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90min is a technology-enabled football news platform, which produces Internet content covering various football leagues. The content offered by the platform is user-generated following the principles of citizen journalism. The first London based company website was launched in 2011 as FTBpro.com by Israeli entrepreneurs Yuval Larom, Asaf Peled, and Gilad Beiman, a group which operates today as Minute Media.

Key Information

History

[edit]

90min was founded in late 2011, as FTBpro, by Yuval Langdon, Asaf Peled, Gilad Beiman.[1][2] Prior to 90min, Peled worked for Cisco Systems for four years,[3] while Beiman was among the founders of the Israeli Web portal Tapuz.[1] The initial idea for the website came as the founders, all of them football fans, noticed that there was little investment in football-related start-ups.[4] Shortly after its establishment the company raised $300,000 by angel investors including Shahar Erez and Boaz Dinte.[1] In a second funding round in 2012 the company managed to raise $5.8 million from Battery Ventures and Gemini Israel Ventures, stating that the funding would be used for the geographic expansion of the company.[5][6]

Another $18 million were raised in 2014 by former investors Battery Ventures and Gemini Israel Ventures, as well as new investors including UK-based Dawn Capital.[7][8][9] The funding was to be used for expansion to new markets, for the opening of new offices in Southeast Asia, and for the enrichment of the site's video and mobile content.[7] Approaching the end of 2014 the website was renamed from FTBpro to 90min.[4] The last funding round ended in October 2015, and it raised a total of $15 million.[2][10] The round was led by German media company ProSiebenSat.1 Media, an investment that aimed toward the establishment of a joint venture targeting the German football market, also receiving funds from previous investors.[10] As of 2016, 90min was a subsidiary of Minute Media, along with other brands such as FanSided, 12Up, and Mental Floss.[11] Minute Media, a technology and content company,[12] entered into a joint venture with India's HT Media, in July 2016. The partnership launched 90min in India, for football fans in South Asia.[13] In October 2017, 90min struck a deal with Sports Illustrated to provide video content for the latter's Planet Fútbol platform.[14] The Spanish-language version of the platform, Planeta Fútbol, was also included in the agreement. 90min also partnered with the platform SportsHero to provide football-related content.[15]

Services

[edit]

90min has developed and provides an online platform that shares football related content for desktop and mobile devices,[16] using video, text, listicles, slideshows, social round-ups and interactive polls as elements to create its articles.[2][4] There is content creation on the platform in 11 different languages, namely English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Turkish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Thai, and Indonesian.[17] The platform also allows football clubs to publish content from 90min on their websites.[18]

Content is created by a professional team of editors and journalists throughout Europe, the United States, Asia, and Latin America. 90min editorial staff members are located in offices in London, Tel Aviv, New York City, Manila, and São Paulo. As of 2016, 90min accumulates an average of over 50 million monthly visitors to its website[13] and generates revenue via online advertising, with its clientele including the likes of Nike, Kia Motors, and Heineken.[18][19]

90min announced a new podcast called "Football Americana" in October 2021. Football Americana is hosted by former American professional soccer player, Yael Averbuch West.[20]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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90min

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
90min is a global digital media platform specializing in football (soccer) content, founded in 2011 by Asaf Peled as the inaugural brand of Minute Media, and designed to amplify fan voices through technology-enabled, user-generated journalism and professional editorial coverage. Owned by Minute Media, it operates as the world's largest football community, producing authentic, fan-perspective content across websites, social channels, and multimedia formats to engage enthusiasts with news, analysis, interviews, and branded experiences.

History and Growth

Launched in 2011, 90min quickly expanded internationally, introducing multilingual content in languages such as English, Italian, Spanish, and German by 2012, with current operations supporting 11 languages including Portuguese, French, Turkish, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malayalam, and Thai. By 2014, it had surpassed 12 million monthly unique users, reflecting rapid adoption among global audiences, and has since grown to reach more than 50 million fans worldwide through daily engagement on digital platforms. Key milestones include its 2015 entry into commercial partnerships with brands like Nike and Paramount Pictures, a 2016 joint venture with ProSiebenSat.1 to bolster its German market presence, and the 2017 launch of FanVoice, an innovative video tool for immersive fan reactions to Premier League matches. In 2020, 90min underwent a comprehensive brand refresh, adopting new visual identity and leveraging Minute Media's proprietary Voltax platform to enhance user experience and content delivery. The platform has earned recognition for campaigns such as the 2018 Right Guard partnership, awarded 'Best Use of Branded Content' by the European Sponsorship Association, and its 2019 coverage of the FIFA Women's World Cup, which featured on-the-ground reporting and player interviews. By 2021, 90min had solidified its role in women's football coverage and U.S. market expansion via initiatives like the 'Football Americana' franchise, while partnering with entities including Hyundai, EA Sports, and DAZN for major events like the Euros and Copa America. Following this, in 2022, 90min was positioned as a key platform in Minute Media's "Soccer Front & Center" initiative to enhance global soccer content distribution. In 2023, it partnered with Pledgeball to promote sustainability in football fan engagement. As of 2024, 90min elevated Lindsay McCombie to Head of Women's Football to further expand coverage in the sector.

Content and Operations

90min's content is crafted by a network of professional editors in newsrooms across London, São Paulo, Manila, New York, and Tel Aviv, supplemented by on-the-ground journalists in Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Asia, emphasizing a collaborative approach where "we don't speak at fans. We speak with them. Because we are fans." The platform covers major leagues and tournaments with a focus on entertainment and education, including original articles, videos, and social media activations, while adhering to disclaimers for betting-related content aimed at audiences 21 and older. Its fan-first ethos, rooted in citizen journalism principles, distinguishes it in the sports media landscape, fostering community-driven narratives alongside high-profile sponsorships.

History

Founding and Early Development (2011–2014)

90min was founded in late 2011 as FTBpro by Israeli entrepreneurs Asaf Peled, Gilad Beiman, and Yuval Larom, with the initial website launching as FTBpro.com. The company was established in Israel with operations based in Tel Aviv and London, driven by the founders' passion for football and a recognized opportunity to empower independent bloggers and fans who lacked platforms to reach wider audiences. Peled, serving as CEO, conducted research identifying thousands of talented football writers worldwide without sufficient visibility, aiming to create a space where "every football fan has a voice" through scalable technology that supported multiple languages and devices. Peled brought a strong technology background to the venture, having worked at Cisco Systems for four years prior to founding FTBpro, where he focused on building innovative platforms for sports content. Beiman and Larom, fellow Israeli entrepreneurs, contributed their expertise in digital media and strategy to the early setup. Shortly after launch, the company secured initial angel funding to support its startup phase, though specific details on amounts and investors remain limited in public records. This early capital enabled the development of the core platform, emphasizing citizen journalism principles to aggregate and distribute football news. In 2013, FTBpro raised $5.8 million in a funding round led by Battery Ventures and Gemini Israel Ventures, aimed at fueling geographic expansion and enhancing its global footprint. This investment came at a time when the platform was already demonstrating strong growth, with over 1,600 volunteer contributors producing around 300 articles daily across major European leagues, vetted by a small editorial team of 15 in Tel Aviv. Early operations centered on user-generated content, covering leagues such as the English Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, and Bundesliga in English, Spanish, German, and Italian, achieving 40 million monthly page views by mid-2013. Contributors were motivated through feedback, writing tips, and opportunities like exclusive interviews via partnerships, such as with the UK's League Managers Association, rather than monetary incentives. The platform's model relied on non-professional "citizen journalists" to fill a gap in traditional football media, with editors enhancing only about 5-10% of submissions to maintain quality. By 2013, FTBpro had opened a London office to support UK operations and planned further expansions into additional languages and markets ahead of the 2014 World Cup, marking a pivotal phase in its early development. Challenges included ensuring editorial integrity amid rapid growth and volunteer retention, but the approach positioned FTBpro as a innovative player in fan-driven sports journalism.

Expansion and Rebranding (2015–2016)

In March 2014, 90min secured $18 million in funding from investors including Battery Ventures, Gemini Israel Ventures, and Dawn Capital. This capital supported the company's expansion into new markets, the establishment of offices in Southeast Asia—such as in Manila, Philippines—and enhancements to its video and mobile capabilities. Concurrently, the platform underwent a significant rebranding from its original name, FTBpro, to 90min by the end of the year, reflecting a sharpened focus on global football content delivery. The following year, in October 2015, 90min raised an additional $15 million in a Series D round led by ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE, with participation from prior investors Battery Ventures, Dawn Capital, and Gemini Ventures, bringing total funding to $39 million. This investment facilitated a strategic joint venture with ProSiebenSat.1 to target the German football market through a co-branded digital platform, while also funding broader international growth, including the launch of offices in key regions like New York and the rollout of multi-language content across Europe, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. By 2016, 90min integrated as a core brand under the newly launched parent company Minute Media, alongside platforms like 12up, to streamline operations and support accelerated global scaling. That June, Minute Media formed a joint venture with India's HT Media Group to introduce 90min.in, a contributor-driven platform tailored for South Asian football audiences, emphasizing coverage of global tournaments alongside emerging local leagues and players.

Integration and Recent Milestones (2017–present)

As the inaugural brand of Minute Media since its 2011 founding, 90min deepened its integration into the parent company's ecosystem starting in 2016, leveraging shared technology and resources to enhance content distribution and global reach. In October 2017, 90min entered a strategic partnership with Sports Illustrated, agreeing to supply exclusive video content for the publisher's Planet Fútbol soccer channel, which included dedicated Spanish-language coverage under Planeta Fútbol to target Hispanic audiences. This collaboration expanded 90min's visibility in the U.S. market by integrating its fan-generated and editorial videos into SI.com, fostering cross-promotion between the platforms. Additionally, in late 2017, 90min formed a three-year content partnership with the Australian sports app SportsHero, providing original football articles and multimedia developed by its editorial team to bolster the app's soccer offerings for users in Oceania and beyond. Minute Media's growth initiatives further supported 90min's operations during this period. In May 2018, the parent company secured $17 million in Series F funding from investors including Goldman Sachs Private Capital, which indirectly bolstered 90min's content ecosystem by funding platform enhancements and acquisitions. Later that year, Minute Media acquired the trivia and culture site Mental Floss, diversifying its portfolio and applying learnings from the acquisition to optimize 90min's search-driven traffic strategies. By 2020, Minute Media raised an additional $40 million in funding to accelerate investments in its publishing technology and esports expansion, directly benefiting 90min through upgrades to the Voltax platform for faster content delivery and personalized fan experiences. These infusions enabled 90min to scale its multilingual football coverage without significant operational disruptions. To support its international ambitions, 90min maintained a distributed operational model with key offices in London (serving as European headquarters), Tel Aviv, New York, Manila, and São Paulo, allowing localized content production across regions. This structure facilitated steady integration into Minute Media's broader network, marked by consistent growth in fan engagement and partnerships rather than major pivots or controversies. From 2021 onward, 90min celebrated its 10th anniversary amid the global pandemic, launching initiatives like the "Football Americana" series to penetrate the U.S. market further and securing deals with brands such as EA and DAZN for event-specific content. In 2024, Minute Media acquired STN Video, a sports video production company, enhancing 90min's multimedia capabilities, and entered a content partnership with Serie A to produce tailored coverage for North American audiences. No significant setbacks were reported, underscoring a phase of stable evolution within the Minute Media family.

Operations and Services

Content Creation and Formats

90min operates on a core model of citizen journalism, where user-generated content from passionate football fans is curated and edited by a global network of professional journalists based in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Latin America. This hybrid approach allows for rapid production of timely, fan-driven insights while ensuring editorial standards through professional oversight, enabling the platform to cover breaking news, match analyses, and opinion pieces across major leagues like the Premier League, La Liga, and MLS. The platform's content formats are diverse and optimized for digital consumption, including short-form videos, in-depth text articles, engaging listicles, slideshows, social media round-ups that aggregate fan reactions, interactive polls to gauge community opinions, and club-publishing tools that permit football teams to embed 90min's customized content directly on their official sites. This variety caters to different user preferences, with an emphasis on visually rich and shareable elements that facilitate easy dissemination on desktop and mobile devices, covering everything from live match updates to transfer rumors. To support technology-enabled production, 90min leverages tools for seamless content creation and distribution, allowing real-time sharing of football league coverage across devices and fostering community interaction through embedded features. In 2021, 90min launched the "Football Americana" podcast, hosted by Yael Averbuch West, which focuses on the growth and culture of soccer in the United States; its second season debuted in late 2021, expanding the platform's audio content offerings.

Global Presence and Languages

90min maintains a global footprint through offices in key locations, including its headquarters in London, as well as branches in Tel Aviv, New York City, Manila, and São Paulo. These offices support on-the-ground journalism across Europe, the United States, Latin America, and Asia, enabling localized coverage of major football leagues worldwide. The company's editorial teams in these hubs produce content tailored to regional audiences, focusing on leagues such as the Premier League, Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A, and domestic competitions in emerging markets. The platform supports content in 11 languages to reach diverse football fans internationally (as of 2021). These include English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Turkish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Malayalam, and Thai. This multilingual approach allows 90min to deliver fan-centric stories, match previews, and transfer news adapted to cultural and linguistic preferences in over 50 million global users. 90min's targeted expansions have shaped its international reach. Initially focused on Europe following its 2011 founding in the UK and Israel, the company prioritized growth in established football markets like England, Germany, Spain, and Italy. By 2014, it shifted attention to Southeast Asia, leveraging funding to establish a presence in high-growth areas including Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam through its Manila office. In 2016, 90min launched in India via a joint venture with HT Media, introducing localized content for the Indian Super League and international tournaments to tap into the country's burgeoning football interest. More recently, the São Paulo office has facilitated entry into Latin America, providing dedicated coverage of leagues like Brazil's Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Argentina's Primera División.

Technology and Revenue Model

90min's technological infrastructure emphasizes mobile-first design and advanced advertising capabilities to support its global fanbase. The platform is optimized for content sharing across devices, leveraging responsive web technologies and app integrations to deliver real-time football updates, fan-generated content, and multimedia experiences. A key feature is its private marketplace for addressable advertising, launched in partnership with AOL Platforms' Adap.tv in 2015, which enables targeted video ads based on user demographics and behavior, enhancing monetization efficiency. Revenue generation at 90min is predominantly driven by online advertising, with the company securing sponsorships from major brands in the sports sector. Notable clients include Nike for branded content campaigns (as of 2015) and Hyundai for partnerships tied to major events (as of 2021). This model relies on programmatic advertising tools and direct deals to capitalize on high-traffic pages, though specific profitability figures remain undisclosed. Historically, 90min raised approximately $39.1 million across funding rounds dedicated to its operations, underscoring the role of ad tech in scaling revenue without detailed public breakdowns of current valuations.

Ownership and Partnerships

Corporate Structure and Leadership

90min functions as a core brand and subsidiary within Minute Media, a global technology and content holding company established in Israel in 2011. Originally launched as FTB Pro, 90min became the flagship brand under Minute Media, formalized as the parent company in 2016. Minute Media oversees a portfolio of digital media properties, including 90min, alongside 12Up, Mental Floss, and FanSided, leveraging proprietary technology to drive content creation and distribution across sports and entertainment sectors. The platform was founded by Asaf Peled, with Peled continuing to serve as CEO of Minute Media. Originating in Israel, 90min maintains its headquarters in London, United Kingdom, supporting its international operations. There have been no significant reported changes to the core leadership structure since Minute Media's formalization in 2016. Detailed information on the board of directors or internal organizational charts remains limited in public records.

Investments and Key Collaborations

90min has secured funding from several prominent venture capital firms and media entities, supporting its growth as a digital football platform. Early angel investments included a $300,000 round shortly after its 2011 founding, led by investors such as Shahar Erez and Boaz Dinte. Subsequent institutional backing came from Battery Ventures, Gemini Israel Ventures, and Dawn Capital, which participated in a significant $18 million round in 2014 to fuel international expansion. In 2015, ProSiebenSat.1 Media led a $15 million Series D extension, bringing total funding at the time to $39 million and enabling targeted market entries. Key collaborations have further bolstered 90min's global footprint through strategic joint ventures. In 2015, ProSiebenSat.1 Media partnered with 90min to launch a co-branded joint venture focused on the German football market, combining 90min's digital expertise with ProSiebenSat.1's local media reach to target Bundesliga audiences. The following year, in 2016, 90min entered a joint venture with India's HT Media Group to introduce 90min.in, a contributor-driven platform tailored for South Asian football fans, initially in English with plans for Hindi localization. Additionally, in 2017, 90min signed an exclusive video content deal with Sports Illustrated, powering the publication's soccer vertical, Planet Fútbol, with fan-generated videos and analysis to enhance SI's digital soccer coverage. As a core brand of Minute Media, established as its parent company in 2016, 90min has indirectly benefited from the parent company's subsequent funding rounds, which have injected capital into shared technology and content infrastructure. Minute Media raised $17 million in 2018 from investors including Goldman Sachs and Vintage Investment Partners, supporting portfolio-wide innovations. This was followed by a $40 million round in 2020, led by Dawn Capital with participation from Battery Ventures and others, aimed at scaling AI-driven publishing tools applicable to 90min's operations. Minute Media secured additional funding, including a debt financing in January 2024, further benefiting its brands. No specific investment rounds dedicated solely to 90min have been publicly announced since 2020.

Impact and Reception

Audience Metrics and Influence

90min has established itself as a significant player in the digital football media space, with reported audience metrics indicating substantial reach. By 2014, the platform had surpassed 12 million monthly unique users, growing to reach over 50 million fans globally by the 2020s through daily engagement on digital platforms. More recent estimates vary by source; for instance, Kochava reports approximately 18.1 million estimated monthly visits across desktop and mobile web (as of early 2026), while Semrush data for November 2025 shows 2.68 million total visits, primarily from mobile devices (89.84%), with an average session duration of 8 minutes and 29 seconds and a 19.62% month-over-month decline—highlighting differences in estimation methods. The platform's influence stems from its position as the world's largest independent football fan platform, emphasizing user-generated content to shape online discourse around the sport. By fostering a community-driven model, 90min empowers fans to contribute news, opinions, and stories, thereby amplifying passionate voices and creating a more interactive media experience that resonates with global supporters. This approach has positioned it as a key hub for fan-led narratives, distinguishing it from traditional journalism outlets. In terms of broader impact, 90min contributes to global football coverage by delivering content in 11 languages, including support for emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and India through English and localized editions that enhance accessibility. Its cultural role lies in deepening fan engagement, bridging diverse audiences to major leagues and events, thus promoting a more inclusive dialogue in football fandom. However, detailed post-2016 studies on its specific influence remain limited, with opportunities for further analysis on social media benchmarks and long-term engagement.

Criticisms and Developments

Despite its growth as a fan-driven platform, 90min has not been subject to major documented criticisms, scandals, or ethical debates in its operations. Minor fan critiques, such as those on Reddit in 2017 questioning the reliability of user-generated content, highlight potential challenges related to accuracy and verification, which can sometimes lead to misinformation if not rigorously moderated. Like many platforms relying on user-generated content for citizen journalism in sports, 90min faces these issues but emphasizes community guidelines and editorial oversight to maintain factual integrity. Studies on sports journalism highlight that user-generated inputs, while enhancing engagement, require robust moderation. In terms of developments, 90min expanded its reach into the US soccer market post-2021 through the launch of the "Football Americana" podcast, hosted by former USWNT player Yael Averbuch West, which explores American soccer culture and has contributed to broader audience engagement. As part of Minute Media, 90min benefits indirectly from the parent company's technological advancements, including enhancements to the Voltax platform for semantic content recommendation and video delivery, which improved capacity by 90% via AWS integration around 2021, supporting more efficient content distribution. Recent reception includes positive recognition for fan-centric innovations, though comprehensive post-2021 impact studies (e.g., on 2023-2025 campaigns) are sparse. Looking ahead, 90min's future outlook includes opportunities in addressable advertising, leveraging Minute Media's tech for targeted monetization, and potential growth in new markets such as emerging soccer regions, though specific plans remain focused on fan-centric innovations without notable controversies.

References

  1. https://www.minutemedia.com/post/the-10-year-series-a-timeline-of-90min
  2. https://www.90min.com/about
  3. https://www.minutemedia.com/post/minute-media-announces-soccer-front-center
  4. https://www.minutemedia.com/post/90min-partners-with-pledgeball
  5. https://www.minutemedia.com/post/minute-media-elevates-lindsay-mccombie-to-head-of-women-s-football-90min
  6. https://www.bdaily.co.uk/articles/2013/11/05/football-supporters-the-new-journalists-says-ftbpro-founder
  7. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-09-09/israel-based-football-website-is-turning-fans-love-of-the-game-into-a-new-media-business
  8. https://www.finsmes.com/2013/05/ftbpro-raises-5-8m-funding.html
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  10. https://www.finsmes.com/2014/03/ftbpro-closes-18m-funding.html
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  12. https://www.minutemedia.com/post/10-facts-you-didnt-know-about-minute-media
  13. https://techcrunch.com/2015/10/06/90min-scores-15m/
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  17. https://theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/global-giant-injects-1m-into-sportshero-punters-app/news-story/406bcbdc87fa7d1445e5f0f6d84a9fba
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  27. https://growfers.com/story/90min
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  29. https://qumracapital.com/news/minute-media-raises-17-million-in-funding-round/
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  39. https://www.doit.com/clients/minute-media/
  40. https://www.minutemedia.com/post/minute-media-celebrates-10-years-of-digital-storytelling
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