The B.LEAGUE, the national governing body of professional basketball in Japan, on Thursday said it has selected Genius Sports as its exclusive international streaming and data partner for betting.
Under the multi-year partnership, Genius and the B.LEAGUE have agreed to provide Japanese basketball fans, administrators, coaches and players with access to live data and video insights from more than 1,000 games each season from the top two divisions, B1 and B2.
Genius Sports said FIBA LiveStats, a live data collection tool in world basketball, will capture advanced play-by-play statistics on every B1 and B2 game, helping to power box scores, shot charts and data-driven analytics tools.
The two parties said data will be given to broadcast and media partners so they have fast and accurate statistics to enhance the fan experience across multiple platforms.
To help protect the value and integrity of its official data, the B.LEAGUE and Genius have launched a new rights enforcement program, removing unauthorized data collectors from B1 and B2 games.
Genius Sports will use artificial intelligence to automate streaming production and distribution.
The B.LEAGUE granted Genius the exclusive rights to capture, manage and distribute the league’s official data and video content to its global network of regulated sportsbook partners.
According to Genius, its Bet Monitoring System will help to safeguard Japanese basketball from the threats of match-fixing and betting-related corruption.
Shinji Shimada, chairman B.LEAGUE, said in a statement, “We are delighted to partner with Genius Sports and with the technology they provide, will be able to enhance fans’ experience across digital platforms worldwide, while providing new insights to coaches and players and raising the integrity of our league.”
Thomas Klingebiel, commercial director, APAC of Genius Sports, added, “Amidst the huge challenges that sports have faced over the last 12 months, rights holders are looking for innovative platforms to reconnect with fans and generate new revenue streams. Together, FIBA LiveStats and GeniusLive will enable the B.LEAGUE to control its live data and video content, transforming how audiences around the world interact with every play.”
Genius Sports is partnered with more than 500 sports organizations globally, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, Premier League, FIBA, NCAA and PGA Tour.
