Genius Sports Secures Multi-Year Official Data and Video Streaming Partnership With Japan B.LEAGUE

TOKYO & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The B.LEAGUE (“B.LEAGUE), the national governing body of professional basketball in Japan, has selected Genius Sports (“Genius”) as its Exclusive International Streaming and Data Partner for Betting.

Under this 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 over 1,000 games a season from the top two divisions, B1 and B2.

FIBA LiveStats, a leading 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 B.LEAGUE’s official data will also supply their broadcast and media partners with fast and accurate statistics to enhance the fan experience across multiple platforms.

Genius' award-winning live streaming solution GeniusLive will help the B.LEAGUE to broadcast its B2 games. By automating streaming production and distribution through AI, GeniusLive enables sports to extend their reach and attract new fans around the world.

Genius has been granted the exclusive rights to capture, manage and distribute the B.LEAGUE’s official data and video content to its global network of regulated sportsbook partners. Its Bet Monitoring System and model rules and regulations will help to safeguard Japanese basketball from the threats of match-fixing and betting-related corruption.

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.

Shinji Shimada, Chairman B.LEAGUE, said: “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, said: “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.

“We’re thrilled to be working in partnership with one of the premier basketball leagues in Asia and look forward to facilitating the next stage of their digital transformation.”

ENDS

About B.League

B.LEAGUE is the men’s top professional basketball league started in 2016 and is operated by the entity Japan Professional Basketball League. B.LEAGUE is known as one of the fastest growing league in Asia.

About Genius Sports

Genius Sports is the official data, technology and commercial partner that powers the global ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media. We are a global leader in digital sports content, technology and integrity services. Our technology is used in over 150 countries worldwide, empowering sports to capture, manage and distribute their live data and video, driving their digital transformation and enhancing their relationships with fans.

We are the trusted partner to over 500 sports organizations globally, including many of the world’s largest leagues and federations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, Premier League, FIBA, NCAA and PGA TOUR.

Genius Sports is uniquely placed through cutting-edge technology, scale and global reach to support our partners. We are more than just a technology company, we build long-term relationships with sports at all levels, helping them to control and maximize the value of their content while providing technical expertise and round-the-clock support.