CounterPress announces significant equity sale as business prepares to scale in 2025/26
Richard Davey, the founder of Law Business Research, and Nick Moakes, until recently Chief Investment Officer at the Wellcome Trust, have acquired an equal share.
CounterPress Media is delighted to announce the sale of a significant equity stake in the business to angel investors.
CounterPress is a technology-enabled solution for the sports media industry, providing the tools for journalists and content creators to build and manage all aspects of an independent outlet from a single dashboard.
CounterPress gives users the power to create and illustrate editorial content, manage subscription payments and user data, analyse audiences and trends, generate e-marketing and editorial email campaigns, and earn from commercial deals.
An expert consulting team is on hand to help outlet owners develop their brands, provide service to customers, and develop new skills thanks to a bespoke learning environment.
"Local sports journalism has suffered badly in the digital era with the decline of local papers. The market is ripe for disruption and CounterPress has developed an exciting and innovative solution."
Nick Moakes
And, by networking all titles which sit on the platform under a collective subscription tier which pays out into a central pool, journalists have the opportunity to earn more than their market share.
Meanwhile, readers get increasing value for money on their subscriptions as the network expands.
CounterPress removes the layers of overheads demanded by old media models, providing freedom for journalists to earn money delivering high-quality content to communities which are rapidly becoming underserved by the legacy media.
Formed in 2024 by co-founders Sam Morshead, Jay Collett and Max Saunders, CounterPress’s flagship concept site – The Moonraker – has enjoyed a formidable first year of coverage of Swindon Town FC, with more than 500 paying subscribers (the equivalent of 7 per cent of the club’s average attendance) at any given time since late August.
"I’m delighted to have been invited to invest in another exciting technology-enabled subscription business, founded by an experienced team of journalists and technology specialists."
Richard Davey
And that success has seen two knowledgeable and experienced investors come on board to scale the platform.
Richard Davey, the founder of Law Business Research, a technology-enabled legal information service, and Nick Moakes, until recently Chief Investment Officer at the Wellcome Trust, have acquired an equal share of the business.
Both Davey and Moakes will join the CounterPress board in the coming weeks.
Morshead, the CounterPress chief executive, said: “At a time of considerable angst and cuts in the UK sports media, particularly in the regions, there is a huge market for a product which gives talented journalists the opportunity to provide a service their community demands and desires.
“CounterPress has been designed with two groups in mind – the community and the creators. It has the future benefit of sports journalists and their readers at heart.
“We’re very pleased, and incredibly grateful, to have received practical and financial support from Richard and Nick to begin to expand the product after our breakout first year in Swindon.”
Davey said: “I’m delighted to have been invited to invest in another exciting technology-enabled subscription business, founded by an experienced team of journalists and technology specialists.”
Moakes said: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to invest and join the board of CounterPress Media. Local sports journalism has suffered badly in the digital era with the decline of local papers.
The market is ripe for disruption and CounterPress has developed an exciting and innovative solution.”
The investment will allow CounterPress to scale considerably over the coming months.
Active conversations are under way with prospective customers across the country in different sports.
CounterPress will work closely with early adopters to develop the platform over the coming months.
For more information about CounterPress, and to have a conversation about becoming an outlet owner, get in touch today by emailing sam@counterpress.media.
Be a part of change.
Sam Morshead
Co Founder
Are you ready for journalism's new future? Get in touch today to find out how CounterPress can work for you.