Weekly Newsletter 3/15
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INNOVATION IN ACTION
REVOLUTIONIZING COLLEGE SPORTS THROUGH DATA
In what is being billed as the first deal of its kind in the NCAA, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) has signed a statistical data partnership and sponsorship agreement with Genius Sports. The five-year agreement gives Genius Sports the rights to manage and market the stats for all sports in the conference. And it requires sports betting companies to pay for the MAC's data if they want official statistics in real-time, which are used to help set their betting lines. As the betting landscape within the United States continues to take shape, more and more players will look to grab their share of the market. This move by Genius allows the company to not only gain access into a growing market but also control the distribution of the data.
Sports Innovation Lab Events
GET TO KNOW A NEW FACE ON OUR TEAM
Join us in welcoming our newest team member Kristina Southam, Associate Director of Executive Engagement and Women's Initiatives. Kristina will be a great addition to our team and will be working closely with our clients to ensure they are receiving the best possible research and resources our team can provide them. We are lucky to have someone with Kristina's experience and expertise and are excited to have her in our Sports Innovation Lab family.
The Fan Project Spotlight
RIVALS COMING TOGETHER FOR A COMMON GOAL: MORE EXPOSURE
Just a few weeks removed from another classic battle for Olympic gold between the top women's hockey clubs in the world, US and Canada went at it again to add another chapter to the rivalry. Looking to build the momentum that came off the Olympics, the players were competing with a common goal this time: more exposure and opportunity for women’s hockey. Many of the world’s best expressed the need for more visibility after the Olympic Games in Beijing and the importance of establishing a top-tier product that can sustain the support of the sport during the four years between the Olympics. The tilt in Pittsburgh was another overtime thriller with the Canadians coming out on top courtesy of a goal by none other than captain clutch herself, Marie-Philip Poulin. Consistency in the product, channels, and availability continue to be barriers to growth for the women’s game, and keeping these athletes front and center is helping to break those barriers down.