A major shakeup is coming to the online college football community, with On3 announcing that it has purchased Rivals and formed a partnership with Yahoo.
On3 owner and founder Shannon Terry referred to the move as a “full-circle moment” as he had co-founded Rivals in 1996 before the company was sold to Yahoo in 2007. In 2010, Terry founded 247Sports, which was sold to CBS Sports in 2015. He then launched On3 in 2021, with the website quickly emerging as a leader in the industry thanks to an impressive roster of reporters and its emphasis on NIL and transfer portal reporting.
According to the announcement, the deal is expected to close by the end of the second quarter of 2025.
Proud to announce we’re buying back Rivals. I began my career in 1996 co-founding AllianceSports/Rivals. After a few detours, we’re finishing what we started. Excited to have Yahoo with us on this journey with @On3sports and @Rivals. Full-circle moment. https://t.co/vQBMuU7rRO
— Shannon Terry (@ShannonTerry) April 30, 2025
“Rivals is an icon in college sports and recruiting media,” Terry said in a statement. “We’re excited to build on the momentum behind Rivals, which has a longstanding legacy as the most recognized brand and author of the recruiting industry. We look forward to taking Rivals to new heights with significant new investment focused on recruiting, high school sports, and passionate college fan communities.
“We’re thrilled to be working with the Yahoo Sports team again. From the start, it was clear both parties saw tremendous value in a partnership. Yahoo Sports has world-class distribution, a strong editorial platform, and an expansive content network that will play an integral role in the continued growth of On3 and Rivals.”
Added Yahoo Sports president Ryan Spoon: “Rivals has a proud legacy, a vast network, and has stood among the most respected names in college sports coverage for over two decades. It’s long been a cornerstone of our sports ecosystem, and together with On3, we are creating a powerful, future-forward platform that elevates athletes, energizes fans, and drives innovation across the sports industry.”
As a part of the deal, Yahoo will acquire an ownership stake in On3’s parent company and receive a seat on its board. Additionally, On3 and Rivals subscribers will gain access to premium content across both websites.
With 247Sports having purchased Scout.com in 2017, On3’s acquisition of Rivals effectively creates two major outlets in the world of college football recruiting rankings and message board communities. Considering that On3 and Rivals each have their own recruiting rankings, reporters and collection of team websites, it will be interesting to see whether they remain their own entities or ultimately merge into one down the road.
