NFL and Genius Sports Negotiate Ground-Breaking Data Deal

The NFL and Genius Sports have negotiated a sports data deal-making Genius the official data distributor for the league in the next four years.

Genius Sports to Distribute Official NFL Data

The National Football League (NFL) has signed a new data partnership with Genius Sports, with Genius stepping into the official data distributor position for the league. The deal constitutes a major success for Genius Sports as the NFL has announced plans to expand its regular season with a 17th game, meaning millions of dollars more for sportsbooks, associated businesses, and the league itself. 

Genius, though, will focus on what it does best – big data. As the official provider of sports data for NFL games, the company will offer and distribute real-time play-by-play statistics and send betting data feeds to media and sports betting firms to optimize the experience for both viewers and businesses.

The data will be distributed both on local markets as well as internationally. While the NFL has preferred to stay silent on the deal’s detail, CNBC has taken a stab at the potential value of the partnership, pinning its worth at $1 billion in the four years that the companies have agreed upon and should this deal extend by several years.

Genius Taps into NFL’s Full IP

NFL SVP of media strategy and business development Kevin LaForce spared no praise, welcoming Genius Sports into the NFL family. He added:

“We look forward to working with Genius as we continue to innovate and enhance NFL content on media and betting platforms.”

Genius will access a number of NFL assets, including live audio-visual game feeds, which will then be fed to various partners and specifically sportsbooks that stand to benefit a lot from having dependable data feeds to tap into. 

At the onset of regulated gambling in the United States in 2018, many leagues, including the NFL, were reluctant to endorse sports betting and even insisted that sportsbooks should pay a mandatory “integrity fee” that leagues would in turn use to guarantee the integrity of their games.

Forget Integrity Fees, It’s All About Big Data and Media 

The integrity fee never stuck, and major leagues have changed tact, entering the advertising space and striking media partnerships that allow them to sell their IP to media companies and sportsbooks, which in turn has driven strong revenue for their operations.

Examples of media partnerships in the betting space have been well-pronounced, with the likes of FoxBet and theScore, to name a few. Genius, though, will be equally invested in upholding the integrity of NFL games, with the company providing its dedicated integrity services to ensure the wholesomeness of games.

As the NFL is looking to expand further into sports betting, integrity will be a crucial part of its offer. Genius is one of the core providers of data for numerous gambling companies, including BetMGM, PointsBet, and FanDuel, to name a few.

Commenting on this success, Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke said the company was delighted to be teaming up with the NFL and begin “a new era of digital fan engagement and professional sports leagues everywhere.”

“Our technology leads the world in the convergence of official data, betting, streaming, and digital media, and we are excited to bring our unique capabilities to the world’s preeminent sports league,” Locke added paying his company’s technology due credit. 

Genius Sports went public through a merger with dMY Technology Group II in 2020.