Genius Sports inks data deal with NCAA Mid-American Conference
Wide-ranging partnership includes official data, integrity services, and marketing solutions
Genius Sports and the Mid-American Conference (MAC) have come together on a data partnership the two parties are deeming the first-of-its-kind between a data provider and an NCAA conference.
The wide-ranging deal will see the MAC receive a host of products and services from Genius, highlighted by the management and distribution of official statistics covering 24 sports.
NCAA LiveStats, the tool the NCAA uses to manage official game stats, will also be rolled out across all MAC competitions.
“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,” said MAC commissioner Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher.
In addition to the data component, a comprehensive integrity program represents a key pillar of the partnership.
As part of it, Genius will undertake an audit of the MAC’s existing integrity procedures, implement 24/7 monitoring, and lead a series of educational workshops for MAC players and stakeholders.
Genius will also leverage its Second Spectrum division for the benefit of the men’s basketball championship, with the MAC gaining access to Second Spectrum’s optical data tracking and video augmentation solutions.
On the fan engagement side, Genius will furnish the MAC with a full suite of customized free-to-play games, live data integrations, and dynamic widgets to further gamify the fan experience and create deeper levels of engagement with the conference’s competitions.
“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.
The final piece of the partnership is centered around marketing, as Genius will serve as a conduit between its global network of stakeholders and exclusive MAC sponsorship inventory – such as official marks, in-stadia signage and digital media – through a sub-licensing agreement with MAC partner JMI Sports.