JMI Sports Announces Data Rights and Sponsorship Deal Between Mid-American Conference and Genius Sports

JMI Sports negotiated deal that pools the MAC’s data rights and creates enhanced fan engagement opportunities; Genius Sports receives sub-licensed sponsorship inventory across the MAC’s annual football championship game and basketball tournaments

San Diego, CA (March 9, 2022) – JMI Sports, a leading media rights and venue development company, today announced an agreement between its client the Mid-American Conference (“MAC”) and Genius Sports Limited (NYSE: GENI), creating a first-of-its-kind sports data partnership where NCAA Division I schools have pooled their official data rights at the conference level for global distribution. JMI Sports brokered the deal between the MAC and Genius Sports and will sub-license the conference’s sponsorship rights to Genius Sports.

Under terms of the landmark agreement, the MAC has granted Genius Sports with the exclusive rights to capture, manage and distribute its official data statistics. A data and technology partner that powers the ecosystem connecting sports, betting and media, Genius will provide the MAC with the fastest and most reliable feed for thousands of competitions each year. In addition, the deal will enhance the fan experience by allowing JMI Sports and the MAC sponsorship flexibility to pursue sports gambling partnerships.

“We are honored to orchestrate this ground-breaking sports data and fan engagement partnership between the Mid-American Conference and Genius Sports,” said JMI Sports CEO Erik Judson. “This deal is going to greatly enhance the fan experience and unlock enormous opportunities for all parties involved. We look forward to bringing this innovative collaboration to life and building additional partner integrations with Genius Sports’ data and technology for the MAC.”

This partnership will help the MAC to create more immersive and engaging fan experiences, powered by Genius Sports’ leading data collection and fan engagement solutions. NCAA LiveStats, the NCAA’s official tool for the collection, management, and distribution of official game statistics will be provided free of charge across all MAC competitions.

Through customized free-to-play games, live data integrations and dynamic widgets showcasing advanced statistics and win probabilities, Genius Sports will add new levels of engagement into the MAC fan experience, converting passive viewers into highly interactive customers. Genius Sports will also apply its unique capabilities in media buying and dynamic creative services to drive ticket, merchandise, and subscription sales across the MAC’s digital channels, delivering highly personalized offers to the right fan, at the right time.

“This partnership will permit us to maintain greater control and oversight of the data alongside providing tremendous benefits for the Conference and its member institutions,” said MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher. “JMI Sports has been a tremendous partner in bringing Genius Sports to the table and providing our conference with the ability to cultivate additional fan engagement opportunities through this sponsorship.”

The deal also provides Genius Sports’ global network with access to exclusive MAC sponsorship inventory across its annual football championship game and men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, including access to official MAC marks, in-stadia signage, digital media, and unique customer acquisition platforms.  

JMI Sports has extensive experience in the collegiate and professional sports industries, where it has negotiated hundreds of millions of dollars in sponsorship and naming rights agreements for marquee entities like University of Kentucky, University of Pittsburgh, the Ivy League and the Breeders’ Cup. For more information about JMI Sports and its capabilities in media rights and venue development, please visit www.jmisports.com.

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 400 sports organizations globally, including many of the world’s largest leagues and federations such as the NFL, EPL, FIBA, NCAA, NASCAR, AFA and PGA.

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.