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Genius Sports extend UK betting data deal with FootballCo
Genius Sports has won the bidding war to extend its official betting data partnership with Football DataCo (FDC), which holds data rights to the English Premier League (EPL).
The deal – which is set to expire this year – is close to being extended by an additional five-year term from 2025 to 2029.
With this deal, Genius will continue to collect, license and distribute official live betting data from the English Premier League.
Genius Sports is a UK based sports data company that provides data management, video streaming and integrity services to sports leagues, bookmakers and media companies.
The company was founded in 2016 and very quickly rose to prominence with huge deals in multiple countries across many sports. These include NCAA Basketball, NASCAR and NFL in America on top of their deals with FIBA and Canadian Football League. The company specialise in Football, controlling multiple leagues in the UK as well as the Argentina Superliga and all three German Football divisions.
Genius Sports in collaboration with FDC will continue to take over data in all FDC-licenced leagues such as the Championship, League One and League Two, as well as all leagues overseen by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), including the Scottish Premiership.
This new deal will see Genius Sports continue to distribute data from over 4,000 UK football fixtures per season in both the media and betting sectors.
Opta currently also have a partnership with Football DataCo, and they deal with distributing data to league media teams to use but they don’t delve in the betting market like Genius does.
In 2023, Genius Data saw a 31.1% rise in revenue in their Betting Technology, Content & Services segment which was responsible for over AU$418.8 mil in total revenue.
The sports data and technology business said the deal is still subject to approval from the leagues and their respective clubs.
Whilst the gambling data distribution has moral implications in itself, this deal isn’t all negative for viewers, with Genius also continuing to work hand in hand with Premier League Productions to enhance live broadcasts for fans with a range of interesting analytics that will heighten the overall viewing experience.
CTN are a Finnish-based technology company dedicated to providing cutting-edge devices that assist in optimal recovery.
The importance of recovery across the lives of athletes, professional, semi-professional and amateur sport participants is at the forefront of the Finnish outfits’ ideologies.
The link between completing a recovery routine and long-term health is often overlooked. As the specialists in (cold) cryotherapy devices, CRT are looking to bridge the gap between the two aspects; Making recovery more convenient and effective for people across the globe.
Developments in the advancement of their current technology are compounded by the creation of new devices. The sole mission of the company is to ultimately promote recovery efficiency while improving the well-being of its users, all from the comfort of their own home through a vast number of alternating recovery devices.
The devices have many uses. Not only used as a form of pain relief, but can be used as a form of prevention for injuries, reduction of stress, prevention of illness, and to slow the human ageing process.
As the official partner of the Finnish Olympic Committee, the company is active in multiple professional sports and physical activity body’s around the globe – none more involved than the global phenomenon of football.
CTN’s headquarters.
Footballers of today’s current generation are under enormous physical endurance pressures. In 2020, a determined and willing 18-year-old by the name of Pedri, within his maiden season with Barcelona, had played 75 games of football for both the Catalonian based outfit, and the Spanish national team. It was an effort in which was mirrored by Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, who amassed 74 games.
With the installation of new tournaments and competitions on both a domestic and international scale, the athletic performance of a footballer has never been more crucial.
The workload involved in playing at the highest level without recovery could simply not occur.
The embodiment of this is showcased through current Chelsea FC defender and Brazilian legend Thiago Silva, who partnered with CTR in 2023.
The 39-year-old centre back is well and truly in the twilight stages of his decorated playing career. Working in conjunction with CTR as a promoter of the technology company, he is an avid user of several high-quality devices all from the comfort of his own home.
For magnetic muscle stimulation, the X-Tone device is applied to muscles in need of repair. This occurs after they’ve been used to their highest capacity.
Muscle strength and endurance is achieved through the X-TONE’s non-invasive yet effective magnetic muscle stimulation.
Development of the muscle is fast tracked through immense stimulation, stimulating the targeted muscle area with over 20,000 contractions over a 30 minute session.
There are a vast variety of benefits for athletes found in exposing the body to artic like cold temperatures in small bursts.
The reduction of inflammation, pain relief and improvement of circulation, alongside sustaining mental sharpness are just some of the many benefits found in cryotherapy.
Cryotherapy in the form of ice baths have been a focal point of athletic recovery for generations.
Through this new exciting innovation, gone are the days where athletes have to hobble to the shops to purchase ice bags to use in the shallow bath hub at home, as their ‘ice bath’.
With an understated acknowledgment of the current peak physical condition required for footballers to fulfil their playing obligations, it has reached high capacity. Devices crafted by a company dedicated to an athlete’s recovery are frankly commodities which must be utilised by those who wish to participate at their optimal athletic level.
CTN devices are evidently fundamental for a players recovery and longevity. It was no surprise to find that consummate professional Thiago Silva uses the Finnish company’s products.
Nearing 40 yet being physically able to play on a weekly basis in arguably the best league in the world, is a feat not achieved without having proven variables surrounding the player.
Going forward, are we going to see more players within the Thiago Silva plethora by extending their careers through the use of advanced recovery technology?
American firm 777 Partners are nearing the completion of their takeover at Everton after a long seven-month process is heading towards its conclusion.
As reported by TEAMtalk, 777 sources have confirmed that they have now passed the Premier League’s Owners’ and Directors Test on the basis that they pay back an outstanding loan to MSP Sports Capital.
The firm are not expecting an imminent announcement from the Premier League but as mentioned, are confident that the takeover will be finalised around May time, ready for the all-important summer window.
However, Everton are keeping their options open and are actively looking at backup options in case this deal falters at the last minute. It remains a real interesting story that has mixed reports and an air of scepticism about it.
MSP and two Liverpool-based businessmen Andy Bell and George Downing loaned Everton £158m ($303m AUD) which was due to be returned on Monday this week.
A short-term extension of the loan – taken out by majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri but which 777 have to pay if their takeover is to proceed – has been agreed in principle.
777 have stakes in many other clubs around Europe and the world including Hertha Berlin, Genoa, Standard Liege and A-League giant Melbourne Victory.
There is little doubt that there are mixed results regarding the clubs they takeover with a few angry protests and controversies shining the light on a potential shaky move that Everton couldn’t afford to go wayward.
At German side Hertha Berlin, they say that they ‘don’t have as much control as they would like’ and ‘haven’t been able to make the changes they would like there’, hindered by the German rules on ownership.
After the German side’s relegation last season from the Bundesliga and slow start to life in the 2. Bundesliga this season, there were many fan protests and banners attacking 777 owner Josh Wander however the cub have managed to steer the ship this season and sit in 7th place with four games remaining.
777 believe that they have done a good job with Italian club Genoa, however, who were promoted back into the Serie A last season under their stewardship.
They managed to improve finances, particularly through smart transfers like buying Radu Dragusin for £4.3m ($8.25m AUD) and selling him on to Tottenham just a year later for a huge fee of £26.7m ($51.25m AUD).
777 have missed payments on occasion at Standard Liege, but they have since been paid. They claim that they are battling against the financial mismanagement of previous owners and have lifted the carpet at the Belgian side to find many skeletons.
For Everton, after two points deductions that added up to eight points, the key for this move to run smoothly is to remain a top flight club in 2024/25 which they are in a fantastic position to do so after a controversial 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on the weekend.
Everton will ‘not be a closed shop’ once they take control of the club and they aim to build their income and sustainability in the years.
It also leaves an interesting discussion as to Everton’s transfer strategy following their strict FFP rules that can’t be broken again.
The firm, led by CEO Josh Wander, intend to back the Toffees’ sporting director Kevin Thelwell and are hoping to strengthen the side this summer.
They do concede that the sale of key players such as Amadou Onana, Jarrad Branthwaite and Jordan Pickford may be required to balance the books, however.
777 claim they will do everything they can to avoid a third points deduction which would be placed on the club in 2024/25.
They also say that they will put a big focus on improving the Merseyside club’s academy, insisting that it will be utilised “correctly” and hope to have more homegrown talent break into the first team.
With the new stadium built and ready to go in 2025/26, the revenue streams will improve and there is a tiny light at the end of the tunnel, as long as the Toffees can continue to do their job on the pitch and secure the Premier League broadcasting money that is required to pay off loans and debt.
Despite the very loud outside noise and criticism, 777 remain calm about the debt being paid off before the deadline and the deal will be finalised.
777’s history and mixed results at other clubs leave this one in the air, and despite fans not wanting this move to occur, it could be one that saves Everton from a worst case scenario of administration after years of financial hardship.
