Sportradar and Genius Sports are breathing a sigh of relief after learning that the NBA is going to keep both of the sports data suppliers around a little longer. There had been concerns that the league might dump one or the other, especially in light of reduced revenue caused by COVID-19, but the NBA has announced that there isn’t any need to make changes to the existing structure. Both companies have been working with the NBA since just after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down politicians in 2018 when they took away the U.S. Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA).
As a result of the league’s decision, Sportradar and Genius Sports will be able to continue their non-exclusive activity of distributing NBA and WNBA betting data to any licensed sports gambling operator in the U.S. There are now over 20 operators in the country with existing partnerships with the league, and NBA Senior Vice President, Head of Fantasy & Gaming Scott Kaufman-Ross states, “Over the past two seasons Sportradar and Genius Sports Group have been sources for official NBA betting data, which is crucial for authorized gaming operators and ultimately fans who engage with NBA and WNBA games through betting. The U.S. sports betting industry has recognized the value of official data, particularly for in-play betting, and these extensions will ensure operators continue to have access to our real-time feed as sports betting develops throughout the U.S.”
The sports gambling industry in the U.S. is maturing quickly, with now almost half of the states in the union offering some type of sports gambling. A handful more are set to find out if their residents want to legalize the activity through the elections that are going on now, and at least four states could be added to the growing list within the next year. As local governments are scrambling to find revenue that was lost due to COVID-19, the idea of opening regulated sports gambling markets becomes more appealing.
Sportradar Head of Global Strategic Partnerships Steve Byrd adds of the continued relationship with the NBA, “We are pleased to extend our partnership with the NBA for official NBA betting data in the U.S. market. As legalized sports betting expands into more states and grows in popularity overall, this presents us with a tremendous opportunity to continue spearheading cutting-edge NBA feeds and betting products for operators, while redefining the customer experience for the fans.”
Genius Sports is just as happy, with CEO Mark Locke stating, “We are delighted that the NBA has chosen to extend its official data partnership with Genius Sports Group in the U.S. We look forward to providing official NBA data, alongside our advanced in-game NBA betting products and services, to sportsbooks across the U.S. We are world renowned for driving innovation in basketball sports betting and this extended partnership reaffirms our commitment to delivering a first-class betting experience for NBA fans.”
