Maktoob.com acquires leading sports information portal

One of Maktoob.com's major acquisitions of this year, SportUp Jordan is a major player in the business of sports annuals in the Arab world, with an average 2.5 million page impressions per month, and represents another platform investment propelling the company toward becoming the number one source for online interactive sports content and entertainment.

The new entity, to be called Maktoob Sports, will continue to provide breaking news from the world of sports through the Internet through an English / Arabic interface as well as through SMS and MMS mediums presented by its highly trained team of professional sports editors and technical crew. At the same time, the company will provide specialised sports consultancy, public relations and marketing services.

Announcing this at a press conference in Amman yesterday, a top official from Maktoob.com explained that the new development would be beneficial to both parties. "Maktoob.com will now be able offer comprehensive sports information to the sports-crazy Arab world while SportUp Jordan will benefit from Maktoob.com's reach and penetration in the region to expand beyond Jordan," pointed out Samih Toukan, CEO of Maktoob.com. "I believe this is an important step forward for both companies."

"This also marks a valuable acquisition for Maktoob.com because SportUp Jordan has an established infrastructure, original content, high user volumes and an exciting e-commerce potential. It confirms our strong commitment to new media by offering the very best content to people wherever and whenever they want it," Toukan said.

In addition to providing rich sports content, the portal will include a comprehensive discussion forum area dedicated to sports issues in order to allow fans and sports personalities to express their thoughts and viewpoints. Through a completely revamped interface, Maktoob Sports will also allow its readers to read interesting features, fitness advice, sporting trends as well as interviews with prominent sports personalities and upcoming talent.

Commenting on the acquisition, Samer Kamal, CEO of SportUp Jordan, explained that the sports was highly popular among Internet users in the Arab world. "Through the new development, Maktoob Sports will be able to offer highly informative sports content about events across the Middle East and not just Jordan. Naturally, the prospect of addressing a wider yet discerning audience is extremely exciting," he added. "I am personally delighted to be working with Maktoob.com, a company which is at the forefront of the broadband revolution in the Arab world."

A keen sports enthusiast and a 7th degree Taekwondo black belt himself, Kamel had previously won the bronze medal in Taekwondo in the 1998 Seoul Olympics as part of the Jordanian delegation. He has also been named as one of the best Jordanian athletes of the century. He now shares his rich experience to promote sport and sportspersons in the Arab world.

"The acquisition is a unique opportunity to add a new, value-added dimension to Maktoob.com's online offerings, which will drive new and repeat activity to the site and increase profit margins through enhanced value for our advertising partners," Kamel noted. "Through our sports consultancy, we hope to provide upcoming sports people a platform to express their talent in front of a wider audience."

At the same time, SportUp Jordan will now be able to strengthen its relations with not only with local sports clubs but also with sports organizations across the Middle East, allowing it to play a major role in prestigious regional events. With the region witnessing a flurry of important international sports tournaments, SportUp Jordan is poised to grab a huge slice of the Internet broadcasting industry.

"Whether it is an international tennis tournament in Dubai, a cross-country motoring rally in Lebanon, golf in Cyprus, or the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, our viewers will be assured of the most exciting ringside action, with interesting trivia to keep them engaged during their session," Kamel said.