MLS today announced that it has sold its premium YouTube channel KickTV to Copa90, a London-based global soccer media platform. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but MLS will retain a minority stake and hold a board seat at the newly created company, according to MLS Business Ventures President & Managing Dir Gary Stevenson. Copa90 will run the operations of N.Y.-based KickTV, which launched in March '12. All current employees will be retained. “For us, this is a testament to the original strategy when we launched KickTV,” said Stevenson. “We’re proud of the fact that we built it to this point, and we’re looking forward to working with a new partner and creating even more content that focuses on the league and players.” Stevenson said MLS remains committed to digital and video content, and that this transaction could help increase content production by nearly two to three times. He said retaining an ownership stake in the company was very important for the league in making the transaction. For Copa90, the deal will allow it to showcase U.S. soccer fan culture, something that Copa90 Chair Drew Thomson says will be appreciated globally. He said, “That story hasn’t always been told outside of the US, and to have a chance share that with the rest of the world, we're excited.” Investment bank and advisory firm Evolution Media Capital, partly owned by CAA, was an advisor on this agreement.
