CHICAGO, IL – OCTOBER 08: A detail view of a NFL Crest logo is seen on banner in game action during a NFL game between the Chicago Bears and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 8th, 2020, at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The National Football League announced its new sports betting data partnership on Thursday with Genius Sports Group, giving the company exclusive rights to sell the league’s data to sportsbooks.
Terms weren’t disclosed.
Although Genius is a huge company that provides data to more than 500 sports organizations in more than 150 countries, the change in provider comes as a shock to many in the industry.
Many had assumed that the league’s past partner, Sportradar, whose investors include Mark Cuban, Ted Leonsis and Michael Jordan, would be able to renew. Especially because the NFL is an investor in their business.
But, as first reported by Sportico, the NFL will now get equity with Genius.
The Action Network spoke to two sports betting executives whose companies used Sportradar, who said that the company didn’t inform them that they lost the deal.
It’s a bigger deal for some because if they didn’t have a previous deal with a provider who had a deal with Genius, the engineering challenge to match up their systems with what Genius is sending could become an issue. BetMGM, FanDuel and William Hill are Genius Sports clients and could have fewer challenges.
Like Sportradar, Genius will now represent the NFL in sports betting data negotiations in the US and abroad.
The Sportsradar deal for sports betting began in 2019.
