WAVE.tv has been an interesting sports media company to follow recently; they have a lot of channels on various social media platforms (including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook) focused on particular sports, and those channels have put up big follower numbers. That’s led to the parent company striking content deals with organizations like Top Rank, FloSports, the PFL, and more, and it’s also led to them investing in original content and bringing distinctive voices on staff. Those latter approaches are now set to become even more of a focus, with WAVE.tv announcing Wednesday their company is rebranding to Wave Sports and Entertainment (they’ll continue to operate WAVE.tv as a media brand within that portfolio, but it’s no longer the name of the entire enterprise), unveiling a new headquarters and studio, and boosting their focus on original content (including a new focus on sports betting content). Here’s more from that release:
WAVE.tv, one of the fastest-growing sports and entertainment companies on the planet with more than 100 million followers globally, announced today it is rebranding as Wave Sports + Entertainment (WSE) as the organization enters a phase of rapid growth. The moves come as WSE accelerates its efforts in talent-driven original programming, including a push into sports betting content that will deliver new audiences, original content, and data to existing sportsbooks.
Wave Sports + Entertainment also unveiled a new 8,500 square foot headquarters in the heart of Santa Monica’s Silicon Beach, boasting six custom turnkey sets that will be managed by seasoned entertainment industry veteran David Goffin, whose achievements include multiple Emmy nominations and a People’s Choice Award win for “American Idol.”
Goffin, Executive Vice President, Studio, WSE, said, “When a media company builds native studio capabilities to create its own original programming, you know they have crossed the threshold into a certain level of success. WSE is now charting its own course in the exploding area of social-driven media, armed with a full suite of creative tools to make a significant impact with the huge Gen Z audience of sports superfans.”
That announcement also details the new talent deals they’ve signed with Lucy Rohden, Nick Henkel, Kieran Hickey-Semple, and Noah Alami, joining previous WSE voices Josiah Johnson, Zach Schwartz, Mariah Rose, and Robin Black. And there’s more in there from the company on why they’re making this move now and where they’re going from here, including this quote from executive vice president (content and strategy) Mack Sovereign: “Our aim is to invest in and elevate the top personalities sports social media has to offer. We’re building original programming suited to both their strengths and the consumption preferences of digitally native modern fans.”
And here’s a video they put out around the announcement:
We’ll see how this branding shift works out for WAVE.tv, and how their further deals with original voices play out.
