Alloy Media Acquires Sports Site Takkle

Alloy Media and Marketing has acquired Takkle.com, a social networking site focused on high school athletes. The property has a largely male user base, which Alloy says will help balance out its mostly female audience.

Takkle lets high school athletes create player and team profiles, share videos and photos, and track statistics. It also allows students to connect with team coaches and college sports recruiters. The site covers multiple sports, including baseball, football, cycling, and more than 35 others.

Takkle will join Alloy’s other teen and youth-focused community Web sites, including Alloy.com, gURL.com (purchased from iVillage), Teen.com, and ChannelOne.com. Two years ago the company launched an ad network anchored by Teen.com. The firm also operates out-of-home and recruitment advertising businesses, along with other marketing services.

With the purchase, Alloy CEO Matthew Diamond hopes to even the gender imbalance on its network, which was previously about 60 percent female.

“The enhancement is on the boy’s side and the sports angle,” said Diamond. “Advertisers want something they can associate with athletics and premier athletes.”

Diamond said Alloy plans to stay focused on the youth market, but will consider additional acquisitions “if it fills a need we think advertisers are looking for.”

All employees of Takkle will continue to work for Alloy and may work on other Alloy projects. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.