This article was first published on VulcanPost

In support of providing local sports fans with a smoother platform to enhance their playing experience, SportsPlay has announced the acquisition of Jogo to bring forth a singular app that aims to provide better features than before.

SportsPlay is a mobile app that connects users interested in a variety of sports. How it works is by matching them with other individuals who may be on the lookout for players to join in on a match while also finding sports venues within their vicinity.

The app currently has over 10,000 users signed up with more than 30 facilities partners on board nationwide and received initial funding from TinkBig Venture. Besides individuals, SportsPlay aids sports facilities in addressing off-peak hours where court utilization can prove to be a challenge.

Jogo was actually considered a competitor to SportsPlay as their services ranged around similar premises.

Jogo too allowed users to book sports courts through its mobile app and gave court operators the opportunity to manage their sports venue through an easy to use dashboard. It was involved in several local leagues in Klang Valley and helped to manage them through their league management system.

The two ventures started around the same time back in June 2016 and had the same mission of providing a solid solution for current sports businesses which still faces a lot of offline challenges.

This led to their eventual meeting with each other where they shared their ideas.

“Both companies wanted to solve problems in sports but our solutions came from different directions and different angles. We noticed that we needed some extra solutions to grow stronger, bigger and faster. So SportsPlay decided to acquire Jogo to put everything under one roof and come out as a more solid solution,” said Jin, CEO and co-founder of SportsPlay to Vulcan Post.

So now the two startups have decided to join forces and combine their resources to function under one platform. According to their press release, SportsPlay acquisition of Jogo’s digital assets allows them to enhance the business model and bring more value to users and sports business owner.

This acquisition also sees SportsPlay being valued at an undisclosed 7-figure valuation and the assets acquired comprise of Jogo’s smart booking system, league management system, sports facilities management system and its current users base.

All Jogo related assets and businesses will also be rebranded and merged into SportsPlay as one business entity once the acquisition has been completed.

So what will happen to current members of SportsPlay and Jogo?

Since Jogo will be rebranded as SportsPlay, their existing users will be directed to that app instantly. Those already using SportsPlay will see no drastic change but the platform will have more features alongside more new members.

Existing features include venue booking, booking management functionalities, smart data analytics and league management system but SportsPlay hopes this partnership will add more value to sports businesses and expand to the rest of Asia with its solutions within this year.

“We are delighted with this merger as it will boost up our business scaling and acquisition of great experienced talents into the company management. Grassroot sports development is an important part of why we do what we do, and this deal will supercharge our efforts to build a stronger, more robust community of sports enthusiasts and sports industry. It’s a win-win deal,” said SportsPlay CEO Jin Tan through the press release.

Jogo Co-Founder and COO Vimal Kumar also commented, “Jogo has technological expertise in high end management system, providing online solutions for sports leagues and competitions in the Klang Valley, while SportsPlay boasts an extensive user base and exposure to other sports. Pairing the two will allow both parties realise incredible synergies for the benefit of sports lovers all across Malaysia.”