AHL Announces Long-Term Partnership With Genius Sports Group

  • Genius Sports will deliver AHL data and live streams to US and global sportsbooks
  • Genius Sports gets exclusive rights to capture real-time AHL player and team statistics for betting
  • The addition of AHL events boosts Genius Sports annual sports events portfolio to over 240,000
  • The league wants to reach a global audience and engage fans
AHL hockey game
Having seen the opportunity for the global growth of its brand, the AHL has appointed Genius Sports its official data and streaming partner for betting. [Image: Flickr.com]

Data and streaming services

The American Hockey League (AHL) has named sportsbook management solutions provider Genius Sports Group its official data and streaming partner for betting.

The AHL, which is the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL), announced the exclusive partnership in a tweet on December 2.

The AHL sees the deal as a potential catalyst to expand its fanbase. By getting data and live streams to sportsbook operators, the league will reach an audience that might never have considered AHL games previously. Sean Conroy, commercial partnerships director of the London-headquartered Genius Sports Group, said:

The AHL has recognized a unique opportunity to accelerate its global growth.”

The league’s teams have affiliations with every NHL club. Wednesday’s deal gives Genius Sports exclusive rights to real-time player and team statistics during all 31 AHL games.

Epic portfolio of sports events

There are more than 1,200 AHL games each season. With the league’s addition, Genius Sports will provide its services for over 240,000 sporting events annually.

In a news release, Conroy said the AHL partnership showed the singular value his organization offers sports leagues and sportsbooks around the world.

“With the right technology partner, sports leagues can proactively engage with the regulated betting industry to drive new revenues, increase engagement and expand their global audience,” Conroy said.

It’s been a productive week for Genius Sports, which signed a data deal with Scientific Games Corporation on December 1. The partnership means that all sportsbooks using Scientific Games’ OpenSports platform can access Genius Sports’ LiveTrading and LiveData services, used by over 150 sports betting brands around the globe.

Taking AHL to a global audience

Genius Sports is partner to over 500 sports organizations around the world, including FIBA, English Premier League, German Bundesliga, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA, Serie A, and the PGA Tour.

Chris Nikolis, the AHL’s executive vice president business, expressed his excitement about partnering with an industry leader.

Our goal is to deliver the excitement and quality of AHL hockey to fans worldwide”

In Wednesday’s announcement, Nikolis added: “Our goal is to deliver the excitement and quality of AHL hockey to fans worldwide and to engage with them as effectively in the manner that suits them best”.

The AHL has been in operation since 1936 and is a feeder league for players, coaches, managers, executives and broadcasters for all 31 NHL teams. According to the news release, almost 90% of today’s NHL players spent time in the AHL.

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