PR NEWSWIRE – Steven Bailey, CFO of Match Group, will participate in a fireside chat at the Citi Global TMT Conference on Wednesday, Sep 3rd at 10:50 a.m. EST. A live webcast and replay of the fireside chat will be available here.
See full article at PR Newswire
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
OPW – Global Dating Insights (GDI) has partnered with Mark Brooks, CEO of the dating industry’s leading consultancy and agency Courtland Brooks, as its new Partnerships Manager. Mark brings more than two decades of experience in the online dating and social discovery sector, having advised many of the world’s most recognisable brands (PlentyofFish, MeetMe, eHarmony) through Courtland Brooks. His expertise spans strategic growth, marketing, partnerships, and operational optimisation, making him one of the most respected figures in the industry. He has also advised many vendors who wish to approach the dating industry. Mark will work closely with partners, helping them maximise the value of their involvement with GDI’s events, editorial content, and sponsorship opportunities. Global Dating Insights will be in London for its 2025 Conference on September 17th, and in New York City on Thursday, March 19th, 2026. Simon Corbett, Founder of GDI, said: “Mark’s knowledge of the dating industry is second to none. Having him help GDI in this role is a huge win for us and for our partners. His track record, network, and insight will be invaluable as we continue to grow GDI’s global presence.” Mark will continue to lead Courtland Brooks. For all enquiries relating to GDI’s events and sponsorship opportunities email mark@courtlandbrooks.com.
CITYBIZ – Fourplay Social, founded by healthcare professionals Julie Griggs and Danielle Dietzek, is a dating app where singles join with a friend to meet other pairs. Launched just before COVID and backed by $1.5M in funding, the app eliminates individual profiles and instead builds "team" profiles. The focus is on group outings rather than one-on-one dates, which the founders say improves safety and reduces pressure.
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
BUSINESS INSIDER – Hinge is using AI to improve matches and profiles, but rejects chatbot companionship. “I don’t think that an AI chatbot should be your friend or certainly not your boyfriend or girlfriend,” CEO Justin McLeod said on the “Rapid Response” podcast. In contrast, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg argued earlier this year that digital chatbots could help address America’s “loneliness epidemic.” Hinge’s AI tools suggest ways for users to add detail to prompts and encourage in-person meetings. Owned by Match Group, Hinge reported 1.7M paying users (up 18% YOY) and $168M in Q2 2025 revenue (up 25%).
See full article at Business Insider
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
EIN PRESSWIRE – Jdate has relaunched with a modern interface, smarter matching, free and paid membership options, and new services including dating coaching and professional matchmaking. The update aims to attract younger Jewish singles and move beyond superficial swiping.
See full article at Ein Presswire
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
NEW YORK POST – A survey conducted by Talker Research on behalf of banking app Chime shows younger generations are reshaping dating norms around money. While nearly half of boomers and Gen X still believe men should pay, Gen Z and millennials favor splitting costs or having the planner pay. Half of Gen Z and millennials find financial openness attractive, compared to just 23% of boomers. Rising costs have impacted 74% of daters, with 31% canceling dates for financial reasons. Men feel more pressure to appear financially stable, and one in five has gone into debt from dating. Overall, Gen Z and millennials are pushing dating toward transparency and equality over tradition.
See full article at New York Post
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
VIRGIN EXPERIENCE GIFTS – A survey of 1,002 Americans by Virgin Experience Gifts, a company that sells adventure and activity-based gift experiences, shows strong interest in “adrenaline dating.” 93% are open to action-filled dates like amusement parks (55%), ziplining (39%), and go-kart racing (35%), and 83% believe such experiences can accelerate relationships. Gen Z stands out for favoring extreme activities like skydiving. While dinner remains the most common traditional date, 95% report bad experiences, often from awkward conversation or low effort.
See full article at Virgin Experience Gifts
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
OPW – One of the things that makes OPW.news special is the "News By Company" historical reference list.
Online Personals Watch was started in 2004 and we have faithfully catalogued the news on hundreds of dating apps. OPW has become quite a useful historical research tool at this stage. So, I'd like to point out a little link on the sidebar of OPW that may be useful for you. If you'd like to look up a company and see their news in summary format, along with any interviews that I may have done with them over the years, please see "News By Company", on the OPW sidebar on web, or down below if you're reading OPW on mobile. Scroll all the way to the bottom of that page to see the DeadPool, as well. Let me know any questions. 😉 – mark@courtlandbrooks.com
JPOST – A record 6,747 Jewish singles from nearly a dozen countries joined a virtual speed dating event held after Tu B’Av, the Jewish holiday celebrating love, resulting in 15K dates in just one hour. Organized by Partners in Torah, AISH, DateNight AI, CoronaCrush, and others, the event beat last year’s record, with half of the participants planning second dates. Past editions have already led to marriages, and attendees praised the format as a refreshing alternative to apps.
Curated by the Courtland Brooks team
OPW – We're dedicated to providing you with quality daily executive summaries and intelligence. Subscribe here, and send to a friend. We find news and info that will help make you smarter and help you make better informed decisions. Online Personals Watch has been run by the Courtland Brooks team since 2004.
