SOOP said on the 18th that it will acquire the AI Peppers women's professional volleyball team.
With this acquisition, SOOP aims to support the stable operation of the women's professional volleyball league and establish a new foundation for growth by linking its accumulated capabilities in sports broadcasting and content production with club operation through consolidation.
SOOP has worked with associations and federations across various sports to build broadcasting environments, host events, and produce connected content. Through its own esports team, it also has experience in player management, player development, and communication with fan communities. A company representative said, "Based on this, we will demonstrate team management capabilities in the professional volleyball club as well, raising both the club's competitiveness on the court and in content."
SOOP plans to leverage the strengths of its live streaming platform to embed a real-time communication structure and content scalability into the club. Considering professional volleyball's strong home-base fan loyalty and in-person viewing culture, it will focus on expanding touchpoints between fans and the club inside and outside the arena. Club operations will be handled by SOOP's subsidiary, Soop TV.
A SOOP representative said, "The acquisition of AI Peppers is an important opportunity to expand SOOP's sports business to the next level," adding, "We will work to create meaningful value for fans and the local community, as well as ensure stable club operations, based on our experience producing sports content and our esports team know-how."