NY TIMES – Sep 14 – IAC has been snatching up dating sites for the last several years. In March, IAC increased its majority stake in Tinder. As of the end of last year, IAC said it hosted 30M active users among its dating properties, 3.4M of which are regular paid subscribers. The Match Group is now responsible for about one quarter of IAC’s overall revenue. “We are not just the acquirer of choice,” said Sam Yagan, CEO of the Match Group, “we are the only acquirer.” Investors seem nervous. They have been pushing for IAC to spin off the Match Group as soon as possible, probably because they think the popularity of dating sites is about to crest. Dating through mobile is exploding and has remained a weak spot for much of the industry. Another problem is that the market has become crowded. Mr. Yagan is not worried. He said there was still plenty of business to go around.
Category: Match Group
Spinoff Of IAC’s Match Group Might Not Be A Smooth Sailing
WSJ – Aug 19 - Match Group is expected to trade at a higher multiple than the rest of IAC, particularly as it starts monetizing Tinder. IAC hasn't mentioned a spinoff but has taken steps in that direction, including creating Match Group with its own management. IAC would need to stabilize it's search-and-apps business (includes Ask.com and About.com) before leaving it on its own. If IAC proceeds with a spinoff, it won't necessarily be a smooth sailing for Match either. Revenue and subscriber growth has slowed in the past three quarters. Average revenue per subscriber has fallen for the past six. The problem: Most user growth is at OkCupid and Tinder, which are free.
IAC: The Big Matchmaker
MARKETPLACE – Aug 8 – Tinder makes ~ 2M “matches” a day and is just one of the online dating brands under the banner of InterActiveCorp that includes Match.com, OkCupid, HowAboutWe, BlackPeopleMeet, and OurTime. Experts thought the future of online dating was in small niche sites, but the big sites are winning for a simple reason. “It’s like a shop,” said Mark Brooks. “You’ve really got to stock the shelves. You can’t make do with a few hundred people. You need to have thousands of active people on a dating site.” IAC doesn't combine all the sites into one because, as Sam Yagan explains, dating is “such an intimate and personal search process, that people care a lot about the emotional affiliation they have with the brand that they choose.” Having the sites under one roof provides opportunities for cross-promotion. The strategy has led IAC to control more than 1/4 of the $2.2B online dating market in the U.S., twice the next biggest competitor, eHarmony.
Match Group Interview With CEO Sam Yagan
OPW INTERVIEW – May 21 –
In the latest CEO Interview, Mark Brooks and Match Group CEO, Sam Yagan, discuss:
- Acquisitions
- Opportunities in Matchmaking
- The Couples Market
- Mobile Trends
- Android vs. iOS
- Wearable Computing
Please click here for a complete transcript of the interview.
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Match.com And Diane Von Furstenberg Team Up
PR NEWSWIRE – Nov 1 - DIANE, the designer's new fragrance, and the message "Be the woman you want to be!" will co-host three unique styling events offering Match.com members exclusive expert advice on how to dress for success using three popular first-date scenarios: cappuccinos, cocktails and dinner. These events will be held in DVF retail stores located in three key markets: New York City, Dallas and Miami.