The Los Angeles Rams have partnered with Genius Sports in what could be the start of a trend in the NFL..
Genius will enhance the gameday experience of Los Angeles Rams fans by providing Next Gen Stats (NGS) during in-game highlights on SoFi Stadium’s Infinity Screen.
The Rams will become the first team to display NGS during live football games.
The deal presents a winning situation for everyone involved — for fans attending Rams games, for Genius Sports as it expands its offerings beyond sports leagues, and for the team itself, which can sell sponsorships on the new content.
Partnership will provide ‘immersive highlights’
While the new data-driven technology will be available to fans at Rams games, they will not be able to use the information to place bets on their team.
Unfortunately, traditional sports betting in California remains illegal.
However, fans could utilize the stats when participating in social sportsbooks and daily fantasy sports leagues.
Next Gen Stats becoming a broadcasting mainstay
Most NFL fans have seen Next Gen Stats (NGS) during a broadcast or highlight show. These statistics, like how fast a player runs or how quickly and accurately a quarterback throws the ball, have become commonplace in how we consume professional football today.
All of that information, however, begins as an immense number of data points. Genius Sports, the exclusive distributor of official league data for the NFL, utilizes its technology to take the data and produce valuable, digestible metrics.
According to a press release from the team, it will provide “immersive highlights” that leverage NGS data, said Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick, chief marketing officer for the Rams.
“Since opening SoFi Stadium in 2020, we continuously look to team up with best-in-class companies to set the gameday standard at the Rams house,” Kai-ling Frederick said.
“We are thrilled to work with Genius Sports to deliver this unprecedented experience to our fans and grateful to our partner Verizon for elevating this content.”
Genius works with FanDuel on BetVision
Additionally, the highlights create a new sponsorship opportunity for the Rams’ long-term advertising partner, Verizon.
The telecommunications company has already agreed to put its logo on 18 to 20 highlights per game.
Fans of all levels benefit, too. The highlights will focus on a play’s action, appealing to casual fans while also providing additional layers of statistics for more involved fans.
For Genius Sports, it gets its foot in the door for in-stadium opportunities. Given its integration into the NFL’s television product, the move into stadiums seems like a logical next step. A successful venture allows for league-wide integration.
In addition to its partnership with the NFL, Genius has deals with ESPN and CBS Sports. It also has partnerships with leagues worldwide, including the NCAA, multiple professional football (soccer) leagues in Europe and the Americas, the PGA Tour, the WNBA, and the International Basketball Federation.
And while California sports betting is off-limits, Genius works with over 200 sportsbooks worldwide to provide verified, real-time data. The company expanded its relationship with FanDuel earlier this year to offer live-stream stat overlay called BetVision.
What’s coming next
Until now, Genius Sports has primarily focused on cultivating relationships with other business entities, such as sports leagues and TV stations. The Rams partnership incorporates consumers, an even greater potential target market for Genius.
According to Joe Pompliano’s Huddle Up, Genius generates most of its revenue from betting technology, content and services. In fact, it generates more from that than media content and services combined.
Furthermore, in-game NFL wagers grew by 60% last year. That market will only continue to grow as more data becomes available to bettors, making such data highly profitable.