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Genius Sports acquires Second Spectrum, the official data tracking and analytics provider of the EPL, NBA, and MLS

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Acquisition of industry-leading data tracking and visualization platform to enhance real-time data collection, analytics and live streaming capabilities

  • Adds best-in-class artificial intelligence technology team as well as computer vision and machine learning products allowing Genius Sports to capture richer, faster, and more accurate tracking data
  • World’s most advanced tracking technology to revolutionize the fan experience with augmented video, real-time data insights and predictive analytics across digital streaming platforms
  • Expected to unlock significant future growth potential at Second Spectrum through integration with Genius Sports’ global network of sports, betting and media relationships and expected capabilities
  • Enhances Genius Sports’ existing portfolio with highly complementary blue-chip client base
  • Builds on Genius Sports’ track record of successfully acquiring and scaling innovative companies, including Sportzcast Inc. in December 2020 and FanHub in 2021

Genius Sports Limited, the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Second Spectrum, a leading provider of cutting-edge data tracking and visualization solutions.

This acquisition combines two of the world’s most innovative sports data and technology companies to create a complete end-to-end offering for the sports, betting and media ecosystem.

Second Spectrum was founded in 2013 and has become a world-leading and fully integrated sports AI provider, offering tracking, analytics and data visualization services. Second Spectrum’s innovative technology allows clients to automatically index action on the court, pitch or field within seconds. With the world’s most advanced player tracking technology, teams, leagues, media and data partners are able to gain real-time insights; driving decision making and greater levels of engagement.

The aggregate purchase price for the acquisition is $200 million, subject to customary adjustments. The purchase price will be paid at closing in cash and shares of Genius Sports common stock. Consummation of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and expected to take place in the second quarter of 2021. The business is expected to be EBITDA positive post-integration and additional details and quantification on synergies will be provided in Genius Sports’ upcoming Q1 earnings call.

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With Second Spectrum’s unique capabilities, Genius Sports will offer new levels of rich data-driven insights to its partners around the world, benefiting leagues, federations, teams, fans, coaches, sportsbooks, broadcasters and sponsors. The acquisition is expected to accelerate Genius Sports’ convergence of sports, betting and media to power the fan experience of the future, combining Genius Sports’ streaming capabilities with Second Spectrum’s interactive broadcast solutions which integrate advanced data with augmented video content.

The combined offering of Genius Sports’ existing products, extensive network, and operational scale with Second Spectrum’s highly innovative tracking and video augmentation products will create richer, more valuable official sports data and drive fan engagement with a compelling experience that combines real-time data, and analytics with innovative augmented video streaming and personalized content.

Second Spectrum will also bring a highly complementary client base, building on Genius Sports’ official data partnerships with over 400 sports organizations, including the NFL, MLB, EPL and NCAA. Second Spectrum is the official tracking provider of the EPL, NBA, and MLS, using advanced AI capabilities and computer vision technology to capture precise ball and player location-based data. In addition to these relationships, Second Spectrum has partnerships with ESPN, BT Sport, and Bally Sports to offer augmented reality features for select soccer and basketball games. The business has also formed partnerships with leading sports franchises, including The Los Angeles Clippers, to provide new content and revolutionize the fan viewing experience.

“Genius is committed to capturing and distributing the fastest, most accurate and secure official sports data. This acquisition supports our long-term strategic vision of utilizing AI tracking, enhanced data insights and transformative technology to revolutionize the sports data landscape for the fans, our customers and sports and media partners,” said Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke. “Adding additional fan engagement technology to our already diverse and cutting-edge portfolio of products and services will create compelling, unique content, that will transform user experiences and create additional revenue streams for our customers. We are delighted to welcome Rajiv and his team to the Genius Sports family.”

“We are thrilled to join the Genius Sports family,” said Second Spectrum CEO Rajiv Maheswaran. “Mark and his incredible team have built the fastest growing sports data platform on the planet by better serving sports leagues, fans and their partners by leveraging technology in novel and compelling ways. Second Spectrum’s mission to be at the forefront of innovation in the sports ecosystem in combination with the scale and drive of Genius Sports will rapidly accelerate how content is created and experienced and bring significant value for our partners and clients.“

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On April 20, 2021, Genius Sports completed its previously announced business combination (the “Business Combination”) with dMY Technology Group, Inc. II (“dMY II”). The Business Combination was approved at a special meeting of dMY II’s stockholders held Friday, April 16. Beginning on Wednesday, April 21, 2021, Genius Sports’ ordinary shares and warrants began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the ticker symbols “GENI” and “GENI WS”, respectively. With over $145 million in cash and no financial debt on the balance sheet, Genius Sports is poised to continue to capitalize on the considerable growth expected in the global online sports betting market.

An O’Melveny & Myers LLP team led by partners Charles Baker, Tobias Knapp and Amy Siegel, advised Genius Sports on the Second Spectrum acquisition and the company’s recently announced NFL data rights transaction.

LionTree Advisors acted as exclusive financial advisor to Second Spectrum and Oakvale Capital LLP acted as exclusive financial advisor to Genius Sports.

 

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Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform

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Stats Perform, the global leader in sports AI, data and technology, has announced an official data partnership with the Northern Super League (NSL). The partnership will allow world-leading Opta data to be collected live from every NSL league game for the next three years.

Beginning this month, the Northern Super League (NSL) establishes a new era in Canadian sport as the country’s first professional domestic women’s soccer league — an ambitious and transformative initiative co-founded by former Canadian international and Olympic medallist Diana Matheson. Its inaugural season kicks off on April 16 and will feature six teams who have assembled multinational player rosters with extensive club and international experience, including 100-cap Canadian internationals Desiree Scott and Quinn.

Once the action begins, detailed data from every on-ball event, including advanced AI-powered Opta Analytics metrics such as Expected Goals (xG) and Expected Assists (xA), will be captured and distributed via feeds and Stats Perform products, including OptaAI Studio. This will enable various broadcasters, publishers and rights holders to generate stories and insights throughout the NSL season and provide them straight to the league’s fans in real time.

As part of the agreement, the NSL’s League Office and every NSL club will also have access to Opta Search, part of OptaAI Studio. This will allow their content creators to leverage all Opta data collected during the NSL season in the creation of data-led stories on the stand-out performers, and will help them generate key talking points for publication on official league and club platforms. Opta Search will also empower the NSL’s media team to create a range of data visualizations, including player shot maps and touch maps, to visually illustrate the impact of different players’ on-field performances.

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Christina Litz, NSL President, said: “We are thrilled to have Stats Perform on board as our official data partner. When we talk about detailed performance data in soccer, Opta is the gold standard, so we are delighted to have it powering each of our official digital channels. As the season progresses, we want to put the spotlight on all the on-field heroes who emerge and having access to world-class data will help us tell their stories and inspire a new generation of Canadian soccer fans.”

Steve Xeller, Chief Revenue Officer at Stats Perform, said: “Stats Perform has been a huge supporter of expansion leagues around the world, so we are very pleased to be partnering with NSL in the lead-up to their first domestic campaign. Seeing a fully professional women’s soccer league launch in Canada is an incredibly exciting development for the sport in North America and we see considerable potential in working proactively with the League’s Head Office to help the competition grow, using the power of AI and data-led storytelling to build fan communities across the continent.”

The post Northern Super League Partners with Stats Perform appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER

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Leading B2B games provider, Incentive Games, today announced its new agreement with premium gaming company and content provider Light & Wonder, Inc.

Through this agreement, Incentive Games will distribute its premium pay-to-play games – including new arcade-style titles – to key global regulated markets including the USA, Canada, South Africa, UK, and within Europe via Light & Wonder’s extensive operator network. Additionally, Incentive Games’ popular free-to-play content will be made available to a wider audience through Light & Wonder’s content marketplace.

The agreement brings together two industry leaders in iGaming and the strengths of both companies to deliver exceptional player experiences and elevate customer engagement.

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Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games said, “This agreement is a landmark moment in our company’s history. Previously, we’ve worked directly with major operators such as bet365, FanDuel, and Sky Bet. Now, we can distribute our games via Light & Wonder, an exceptional aggregator that we trust will handle our games with care.”

Steve Mayes, Senior Director of Partners at Light & Wonder, said: “We are excited to work with Incentive Games, a leader in gamification solutions. We look forward to leveraging their innovative platform and bringing their customisable crash and fast game content to all major regulated markets.”

The post INCENTIVE GAMES SIGNS EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL FOR NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND UK WITH LIGHT & WONDER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Aaron LaBerge

PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone iCasino App, theScore Casino, in Ontario

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PENN Entertainment announced that it has launched theScore Casino, a new stand-alone iCasino app in Ontario. The dedicated online casino experience leverages the popular theScore brand, which has been a mainstay in the Ontario market for decades. Now available on Android, iOS, and desktop, customers can login using their existing theScore Bet credentials, allowing for a seamless experience across online gaming platforms.

theScore Casino operates on the same cutting-edge proprietary technology platform as PENN’s online Hollywood Casino, which launched as a standalone product in the US in December. The product was recently ranked by Eilers & Krejcik as the #2 overall iCasino product in the US.

theScore Casino, also available within theScore Bet app, offers a variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer content, including original titles from PENN Game Studios, the company’s in-house game development studio. theScore Casino also includes bespoke live dealer tables and exclusive games such as Blue Jays Blackjack, an original title leveraging theScore Bet’s partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“We’re excited to introduce our dedicated iCasino product in Ontario under the well-known and trusted theScore brand. We’ve built a strong online gaming foothold in the Ontario market and are primed to deliver an even better casino experience with our proven stand-alone app. Our customer-friendly platform features more than 1200 games, dozens of original titles and intuitive game play that distinguishes our product and positions us for even greater success,” said Aaron LaBerge, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Interactive at PENN Entertainment.

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The post PENN Entertainment Launches Stand-alone iCasino App, theScore Casino, in Ontario appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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