The acquisition, after several months of negotiation, is intended to catapult Various’ market reach and financial strength, Various CEO Andrew Conru told XBiz. The privately held companies did not disclose terms of the deal.
“The result of the acquisition will be reliable, advanced personals sites that offer outstanding conversion and retention rates and will also allow us to more easily customize a personals product for new and existing partners and expand co-branding and private-label offerings,” said Conru, who noted that Various has 400,000 affiliates. “We are definitely on the path for even more acquisitions” as part of an ongoing consolidation in the online dating and networking sector, he said.
Conru pledged to continue to operate Spring Street's New York City office and add to the company's staff. Seven-year-old Various has nearly 200 employees.
FriendFinder currently owns and operated 20 sites, including Adult FriendFinder, along with numerous co-branded sites. It claims to have more than 30 million members.
Spring Street’s private-label online personals network includes more than 200 online media companies, including Nerve.com, TheOnion.com and Salon.com, as well as the online and offline companies the Advocate, Boston magazine, Esquire magazine, LA Weekly, Playgirl, SF Gate and the Village Voice.
The sites acquired through Spring Street will continue to be branded independently and will not be connected to the FriendFinder network, Conru said.
For Palo Alto, Calif.-based Various, the acquisition ramps up its holdings as it battles with its nearest competitor, Match.com, for market share.
In March, the company acquired Legendary Lars’ cam network Streamray of Las Vegas, which operates Cams.com and other pay-per-minute video feed services.
“The acquisition by Various is great news for everyone and means our members will get access to the best technology, features and customer service in the business,” Nerve.com CEO Rufus Griscom said.
