Genius Sports is entering a long-term partnership with the Canadian Football League (CFL).
As of Jan. 2022, the deal will see the data and technology provider offer a range of services to the CFL.
In return, the B2B provider will have the exclusive rights to leverage CFL’s data and video content for commercial purposes.
Genius Sports has other distribution deals with properties like the National Football League (NFL) and the English Premier League.
Furthermore, Genius will acquire a minority stake in CFL Ventures, the CFL’s new commercial arm. It will enable the company to benefit from any international growth the league experiences, “strategically and financially.”
New partnership model
“By providing the CFL with an incredible range of sports technology solutions, Genius Sports is setting a new precedent for sports partnerships,” said Genius Sports’ CEO Mark Locke.
“Together, we will revolutionize the entire CFL product, delivering truly immersive experiences for their existing fans and attracting new audiences who crave year-round, top-flight football action.”
To power the league’s digital infrastructure, Genius will utilize its recent acquisitions of FanHub, Second Spectrum, Spirable and Sportzcast.
This deal includes live broadcast augmentation, advanced data tracking tools, and targeted and personalized fan engagement solutions. Cross-platform streaming capabilities, play-by-play and scoreboard data collection technology, coaching analytics products, and integrity services are also in the mix.
Landmark deal
“Our partnership with Genius Sports has the potential to launch a new era for the CFL,” league commissioner Randy Ambrosie said.
“It provides access to the technology and tools we need to engage our existing fans and reach new ones in exciting, innovative and highly customized ways,” he added.
“This goes beyond transforming our marketing. It can redefine our relationship with fans, partners and other key stakeholders, here in Canada and globally.”
When FanDuel became one of the NFL’s official sports betting partners in April 2021, Genius advanced as well. Around the same time, they became the league’s exclusive live streaming partner and distributor of official play-by-play stats.
Genius Sports’ services fall into three key products areas;
- sports technology and services,
- betting technology, content and services,
- media technology, content and services.
Geographically, Genius Sports derives most of the revenue from Europe.
