Playback
Playback was a social live streaming platform that let sports creators legally stream NBA and MLB games via official league partnerships, monetizing through subscriptions, chat features, and advertising. The company shut down in December 2025 after raising $22 million.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersSan Ramon, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Playback does
Playback was a social live streaming platform positioned as 'Twitch for sports,' founded in 2023 and based in San Ramon, California. The company enabled sports content creators to legally stream live NBA and MLB games through official league partnerships, addressing copyright constraints that prevented similar activity on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok. Core product features included interactive watchalongs that allowed fans and creators to view games together with social engagement, and a complementary Playback Rewards ad-tech layer providing loyalty and targeting capabilities for performance advertisers. The platform was co-founded by CEO RJ Halperin and CTO Ari Borensztein and operated with a team of 1-10 employees.
Playback monetized through three revenue streams: recurring user subscriptions, transaction-fee-based interactive chat features during live streams, and advertising aimed at sports-focused brands seeking reach among digitally-native sports fans. Distribution was direct-to-consumer via a self-serve global digital platform, with top-of-funnel growth driven by creator community networks, official league partnerships with the NBA and MLB, and earned media generated by high-profile venture backers.
The company raised $22 million in a March 2025 Series A led by Seven Seven Six (Alexis Ohanian), with participation from NBA Investments, Khosla Ventures, and Soma Capital. Despite the strong capital backing and league-level content rights, Playback announced its shutdown in December 2025, citing insurmountable obstacles in securing live sports rights and competing in the complex live video ecosystem. In March 2026, the Playback Rewards technology was acquired by Entravision Communications for integration into its Adwake performance advertising platform, and the company's team was absorbed into Disney Entertainment and ESPN's product and technology organization.
Playback firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Playback
- Website
- https://getplayback.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Playback was a social live streaming platform that let sports creators legally stream NBA and MLB games via official league partnerships, monetizing through subscriptions, chat features, and advertising. The company shut down in December 2025 after raising $22 million.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Playback industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Live Sports Streaming
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Live Streaming Platforms (MPACACAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Social/Creator-Led Sports Live Streaming & Watch-Alongs (MPAKAOAI)
Keywords
Where Playback is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Ramon
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Playback business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Subscription Revenue: Monetization through user subscriptions for premium content access
- Chat and Engagement Features: Revenue generated through interactive chat features during live streams
- Advertising: Advertiser partnerships targeting digitally-native sports fans
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Playback product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Playback operated a social live streaming platform for sports that enabled content creators to legally stream live NBA and MLB games through official league partnerships. The platform featured interactive watchalongs and creator-driven content aimed at digitally-native sports fans, monetized through subscriptions, chat interactions, and advertising.
Product overview
Playback operated as a unified sports livestreaming platform offering social viewing features for sports fans and content creators. The platform enabled legal live game streaming through partnerships with major leagues (NBA, MLB), supporting interactive watchalongs and creator-driven content. The company raised $22 million in Series A funding from Seven Seven Six, Khosla Ventures, and NBA Investments. Playback has since shut down (December 2025), with its team absorbed by ESPN/Disney (March 2026) and its Rewards technology acquired by Entravision Communications for Adwake.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Playback Sports Streaming Platform A social live streaming platform for sports that enabled content creators to legally stream live NBA and MLB games through official league partnerships, with interactive watchalong features for digitally-native sports fans.
- Playback Rewards
Quantifiable outcome
- Platform enabled streaming of NBA and MLB content legally
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Playback
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Playback technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Playback partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- ESPN / Disney EntertainmentcoreFollowing Playback's shutdown in December 2025, the company's team was absorbed by ESPN and Disney's product and technology team. While Disney clarified this was not technically an acquisition, the move reflects competition for interactive sports streaming expertise. ESPN gains access to Playback's expertise in watchalongs and creator-driven content.
- Entravision Communications / AdwakecoreEntravision Communications acquired Playback Rewards' core technology, platform, and product IP assets to integrate into its performance advertising platform Adwake. The acquisition strengthens loyalty rewards and targeting capabilities, enabling advertisers to reach high-intent users and optimize campaigns toward higher Return On Ad Spend.
- NBA (National Basketball Association)flagshipOfficial partnership with the NBA enabling content creators to legally stream NBA games on the platform, providing exclusive content access for the platform's community of sports fans and creators.
- MLB (Major League Baseball)flagshipOfficial partnership with Major League Baseball enabling legal streaming of MLB games, expanding the platform's sports content portfolio alongside the NBA partnership.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Playback competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DAZN:
- Twitch: Twitch is the dominant live streaming platform for interactive creator content and the model Playback explicitly referenced as 'Twitch for sports.' Comparable in social live streaming mechanics, chat, and creator monetization, though Twitch does not hold major US league rights and operates at gaming-first scale.
- ESPN+: ESPN+ is the subscription sports streaming arm of Disney/ESPN and the de facto incumbent that absorbs the largest share of US sports streaming demand. Comparable as a destination for live sports rights and now the home of the Playback team's expertise.
Direct peers
- Buzzer: Buzzer is a mobile-first live sports streaming platform focused on microlive moments, highlight clips, and creator-driven sports content — directly comparable to Playback's interactive watchalong and legal streaming thesis, particularly around rights-driven, mobile-native sports viewing.
- Loco: Loco is a creator-driven live streaming platform out of India covering esports, sports, and IRL — comparable to Playback in business model (creator-led watchalongs, interactive chat, sponsorship-led monetization) and in pairing league/sports rights with creator distribution.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Playback social profiles
Digital presencePlayback financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Playback leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Playback funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Playback M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Playback
What does Playback do?
Playback operated a social live streaming platform for sports that enabled content creators to legally stream live NBA and MLB games through official league partnerships. The platform featured interactive watchalongs and creator-driven content aimed at digitally-native sports fans, monetized through subscriptions, chat interactions, and advertising.
Is Playback a public or private company?
Playback is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was Playback founded?
Playback was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Playback based?
Playback is headquartered in San Ramon, United States, in the North America region.
How does Playback make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Revenue is the primary driver. The others are chat and Engagement Features and advertising.
Who are Playback's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DAZN, Twitch and ESPN+. Direct peers are Buzzer and Loco.
Does Playback have an API?
No public API is recorded for Playback.
What industry is Playback in?
Playback's product category is Social Live Sports Streaming. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACACAF, Sports Live Streaming Platforms, with a secondary code of MPAKAOAI, Social/Creator-Led Sports Live Streaming & Watch-Alongs. Its NAICS code is 516210 and its SIC code is 4833.