Firm creates 31 Galway jobs under Covers.com

GALWAY got a jobs boost yesterday with the news that 31 jobs for journalists and computer graduates are to be created by the world’s leading provider of online sports information.

Tánaiste Mary Harney confirmed yesterday that Comprehensive Sports Information (CSI) of Canada, an online sports news and statistics provider with its Covers.com website, will establish its European Operations Centre in Galway, following discussions with IDA Ireland.

The centre will be known as Covers Media Group and will manage CSI’s e-commerce operations. It will also serve as the headquarters for European expansion.

CSI is to create 31 high quality jobs over four years in content distribution, technical support, customer services, editorial and shared services.

With recruitment underway, the jobs will be mainly for graduates with skills in computer science, journalism and customer service and will be located at the Campus Innovation Centre, National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway.

Ms Harney, welcoming the centre, said the attraction of CSI to Ireland fit well with the Government’s strategies, implemented by IDA Ireland, for the future growth of the digital media sector and for regional development.

“It will act as a catalyst in attracting other companies in the digital media sector to consider Galway as a location for such activities,” Paul Lavers, founder of Comprehensive Sports said.

He continued: “Ireland is a great place to create a headquarters.”

The opening of Covers Media Group is the first major step in establishing the Covers.com brand outside North America.

In addition to creating and growing online sports properties for the European area, it will also have responsbility for managing existing e-commerce properties: Covers Experts and Consensus Club.