iGaming operator report for Q2 2025 showed that the quarter was full of adjustments. Likewise, Affiliates also used the time to refine and reposition themselves. Regulation,...
Interview with Jesper Søgaard – Co-founder & Co-CEO at Better Collective
In a recent interview with AffPapa, Jesper Søgaard, Co-founder & Co-CEO at Better Collective, shared his insights on managing multiple brands, preparations for the 2026 World Cup, and more.
Yeva: Jesper, you and Christian have been operating Better Collective since its launch in 2004. Covering traditional sports, esports and gaming, Better Collective is now attracting more than 450 million visits a month. What have you learned in over 15 years about managing multiple brands, keeping each one distinct and delivering value?
What I’ve learned is that managing multiple brands successfully requires a clear mission and trust in the people leading them. Each brand needs to stay true to its own community, voice, and purpose while contributing to our shared vision of being the leading digital sports media group. The strength of our House of Brands lies in combining local authenticity with global scale, data, and technology – and in knowing that being ready to adapt is key. That’s how we deliver real value to both fans and partners.
Yeva: Your content ranges from news, editorials, and podcasts to videos and expert insights. Which of these have you noticed to generate the most amount of engagement and why do you think that is?
Measured by viewership, video and podcasts attract strong engagement because they bring fans closer to the action and the personalities they care about. But they’re part of a broader content ecosystem, where each format plays a different role. News and insights build context, while interactive tools like Playbook, our new AI-powered betting solution, fill a gap by turning engagement into seamless sports betting user experiences. In the end I believe, it’s the mix of emotion, information, and utility that keeps fans connected across our brands and platforms.
Yeva: Esports is now a separate segment, having driven €5 million in revenue for Better Collective in Q2 2025. Is your approach any different for esports compared to traditional sports, and if so, how?
Esports has a unique culture and audience, so our approach is all about supporting and elevating these communities. Fans expect authenticity and deep community involvement, and through HLTV and FUTBIN we’ve built a strong position by combining editorial expertise with rich data. The foundation – connecting fans and partners through quality content – remains the same, but the way we engage is much more community-driven in esports.
Yeva: With the first half of 2025 behind, how do you see the iGaming market performing over Q3 and the H2? What are your main priorities for Better Collective in that time frame?
We expect the iGaming and sports media market to remain highly dynamic through the second half of 2025, with continued product innovation and strong fan interest around major sporting events. Our focus is on strengthening our position as a global digital sports media group, deepening our presence in key markets, and growing our retention-focused product suite. Playbook will play a key role here as a part of how we build fan experiences that not only drive engagement but also deliver value to our partners.
Yeva: With big events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming up, what do you feel is the smartest way for betting and media companies to prepare ahead of time to really make the most of it? How is Better Collective preparing for it?
Preparing for major events like the 2026 World Cup starts long before the first match. The key is building audience trust and reach, and developing products that genuinely enhance the fan experience, so that when global attention peaks, we’re already a trusted destination. For us, that means strengthening our media platforms, expanding our data-driven insights, and creating partner activations that connect naturally with fan journeys before, during, and after the tournament.
Yeva: Naturally, leading 1,500 colleagues across different continents comes with challenges. What has surprised you most about managing people at this scale, and what do you see as the biggest leadership challenge?
What’s impressed me most is how strong our culture has stayed as we’ve grown. The challenge is keeping everyone connected to the mission while giving teams room to act locally and make decisions fast. Transparency, communication, and trust are essential – they make scale manageable and keep people motivated across time zones and business units.
Yeva: What’s your vision on the role that affiliate and media companies would be playing in the larger gaming and betting ecosystem five to ten years from now?
The past decade has shown how fast this industry can evolve and it’s safe to assume the next ten years will bring just as much change with the rapid development of new technologies such as AI. The key is to stay close to users, understand their habits and preferences, and keep adapting to and innovate how they consume sports and betting content. Affiliate and media companies will move from simply driving traffic to becoming trusted platforms that shape the fan experience. With solutions like Playbook and our House of Brands spanning digital sports, betting, and esports media, we aim to stay ahead of that curve by building responsible, engaging ecosystems that connect fans, media, and our partners in smarter ways.
Yeva: Better Collective has been built on certain principles since the beginning. Which of those values do you see as timeless, and on a more personal level, which principles have guided you in your leadership as Co-CEO from day one, especially as the company has grown and diversified so broadly?
Ambition and integrity have guided Better Collective from day one. Ambition pushes us to evolve, explore new opportunities, and challenge ourselves to raise the bar. Integrity keeps us grounded – it’s about transparency, accountability, and doing what’s right for our users, partners, and people.
Company: Better Collective
Interviewee: Jesper Søgaard
Date: 17.11.2025
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