The End of SportsMax
And the future of Caribbean sports media
Whatsup Squad,
Digicel just went B2B, cutting Caribbean sports fans out of the picture.
The Caribbean telecommunications company announced plans to shutter SportsMax, alongside the closure of Loop News.
How We Got Here
Digicel currently serves over 10 million consumers and business clients across 25 markets in the Caribbean and Central America.
But the company is now pivoting from consumer-facing media to scalable, high-growth B2B segments.
The strategic shift follows the company’s acquisition of Symptai, a technology advisory and cybersecurity consultancy firm.
The move leaves a significant gap in dedicated sports coverage in the region.
SportsMax had a staff of 80, while Loop employed more than ten full-time writers (along with several freelancers), bringing the total number of jobs lost to nearly 100.
SportsMax Sets the Standard
This one hits close to home.
Founded in 2002, SportsMax is the market leader in Caribbean sports media.
Every Monday, I highlight the top 5 stories in Caribbean sports, and SportsMax is almost always my most cited source.
When Norman Powell committed to representing Jamaica in international basketball competition, it’s the above SportsMax story that inspired my Instagram reel.
When Shelly-Ann Fraser Pryce launched her hair care line in New York, it’s SportsMax that put the event on my radar and led to me meeting the greatest female sprinter of all time.
If a sporting moment mattered, whether in Kingston, New York, or London, SportsMax covered it with context, credibility, and a Caribbean lens.
It’s that consistent sports coverage that made the brand so essential to fans across the region and the diaspora.
But with rising costs and increased competition for broadcast rights, SportsMax struggled to retain the international content that once drew viewers to the channel.
In 2015, the channel lost out on the regional rights to the English Premier League (EPL) to Flow Sports.
Then in 2018, Digicel partnered with Flow to secure the EPL broadcast rights, broadcasting matches on a new channel called Rush.
And even outside of their live broadcasts, SportsMax consistently provided expert commentary, thorough breakdowns, and regionally relevant analysis.
The Legacy of Loop News
While SportsMax was the Caribbean’s most recognizable sports media outlet, Loop News was the Caribbean’s most recognizable media outlet in general.
And while SportsMax will have its final broadcast on August 8, Loop is ceasing operations immediately.
One of the affected workers, former Head of Content for the region Ceola Belix, explained:
“It is so cliche to say, but the shuttering of Loop across the region truly marks the end of an era. We were a team that pushed boundaries and challenged conventions when it came to reporting on news or even contemplating what ‘news’ was in the evolving digital landscape–globally and here at home. I truly believe Loop’s existence was a catalyst for other media entities to examine and evolve their own digital offering.”
I couldn’t agree more with Belix.
Together, Loop News and SportsMax proved there’s real demand for behind-the-scenes Caribbean sports coverage.
Now, the Loop News website features a heartfelt goodbye.
“They say all good things must come to an end and so it is, that after 11 years of proudly serving the Caribbean as a trusted media partner, Loop News is today announcing the end of our operations”
Enter BACKCOURT — The Opportunity
When I was first launching BACKCOURT and defining our market positioning, I did what most founders would do: I built a market map.
I identified the Caribbean region and the business of sports as key differentiators for BACKCOURT’s content.
While the market is crowded with global sports coverage, SportsMax stood out as the clear leader in the Caribbean market.
Their closure now creates a massive opportunity.
If you’re a Caribbean sports creator, this is your sign to launch that brand you’ve been thinking about.
Final Thoughts
Digicel’s shift left Caribbean sports behind, but BACKCOURT won’t.
SportsMax didn’t get shut down because Caribbean sports lack potential. It got shut down because of its broadcast and ad-dependent business model.
Sports is now digital and mobile-first.
Caribbean sports fans need a brand that meets them where they are and understands the sports ecosystem as a business and as a culture.
But Caribbean sports fans don’t just need BACKCOURT, they deserve it.
Until next time ✌🏾
Does your brand align with Caribbean sports, business, and culture? Let’s work together.