Thursday might have been Opening Day of the 2021 Major League Baseball season, but the National Football League was making headlines as well. The league announced a new multi-year partnership with Genius Sports in a move that should benefit fans throughout the U.S.
This deal makes Genius Sports the exclusive provider of stats and sports betting data, which is a change from Sportrader. Genius Sports is a company based in London, but it is very familiar with the U.S. sports betting landscape.
Genius Sports recently named David Levy as the new chairman, which likely opened the door for this deal. Levy is a former president of Turner Broadcasting, a major name in the U.S.
Genius Sports will use Next Gen stats to enhance the fan experience by integrating data into NFL broadcasts. NFL league stats and data will also be distributed in real-time throughout the broadcasts and on live betting platforms.
These two companies will collaborate to create a new data hub that will house all of this information to be shared. Further details of this partnership are expected to be announced, but this is significant news in the sports world.
NFL Always Eyeing Sports Betting 
There are several different reasons that the National Football League sought out this deal with Genius Sports, but sports betting is at the forefront. The U.S. sports betting industry continues to grow, and the NFL has had a major role in pushing it forward.
The NFL wants to ensure that sportsbooks throughout the United States are being fed real-time and accurate stats and information, which is a strength of Genius Sports. Genius Sports will also take over advertising for the NFL across the sports betting industry.
Sports Betting Integrity a Focus
Another major focus of this deal with Genius Sports is sports betting integrity and education. The NFL initially opposed legal sports betting in the U.S. as the league was worried about the integrity of the game being challenged.
Genius has developed sports betting integrity education programs, and the NFL will help get those programs up and running. Most states require some form of sports betting education program to be in place before a sportsbook can receive a license.
Educating sports bettors on the dangers of the industry will only help push the U.S. sports betting industry further ahead.
Genius Making Huge Moves 
While this was a big move for the National Football League, it was only one of a series of moves for Genius Sports. The company announced plans to go public in early March, and stakeholders will vote on that in just a few weeks.
Genius is also no stranger to partnering with professional sports leagues, and it has become a big name in the industry. It already has deals in place with the PGA Tour, NASCAR, NCAA, NBA, and the English Premier League.
Along with striking deals with leagues, Genius has also been able to team up with some of the biggest sports betting operators in the U.S. These operators are also set to gain from this deal as better NFL information will be readily available.
