story

BeSoccer was founded in 2008 by Manu Heredia. At that time it was called Resultados-Fútbol and it was a collaborative website where sports results were gathered, which that young entrepreneur with a passion for football and computers conceived as a diversion from boredom while recovering at home from a knee injury. That fun has evolved into a football information streaming platform that covers thousands of leagues, competitions and teams from all over the world. It has also developed BeSoccer Pro, which offers scouting and analysis tools for clubs, agents and players around the world.

The company currently has 25 million monthly users and over 100 million app downloads. BeSoccer had more than 200 employees at its peak, between 2021 and 2022. At that time it moved to its current headquarters, an eye-catching 4,000 square-metre building on the Cádiz road. Subsequently, its workforce was reduced and currently numbers around 100 employees. Along the way, Heredia has received several offers to buy (for example, rejecting offers from Yahoo and DAZN), but he says he wanted to wait for the right moment and the right buyer. That time has come. What now? Heredia explained that, in addition to advising BeSoccer managers in this handover stage, he wants to take time to enjoy what he has achieved and calmly prepare new projects, “which there will be”, he promised.

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