Shake-ups/launches/intel/promotions
B AT H G E T S S ER I O US
Play Sports Group founder and CEO Simon Wear with new MD Wayne Brown; (below) the GCN team in action
GROWTH
JOBS BOOST FOR BATH Investment leads to expansion for a digital media company A Bath business is planning to create up to 150 jobs following a 20 per cent investment from a global media group. Digital media company Play Sports Group, in Monmouth Street, is behind sport and active lifestyles channels Global Cycling Network (GCN) and Global Mountain Bike Network (GMBN). It will be launching further channels in cycling and other sports, hiring up to 150 people for newly created digital and creative roles over the next two years. These will be predominantly based at its headquarters in Bath. GCN is already the largest and fastest-growing cycling channel in the world, with new MD Wayne Brown appointed to the group to further build its brands. Simon Wear, Play Sports Group founder and CEO,
says,“We have big plans for the Play Sports Group, so attracting someone like Wayne with a proven track record in establishing and growing digital businesses is a hugely important step towards us achieving our vision.” Wayne will work across the whole group, supporting the plan to rapidly scale the business. His appointment follows the recent investment in the business from Discovery Communications, who owns Eurosport, and which took a 20 per cent stake. Play Sports Network is the world’s leading creator of cycling digital video distributed on YouTube and on Facebook. It has reported an 84 per cent year-on-year growth in video views to over 40m in January 2017. For more: www.playsportsnetwork.com
QUOTE OF THE ISSUE
“THE DIGITAL SECTOR IN THE UK IS GROWING TWICE AS FAST AS ANY OTHER INDUSTRY; IT IS PROJECTED THERE WILL BE OVER ONE MILLION UNFILLED JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY BY 2020” Which Bath firm is helping bridge the skills gap? Turn to page 87 to find out.
£10,000 THE BIG NUMBER
That’s how much free rugby kit grassroots clubs can get See page 85 for more
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BATH LIFE I 83