Genius Sports partners with Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference became the first conference to strike a comprehensive fan engagement, official sports data and integrity partnership.
Press release.- Genius Sports, the official data and technology partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting, and media, has secured a first-of-its-kind official sports data, fan engagement and integrity partnership with the Mid-American Conference (MAC), a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Conference that sponsors championships in 24 sports.
As the Exclusive Supplier of Official NCAA Data, Genius Sports will capture, manage and distribute official MAC statistics, providing the fastest and most reliable feed on thousands of competitions a year. This partnership will help to create more immersive and engaging fan experiences, powered by Genius Sports’ leading data collection and fan engagement solutions. NCAA LiveStats, the NCAA’s official tool for the collection, management, and distribution of official game statistics, will be rolled out for all MAC competitions.
Through its Second Spectrum division, Genius Sports will also provide the MAC with access to its cutting-edge optical data tracking and video augmentation solutions for its Men’s Basketball Championship. In addition, Genius Sports will provide a full suite of customized free-to-play games, live data integrations and dynamic widgets to enable new levels of gamification into the MAC fan experience, converting passive viewers into highly interactive customers.
Genius Sports will provide the MAC with a robust integrity program, helping to maintain the transparency and fairness of its events. Genius Sports will conduct a comprehensive audit of the MAC’s existing integrity procedures while also implementing 24/7 monitoring and a series of educational workshops to MAC players, officials, and athletic departments.
“Recognizing our unique capabilities across data collection, tracking, personalized marketing and more, the MAC has embraced our vision of providing college sports fans with immersive and highly engaging experiences,” said Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke. “Furthermore, the MAC also selected Genius Sports, as one of the most established sports integrity providers in the market, to help ensure its competitions, teams and players are protected against the potential threats of betting-related corruption.”
“After significant discussion with our membership, I am pleased that we have reached an agreement to partner with Genius Sports, including both a sponsorship alongside a licensing deal that includes the marketing and managing of our statistical data,” noted Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr Jon A. Steinbrecher.
“This partnership will permit us to exert greater control of our statistics, provide increased oversight over events through the utilization of integrity services and provide support and financial benefits for the Conference and its membership. We have the responsibility to manage our assets and leverage those assets for the benefit of the student-athletes and our member institutions. The partnership with Genius Sports will assist us in those efforts.”
Since its inception in 1946, the Mid-American Conference has progressively grown and developed into one of the most innovative Division I Conferences in the country. One of only 10 football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences, the MAC is home to a fast-paced, high-scoring brand of football, with its November midweek MACtion schedule attracting millions of viewers and huge brand value.
Through a sub-licensing agreement with JMI Sports, Genius Sports will also be able to provide its global network with access to exclusive MAC sponsorship inventory across its annual Football Championship Game and Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. This includes access to official MAC marks, in-stadia signage, digital media, and unique customer acquisition platforms.
The MAC will also benefit from Genius Sports’ unique capabilities in media buying and dynamic creative services to drive ticket, merchandise, and subscription sales across the MAC’s digital channels, delivering highly personalized offers to the right fan, at the right time.
