Catena Media sold esports assets esports.net and esportsbet.com
Catena Media sold esports assets esports.net and esportsbet.com to an undisclosed buyer amid a €4.5–5 million cost-cutting program and a 38.8% revenue drop in Q1 2025
Catena Media sold esports assets esports.net and esportsbet.com to an undisclosed buyer amid a €4.5–5 million cost-cutting program and a 38.8% revenue drop in Q1 2025.
Deal summary
On June 5, Esports.net editorial staff received official notification that Catena Media had completed the sale of its esports properties to an undisclosed buyer.
The deal included two projects: Esports.net and EsportsBets.com. All current work on these platforms was immediately halted, and editorial operations were suspended.
What is known about the sale
- The buyer remains undisclosed.
- Employees and freelancers were notified of contract termination.
- Work completed up to and including June 6 will be paid.
Esports.net editorial team shutdown
The Esports.net website, long covering professional gaming and adjacent markets, has ceased publishing content. It was reported that no transitional periods or future content strategies were announced.
The entire staff was disbanded. One of the project’s founders, Gianfranco Capozzi, confirmed that the team does not know who the new owner is. He called the event an “emotional moment.”
Quote from Capozzi
“Today is my last day at Catena Media as General Manager for Esports and the APAC region following the sale of the esports assets to new owners.
It’s been more than 7 years of exciting and challenging work. I’m proud of what we built from scratch — from idea to real outcome,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
History of Esports.net and EsportsBets.com projects
| Project | Launch / Acquisition Date | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Esports.net | November 2017 | Founded by Capozzi and team under BayBets Ltd, later became part of Catena Media |
| EsportsBets.com | December 2016 | Acquired as part of a larger deal, became part of the portfolio |
Financial background of the deal
Catena Media, based in Malta, previously reported a 38.8% revenue drop in Q1 2025. This led to the launch of a cost-cutting program worth between €4.5 and €5 million. The sale of esports assets aligns with this plan.
What’s next?
So far, neither Catena Media nor the new owner have provided any comments or plans for the future of Esports.net and EsportsBets.com.
Attempts to contact the company’s management were unsuccessful, and it remains unknown whether the project will be revived in a new format.