DAZN makes UK & Netherlands redundancies

DAZN is reportedly making 102 redundancies across its UK and Netherlands operations. 

According to Sport Business, DAZN is downsizing Team Whistle, which it acquired along with Eleven Sports last year, with the business unit to now focus on boxing, football, and NFL. There is also consolidation of roles in the commercial and finance departments, a streamlining of the media advertising management team, and redundancies in the global content production and editorial team as the company reduces non-live content.

Meanwhile, its technology team in Amsterdam has been downsized as DAZN looks to expand its equivalents in Hyderabad, India and Katowice, Poland. Overall, the company claims to continue growing its overall headcount due to these expanding locations.

Staff affected by this decision enter a 45-day consultancy period in which they can apply for relevant internal vacancies, and so some could still stay at the business.

DAZN has recently turned its attention to the UK market, although chief financial officer Darren Waterman told Broadcast Sport earlier this year that the market isn’t existential for the broadcaster. It launched a linear channel earlier this year, became the home of NFL Game Pass, and CEO Shay Segev has talked up the Premier League as a future rights option. 

DAZN has also looked to diversify, launching ticketing and merchandise sales, as well as betting, to its app.

DAZN told Sport Business in a statement: “DAZN is making rapid and tremendous progress in its market-led growth strategy and delivering new sports entertainment verticals such as integrated gaming, merchandise, ticketing, stats, communities and social channels.

“As the focus shifts to these areas, so does DAZN’s investment priorities. This means building teams with the right expertise and in the appropriate locations to maintain the Group’s successful trajectory.”

As part of the changes, there are also senior management shifts, including head of DACH Alice Maschia taking on central responsibilities to oversee strategic partnerships, commercial distribution, new revenues, advertising, acquisition and brand. In addition, chief marketing officer Pete Oliver has become chief executive of growth markets as well as responsibility for boxing, NFL and Team Whistle; CTO Sandeep Tiku takes on wider operations and customer retention responsibility after joining last year; and Marc Lange, who worked with Tiku and Segev at Entain, joins DAZN as chief of staff.