The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sportradar Group AG (NASDAQ: SRAD), the leading global sports technology company creating immersive experiences for sports fans and bettors, today announced an expansive multi-year partnership agreement that will see the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and NBA G League use Sportradar’s global and wide-ranging capabilities to grow U.S. operations, increase their international footprint and drive fan engagement. This new partnership begins with the 2023-24 NBA season and provides the NBA with an equity stake in Sportradar.
This agreement with the NBA, WNBA, and NBA G League maintain Sportradar as the exclusive provider of NBA data worldwide that will help fans across the globe engage with the three leagues. Sportradar will continue to be both the authorized global distributor of official NBA and WNBA betting data and the distributor of live game video that is available to international sports betting operators for fans to experience in real-time.
In addition, the new relationship includes expanded distribution rights regarding the use of player tracking data. Sportradar will also establish a dedicated team to innovate and transform the fan experience. This will include utilizing data to create a deeper understanding and appreciation of the game, developing new data products to enrich fan engagement, and revolutionizing how sports betting data is utilized by betting operators and media partners.
“We are delighted that the NBA has chosen Sportradar as the Official Partner who can support the global popularity and explosive growth of the game,” said Carsten Koerl, global CEO, Sportradar. “Basketball is the largest U.S. sport in the world by popularity and, as a market leader, we are best positioned with the technological expertise and industry relationships to help the NBA entertain fans globally.”
Continued Koerl: “We believe that this agreement will generate significant revenue and contribute to Sportradar’s profitable business and continued growth. The remaining time left on the existing deal, and this new multi-year agreement, gives us the significant runway to partner with the NBA and develop exciting solutions across our teams, betting and sports entertainment verticals.”
“Sportradar has been a terrific partner as the league has navigated its exploration into the global sports betting landscape,” said Scott Kaufman-Ross, Senior Vice President, Head of Gaming & New Business Ventures, NBA. “As the market matures, we are thrilled to extend our partnership with Sportradar to utilize data and insights to create new fan experiences and innovate around the NBA globally.”
This deal extends a relationship that began in 2016 when Sportradar and the NBA announced a multi-year partnership, which made Sportradar an Official Provider of Real time NBA League Statistics.
The NBA and Sportradar will continue to collaborate on best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of games, which includes the use of Sportradar’s Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS) to monitor global betting activity and trends worldwide.
Over the course of 2021, Sportradar has signed data rights deals with leading leagues and governing bodies across five of the most popular global sports, including the Union of European Football Associations, International Tennis Federation, International Cricket Council, the National Hockey League, and the NBA.
