Global in the U.K. has made a strategic investment in The Overlap, the YouTube-first media company founded by sports commentator and former footballer Gary Neville.
Global’s footprint encompasses radio, outdoor, and podcasts, and the outfit recently unveiled Global Studios, offering production facilities, multiplatform distribution, and marketing support for content creators and advertisers. It has since acquired The Fellas Studios and introduced Sport by Global, a new branded entertainment offering dedicated to sport.
The Overlap, launched in 2021, has more than 38 million monthly YouTube views, targeting fans of football, rugby, and cricket with debates, exclusive interviews, and the hit series Stick to Football. The alliance will see the companies collaborating on multiple brands and channels across sports verticals, led by football. Neville will serve as co-chair alongside Global Group CEO Simon Pitts, with Scott Melvin as lead executive director.
“We see huge growth potential for The Overlap and have spent the last few months in a strategic investment process and are delighted to have found the perfect partner in Global to power us forward and create ‘The Overlap Network’ with the aim of becoming a world-leading football and sports media platform,” said the Manchester United veteran. “As part of the strategic investment process, Miroma Group has exited from The Overlap, and I’d like to thank them for their support to get us where we are today. We are now looking forward to working with Simon, Ashley and the whole Global team to bring our vision to life.”
Pitts noted: “The Overlap is one of the U.K.’s most successful and dynamic sports entertainment brands, with a hugely exciting growth plan. Gary and Scott have done an extraordinary job building The Overlap and we’re thrilled to welcome them and their fantastic team to Global as we embark on this next phase of growth together. We want Global Studios to be the home of the best audio and video brands on the planet, and The Overlap’s ambition, creativity, and unrivaled connection with fans is a perfect fit. The acquisition of a majority stake in The Overlap accelerates our growth strategy across video, podcasts, and branded entertainment, and strengthens Global’s position at the heart of the sports conversation following the recent launch of Sport by Global.”
Melvin added, “The growth of The Overlap has always come from listening to our audience and understanding what brought them here in the first place. Because people loved Stick To Football, we’ve expanded into formats like Stick To Rugby and Stick To Cricket. This partnership allows us to continue doing that by developing new formats, continuing to work with leading talent, and delivering world-class sports content for our community.”
