Graphic: AHL
The American Hockey League has signed an exclusive sports betting deal with Genius Sports that encompasses both gambling data and live video. The deal comes as Canada’s government prepares to legalize single-game wagering.
Under the partnership, Genius Sports will have exclusive rights to capture live data from AHL games and sell it to sportsbooks across the globe. Genius will also have the ability to sell livestreams to more than 1,200 AHL events per year, giving sports betting operators the opportunity to pair live odds with live video.
“Our goal is to deliver the excitement and quality of AHL hockey to fans worldwide and to engage with them as effectively in the manner that suits them best,” Chris Nikolis, the AHL’s executive vice president for business, said in a statement.
The announcement comes just one week after the Canadian government adopted a bill that would strike down the country’s ban on single-game sports betting.
MORE FROM AHL AND GENIUS SPORTS GROUP
With 31 teams across the United States and Canada and affiliations with every NHL team, the AHL showcases some of the most talented young ice hockey players and coaches in the world. This exclusive partnership with Genius Sports Group will provide the league with a platform to expand its global audience, delivering data and live streams for betting purposes to sportsbook operators in the U.S. and globally.
As the trusted data partner to many of the largest organizations in world sport, including the NBA and the English Premier League, Genius Sports Group will have the exclusive rights to capture, for betting purposes, real-time team and player statistics from inside all 31 AHL arenas.
The AHL’s official data will power Genius Sports Group’s live trading models and proprietary algorithms which will be offered alongside live broadcasts for over 1,200 events a year. This agreement bolsters Genius Sports Group’s ever-expanding portfolio of sports events, which now includes over 240,000 each year.
“We are excited about our partnership with Genius Sports,” said Chris Nikolis, Executive Vice President, Business for the AHL. “Our goal is to deliver the excitement and quality of AHL hockey to fans worldwide and to engage with them as effectively in the manner that suits them best. Genius Sports is an industry leader and we look forward to a long and successful relationship.”
Sean Conroy, Commercial Partnerships Director of Genius Sports Group, said: “This partnership exemplifies the unique value we deliver to our sports and sportsbook partners in the U.S. and worldwide. With the right technology partner, sports leagues can proactively engage with the regulated betting industry to drive new revenues, increase engagement and expand their global audience. Simultaneously, our sportsbook partners benefit from our ever-expanding portfolio of premium data and video content. With regulated betting continuing to spread across the U.S., the AHL has recognized a unique opportunity to accelerate its global growth and we are excited to be working alongside such a dynamic league.”
On October 27, 2020, GSG entered into a business combination agreement with dMY Technology Group II, Inc. (NYSE: DMYD.U, DMYD and DMYD.TS) to drive its expansion as a leading provider of official data and technology powering the global sports, betting and media ecosystem. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company expects its ordinary shares and warrants to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols GENI and GENI WS, respectively.
By Jon Sorensen
