Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019 – A roundup of some of the key sports technology news you need to know, including SportTechie’s own content and stories from around the web.
- Sportradar is reportedly asking bookmakers for a 1.5% cut of net profits from in-game NFL bets in exchange for access to the league’s official data feed, according to ESPN’s David Purdum. The NFL has an equity stake in Sportradar, which signed a multi-year deal in August to become the league’s official provider of betting data. According to Legal Sports Report, Sportradar’s data fee would only apply to sportsbooks outside of Nevada.
- Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corp launched its FOX Bet sports betting platform in New Jersey on Monday. The new mobile sportsbook was created alongside betting technology provider The Stars Group, which received a $236 million investment from Fox in May. FOX Bet is also expected to launch in further states that have legalized sports betting, and will make its free-to-play games available everywhere. SportTechie discussed how media companies are navigating the U.S. sports betting landscape with FOX Bet CEO Robin Chhabra in May.
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- PlayerMaker will become the English Northern Premier League’s first player performance partner. The deal will run for 12 months and allows NPL players across the soccer league to wear PlayerMaker’s devices during training. The NPL and English Football Association are also discussing the possibility of players wearing the device during competitive matches. PlayerMaker can track both technical and tactical data through a sensor attached to a player’s shoe. The company has also been collaborating with universities on scientific research into injury prevention.
- The NFL has signed a multi-year partnership with mobile video app TikTok. The league has launched its own official TikTok account, which will host game highlights, sideline moments, and behind the scenes footage. To promote the new partnership, fans attending Thursday’s NFL season opener between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears will be able to create unique NFL-themed TikTok videos at Soldier Field.
- Boxing star Manny Pacquiao has launched a cryptocurrency with which fans can buy merchandise and interact with him on social media. The “Pac” token will be listed on Singapore’s Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX), which has received private investment from Pacquiao. GCOX is a cryptocurrency platform that lets users buy shares of celebrity tokens. Tennis star Caroline Wozniacki has also launched her own token on the platform.
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