Irish experience and entertainment group FUEL has acquired 53Six, the sports marketing agency with offices in Dublin and London, as it looks to expand its capabilities and grow internationally.
53Six will retain its existing brand and continue to be led by co-founders Tom Fox, chief executive, and Marcus McDonnell, chief operating officer. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
The deal brings together FUEL’s live events, entertainment and content production business with 53Six’s expertise in sports marketing, performance media and audience data.
Founded in 2016, 53Six provides strategy, creative, content, performance media and data services to brands and sports rights holders. Its client portfolio includes Arsenal, Juventus, the FAI, Leinster Rugby, the IRFU, Jacksonville Jaguars, Flutter and UEFA.
FUEL was founded in 2013 by Jamie Deasy and Brian McDermott. Headquartered in Dublin, with teams in the US and UK, the group delivers more than 650 experiences and events across 55 cities worldwide. Its clients include PayPal, Coca-Cola, Google, Meta, Airbnb, Universal Music Group, World Rugby and Amgen.
The group also operates WellFest, Beyond the Pale and Kaleidoscope, the latter in partnership with Festival Republic, Live Nation and MCD.
Jamie Deasy, co-founder and managing director of FUEL, said the acquisition would create opportunities for both businesses to expand internationally.
“We’re delighted to welcome 53Six into the FUEL group. We’ve known Tom, Marcus, and the team for some time, and there’s a very strong cultural fit and shared ambition between our two companies,” he said.
“53Six brings deep expertise in sport, performance marketing, and audience intelligence, while FUEL brings scale across live experiences, entertainment, and high-end content production.
“Together, we are building an end-to-end global growth engine for clients around fandom, combining world class live experiences and content with the fan-data and insight to demonstrate their impact, while creating significant growth opportunities for both businesses internationally.”
Recent projects delivered by FUEL include U2’s 50th-anniversary celebration with Universal Music Group and Full Stop Management, an AI-powered fan village at the Amgen Irish Open, World Cup fan zones for Budweiser, global conferences for Coca-Cola and the Irish premiere of Gladiator II.
53Six’s recent work includes digital media campaigns for TEG Sport, supporting multiple sell-out fixtures, including a record attendance for the Irish women’s rugby team’s first game at the Aviva Stadium.
The agency also developed an integrated World Cup campaign for Betfair in Spain, fronted by brand ambassador Luis Figo. Its ongoing work with Leinster Rugby combines storytelling with the implementation of a customer data platform designed to strengthen supporter loyalty and support commercial growth.
Tom Fox, co-founder and chief executive of 53Six, said international expansion was a central consideration in choosing a partner.
“We were looking for a strategic partner that understood how sport and live experiences are increasingly interconnected, and could further accelerate our growth internationally,” he said.
“Since day one, we’ve believed in the power of sport to create meaningful shared experiences, and in today’s world, that belief feels more relevant than ever.”
The companies said the acquisition reflects the growing overlap between live experiences, sport and culture, with brands and rights holders seeking to build communities and maintain relationships with fans beyond individual events.
Marcus McDonnell, co-founder and chief operating officer of 53Six, said: “Our capabilities are highly complementary: 53Six brings the sharp end of sports marketing, FUEL brings scale across experiences and high-end production, and together we share expertise in content and creative.
“That’s a genuinely different proposition for the industry and we are excited to join the FUEL group for this next chapter.”
