ESPN Helps The Active Network Raise $80 Million More

The Active Network, a network of sites focused on getting people involved in sports and other activities, has raised an additional $80 million in a Series F round led by ESPN and joined by Canaan Partners, North Bridge Venture Partners, and Performance Equity Partners.

The round brings San Diego-based company’s total to over $275 million since its founding in 1998 as a registration site for endurance races (we’re still tracking down all the rounds for CrunchBase).

While its main property, Active.com, delivers the bulk of its traffic with 17 million registered users and almost 1.3 million uniques per month (according to internal stats), network properties also include Eteamz, LaxPower, and CoolRunning.

We’re told that The Active Network’s total revenue in 2007 exceeded $102 million. Since the beginning of 2007, the company has made 11 acquisitions intended to help it branch out into new markets such as camping and education.

This is not the first time ESPN has invested in The Active Network, which focuses on the participatory side of sports rather than the spectator side. In 2006, ESPN invested more than $20 million in an attempt to diversify its business away from news and editorial. As part of its relationship with The Active Network, ESPN runs advertising campaigns and places its logo on the network’s sites.

The Active Network makes most of its money through transaction fees for event registrations. The network facilitated over 10 million transactions in 2007 alone.