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Strat-O-Matic, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum To Launch NFTs Honoring Greats, Partner With Fanaply

Few organizations have stronger ties to the rich history of baseball than Strat-O-Matic (@StratOMatic), the market leader in sports simulation, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (@NLBMuseumKC). In their latest collaboration, the two venerable institutions today announced the planned February 2023 release of digital collectibles in the form of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) honoring several Hall of Fame Negro Leagues players, in partnership with Fanaply (@fanaply), the eco-conscious NFT solution provider for the world’s biggest names in sports, music, and entertainment.

Each NFT will feature a short audio commentary on each player’s legacy, contribution to baseball and their lasting impact. A photo montage of many never-before-seen images related to each player will accompany the voiceover. In addition, Fanaply is creating an exclusive, NFT-powered at-bat simulation using Strat-O-Matic’s proprietary statistical game engine. This will allow NFT owners to simulate at-bats of each player against figures from throughout baseball history. Players to be included in the initial set will be announced at a later date.

“The Negro Leagues had a profound impact on the advancement of American civil rights and culture.” said Adam Richman, Strat-O-Matic C.E.O. “These NFTs will preserve this legacy and celebrate these players, who need to have their stories and contributions to history preserved for future generations.”

With today’s announcement, Fanaply, Strat-O-Matic and the NLBM have issued a free NFT that represents a stylized NLBM logo and is now available to all fans at https://fanaply.com/moment/negroleaguesbaseballmuseumnft.

“Collecting and trading baseball cards has been part of the storied history of America’s pastime. We are thrilled to partner with Strat-O-Matic and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to bring their dedicated fan bases an innovative and exciting new way to commemorate the trailblazers of the past,” said Danielle Maged, Fanaply’s Chief Commercial Officer.

Both the NLBM and the families of the depicted players will receive a portion of the profits from the offering, which may also include a collection of traditional limited edition printed cards.

“The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is proud to continue its amazing partnership with Strat-O-Matic, which has long been a supporter of the museum and Negro Leagues history,” said Bob Kendrick, NLBM President. “The NFT offerings are a creative new way to help fans and collectors celebrate the greatness of these legendary players while supporting our mission.”

Fans can look forward to exciting rewards and experiences tied to participation, including potential opportunities to collect exclusive player NFTs with varying tiers of rarity, various opponents to simulate at-bats against, physical collectibles, and more.

Philadelphia Takes Down Houston In Seven Games In Strat-O-Matic Series Simulation

Philadelphia’s storybook run through the baseball playoffs continues as the National League’s sixth seed claimed its first title since 2008, defeating Houston, 4 games to 3, including wins in Games 6 and 7 on the road, in the simulation conducted by Strat-O-Matic (@StratOMatic), the market leader in sports simulation.

In the decisive seventh game, won by Philadelphia, 5-3, the visitors erased a 1-0 deficit with five straight runs, capped by J.T. Realmuto’s seventh-inning, two-run home run for a 5-1 lead with nine outs to go. Houston rallied with two in the seventh but Zach Eflin closed the door with 2 1/3 scoreless, hitless frames in the win.

Kyle Schwarber blasted three home runs, drove in five runs and slashed .333/.484/.708 to win the simulated series MVP. Zack Wheeler won his two starts for Philadelphia, tossing 13 2/3 innings, allowing nine hits and one earned run in Games 3 and 6 triumphs. Justin Verlander won two games for Houston, allowing three runs and five hits over 14 2/3 frames in his two starts and one-inning Game 7 relief appearance.

A quick game-by-game summary follows:

Game 1: @Houston 8, Philadelphia 5; Verlander permits 3 runs and 4 hits over 6 2/3, Alex Bregman homers, drives in 3.
Game 2: Philadelphia 7, @Houston 2; Realmuto, Alec Bohm home runs back five-hit pitching of Wheeler, three relievers
Game 3: Houston 6, @Philadelphia 0; Cristian Javier and four relievers combine on a four-hit shutout, Jose Altuve homers twice
Game 4: @Philadelphia 7, Houston 2; Hosts bang out 11 hits, three by Nick Castellanos, and Schwarber knocks his second four-bagger
Game 5: Houston 5, @Philadelphia 1; Verlander permits just one hit over seven scoreless innings as Altuve and Jeremy Pena homer to send Houston home with a 3-2 series edge
Game 6: Philadelphia 3, @Houston 0; Zach Wheeler (7 2/3 IP) and Jose Alvarado team on a five-hit shutout to even the series. Bryce Harper’s first-inning three run homer accounts for all the scoring.
Game 7: Philadelphia 5, @Houston 3; Eflin’s superb relief outing closes the door as Realmuto homer, Bryson Stott RBI single prove the difference in the deciding contest

“As the leader in sports simulations, Strat-O-Matic is pleased to present its simulation of the upcoming series between Houston and Philadelphia,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder.“We hope that the games on the field turn out as exciting as our results, especially for Philadelphia fans.”

Peacock Is The Streaming Home Of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ In Spanish

Peacock today announced comprehensive coverage plans for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ with every match streaming LIVE on Peacock in Spanish, offering live and exclusive Spanish-language coverage, a dedicated World Cup Hub and the Copa Mundial 24/7 Virtual Channel in Spanish produced by Tplus, Telemundo’s digital content brand.

Peacock will be the only direct-to-consumer streaming service in the United States to simulstream live coverage of all 64 matches, which are produced by Telemundo Deportes, including the hour-long pre- and post-match onsite coverage from Qatar. The first 12 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2022™ will be available to Peacock subscribers on the free tier, while the remaining 52 games (beginning on Nov. 24) will be available to Peacock Premium subscribers.

The World Cup kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 20, as host-country Qatar faces Ecuador at 11 a.m. ET. The United States begins group play at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 21 against Wales, while Mexico’s first match takes place at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 22 against Poland.

In marquee group stage matches, the United States takes on England at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 25, and Mexico faces Argentina on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. ET. Click here for details on the full match schedule.

“Peacock is thrilled to stream for the first time the biggest global soccer event, the FIFA World Cup.” said Rick Cordella, Chief Commercial Officer, Peacock. “Our offering on Peacock will complement and extend Telemundo Deportes programming to a wider audience with 24/7 World Cup content carefully curated and created for younger audiences with the purpose of serving the full spectrum of Hispanic audiences and soccer fans in the U.S.”

Peacock’s World Cup Hub will surround the FIFA World Cup 2022™ with daily shows featuring highlights and analysis plus on-demand full-match replays. The World Cup Hub will also feature programming such as documentaries centered around soccer legends Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, historic looks at previous World Cups, and more.

In addition to the World Cup Hub, Peacock will also host an exclusive, free Copa Mundial 24/7 Virtual Channel throughout the entire tournament, which will be produced by Tplus — Telemundo’s digital content brand designed to super serve the full spectrum of today’s U.S. Hispanics — and home to daily highlights, analysis, and debate shows. The 24/7 channel will feature new talent presenting nine hours of original programming per day surrounding the live matches, including exclusive pre- and post-match shows and extended highlights.

CSG Grades Iconic 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle Card Valued at Over $2 Million

Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) is thrilled to announce that it has just certified two examples of the iconic 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle card, one of them valued at more than $2 million! Graded CSG 8, it is the most valuable card that CSG has certified since it launched in early 2021.

Fewer than 20 are graded higher out of about 2,000 in the world, including one that sold for $12.6 million in August 2022, setting a record for most expensive sports card at auction.

“It was an honor to authenticate and grade what is one of the most valuable cards in the hobby,” said Andy Broome, Vice President of CSG. “This resounding affirmation from the collecting world follows CSG’s monumental efforts to quickly become one of the market’s leading third-party authentication, grading and encapsulation services. We look forward to seeing more cards of this caliber.”

In addition to the Type 1 example graded CSG 8, CSG also certified a Type 2 example CSG 4.5. A card with that grade would be expected to sell for about $100,000 at auction.

On its certification label, CSG attributes the type of the Mickey Mantle #311 card. Minor differences, such as the direction of the seams on the baseball on the back of the card, distinguish the two types. To learn more about the differences, click here or watch the video below.

The Mantle card stands at the pinnacle of the sports collecting world for many reasons. In 1952, Mantle’s All-Star career had just begun, and the world of sports cards was being revolutionized by a newcomer known as Topps Chewing Gum, Inc. Topps’ ambitious 1952 set is widely considered to have set the framework for modern sports cards. Unfortunately, it did not sell well, resulting in an inglorious fate for high-numbered cards like the #311 Mickey Mantle. Legend has it that New York City-based Topps loaded unsold cases of these cards onto a barge and sent them to a watery grave.

Mantle played for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968, when they won seven World Series championships. He won the Triple Crown in 1956 (leading in batting average, home runs and RBIs) and the Gold Glove Award in 1962. Many consider the Hall of Famer to be the best switch hitter in history.

Increasingly, collectors are turning to CSG to certify some of the greatest sports cards in the hobby. CSG also holds the distinction of being the fastest third-party grading service to certify more than 1 million cards. Among the great cards that CSG has graded are:

· multiple high-grade examples of the 1986-87 Fleer #57 Michael Jordan rookie card
· a 1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays card graded CSG 8 worth well over $100,000
· a 2003-04 Topps Chrome Refractor #111 LeBron James graded CSG Gem Mint 10 that realized $98,100 in a March 2021 flash auction through PWCC
· a c.1922 Romeo and Julieta Cigars Jose Mendez graded CSG 2.5 that sold for $19,470 at a Hake’s sale in March 2022
· a 1977 Futbol #11 Diego Maradona graded CSG 4

Backed by the same senior management team behind the industry’s leading collectibles certification services (Numismatic Guaranty Company™, Paper Money Guaranty® and Certified Guaranty Company®), CSG has leveraged world-class expertise, advanced technology, innovation and operational excellence to quickly have the second-largest capacity of any third-party sports card grading service. Online tools such as Verify CSG Certification, the CSG Population Report and the CSG Registry give collectors and dealers free access to a large amount of helpful information that benefits the collecting community.

For the latest company updates and to see a variety of fantastic cards, follow CSG on social media and sign up for our monthly CSG Score eNewsletter.

Verdict In: Judge’s 62nd Largest Topps NOW Run Ever

Aaron Judge’s A.L. record setting home run display was not just a boon to the Yankees — and his impending free agency. It was also a big hit with collectors, as the Topps NOW card depicting his historic 62nd blast of the season enticed fans to purchase 91,685 of the base card, the most ever in the seven-year history of Topps NOW, which depicts the greatest moments and milestones from Major League Baseball almost as soon as they happen, with physical cards limited to the number ordered within 48 hours of issue.

And it wasn’t just the final bomb that appealed to fans as they bore witness to greatness: home runs #61 (29,523) and 60 (21,490) and two base cards shared with former league homer champs Roger Maris (19,741) and Babe Ruth (13,804) set the precedent, rounding out five of the top six sellers of the 2022 season. Albert Pujols’s 700th career shot (third most, 28,898) was the only other card to top 10,000 in sales.

In all, the five top Judge cards accounted for a total of 176,243 cards issued, more than half of all the base cards (330,699) produced through the regular season (112 individual cards).

Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (qualifying as pitcher and hitter, 7th, 7331 cards; and reaching 200K strikeouts, 10th, 4381), the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez (debut, 8th, 6005) and Seattle’s Julio Rodriguez (sets rookie HR record, 9th, 5449) rounded out the top 10 for 2022.

Fans can continue to purchase Topps NOW cards throughout the MLB playoffs at https://www.topps.com/toppsnow.

2022 Top Ten

  1. Aaron Judge, 62nd home run, 91,685
  2. Aaron Judge, 61st home run,29,523
  3. Albert Pujols, 700th career home run, 28,898
  4. Aaron Judge, 60th home run, 21,490
  5. Aaron Judge and Roger Maris, 61 home runs, 19,741
  6. Aaron Judge and Babe Ruth, 60 home runs, 13,804
  7. Shohei Ohtani, qualifying as pitcher and hitter, 7331
  8. Francisco Alvarez, debut, 6005
  9. Julio Rodriguez, sets rookie HR recorded, 5449
  10. Shohei Ohtani, 200K strikeouts, 4381

Entain Data Reveals Huge Rise In Popularity Of Betting On Formula 1

Entain, the global sports betting, gaming, and interactive entertainment group, reports a surge in popularity for bets on Formula 1 with a record-breaking year on the cards. Data from Entain between 2018 and 2022 reveals that:

· The total number of Entain customers betting on Formula 1 increased 50 per cent from 2018 to 2021, and the total number of bets on each season has grown by 30 per cent
· Most customers who bet on Formula 1 between 2018 and 2021 were from the UK (35 per cent), Brazil (17 per cent), Germany (17 per cent) and Spain (5 per cent)
· Entain has seen an 18 per cent increase from 2021 to 2022 in the number of UK customers betting on Formula 1, with four races still yet to go in the 2022 season
· The British Grand Prix in July 2022 saw a 121 per cent increase compared with 2018, and there has been a four-fold increase in the number of bets on a winner at the race
· This trend replicates the spike in popularity of the sport across streaming and multimedia platforms. According to Formula 1, it was the fastest-growing major sports league in terms of follower growth in 2021. Followers on social media platforms increased 40 per cent to 49.1 million, with video views up 50 per cent to 7 billion and total engagement up 74 per cent to 1.5 billion.

Dom Grounsell, Chief Commercial Officer at Entain, said: “Our customers are finding Formula 1 an increasingly exciting sport to participate in – numbers are growing year on year, in line with the popularity of the sport. This has no doubt been helped by the hugely successful Netflix Formula 1 Drive to Survive series. We’re looking forward to the next stage of Formula 1’s exhilarating journey, and with our bench-strength of global sporting brands, are perfectly placed to keep our customers entertained and close to the action.”

Whilst the marked rise in popularity of motor racing is exciting for Entain, the interactive entertainment group works hard to ensure its customers are enjoying the thrill of the race while staying safe and playing within their limits. Entain’s industry-leading player protection programme, Advanced Responsibility and Care™, uses artificial intelligence to anticipate and identify potential problems and lead players back to safety.

For Soccer Ventures Announces BODYARMOR As Presenting Sponsor Of The Association Soccer League

Today, For Soccer Ventures (FSV), an independent media and experiences company focused on the growth and long-term development of American soccer announced BODYARMOR Sports Drink as Presenting Sponsor of its influencer soccer league, “The Association.” The Association, acquired by FSV in 2021, is an experiential soccer league celebrating the sport, culture, and people that make the game vibrant.

The Association features a balance of impactful and influential soccer, fashion, music, and popular culture personalities with various teams representing LA-based businesses and brands in a two-month long league competition held on Thursday nights at Optimist Studios located in El Segundo, CA.

Each matchday provides a collaborative space and platform to share local voices representing art, music, fashion, sneakers, tech, gaming, and more. The immersive fan and player experience boasts unique brand activations, live music provided by various DJs, celebrity appearances, free food and drinks, live art installations and a full-service merchandise area.

Similar to the 2018-19 season when The Association helped launch SpaceX’s Space United to use soccer as a means to engage area youth through STEM education, this year’s The Association League will incorporate outreach programs with local youth soccer organizations aimed at integrating the next generation on and off the field and working with brand partners to leave a legacy in the community.

The 2022 installment of The Association will feature teams from CAA, Sony, Religion Of Sports, 424, The Shoe Surgeon, Winston House, AEG, Immortals FC, the American Outlaws, and Google.

For BODYARMOR, this initiative builds upon its existing involvement with the larger soccer community as the Official Sports Drink of Major League Soccer since 2019. Earlier this year, BODYARMOR and For Soccer Ventures also partnered on a successful grassroots community project in Minneapolis, MN at the 2022 Major League Soccer All-Star Game.

For more information on the Association and its various Los Angeles-based events and activations, please visit www.TheAssociationLeague.com.

2022 AKTIV Against Cancer Award Luncheon Honors adidas, Lowe Nov. 3 in N.Y.

AKTIV Against Cancer, the organization co-founded by legendary runner Grete Waitz and Helle Aanesen, today announced it will honor adidas and Olympic Champion Chaunté Lowe for outstanding contributions to the field of Exercise Oncology at their eighth annual awards luncheon. The reception will be held November 3 at the historic New York Athletic Club.

Over more than 10 years of collaboration, adidas has accounted for more than $10M in donations toward AKTIV Against Cancer’s groundbreaking exercise oncology research and programs. United by the power of sport, the two organizations have worked together to help those fighting cancer improve their quality of life through physical activity.

“adidas has been an incredible supporter of AKTIV Against Cancer since our inception and has always embodied our mission to the highest degree,” said AKTIV Against Cancer CEO Helle Aanesen. “We simply couldn’t have done what we have done without adidas. There is no one better to honor than Grete’s longtime sponsor and our biggest believer, adidas.”

AKTIV Against Cancer’s partnership with adidas was born out of adidas’ relationship with the late Grete, who passed away in 2011. Grete had a storied history with adidas during her ground-breaking long-distance running career, having worn and promoted its apparel and footwear for more than 30 years.

“At adidas, we believe sport has the power to change lives, and few athletes have personified that motto as thoroughly as Grete Waitz,” said Adrian Leek, Sportswear & Footwear Vice President at adidas. “Our partnership with AKTIV Against Cancer represents our gratitude for everything Grete accomplished during her remarkable life, and we are proud to supported such a great cause for more than a decade.”

Additionally, AKTIV Against Cancer will honor four-time Olympian, 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and former high jump world champion Chaunté Lowe with the Gabrielle Grunewald Inspiration Award for her courage and her dedication to expanding resources and support for others fighting breast cancer. Lowe is a Global Ambassador for the American Cancer Society and a spokesperson for a new partnership between pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and patient advocacy group Susan G. Komen.

Since 2015, AKTIV Against Cancer has hosted the AKTIV Against Cancer Award Luncheon in an effort to continuously honor the legacy of the co-founder, the late Grete Waitz. The award recognizes leaders who demonstrate great philanthropic efforts using health and fitness as a platform – a belief that was instrumental to Grete and at the core of AKTIV Against Cancer’s mission.

Mary Wittenberg, Global CEO of Virgin Sport, received the inaugural award in 2015 and running legend Meb Keflezighi received it in 2016. In 2017, AKTIV Against Cancer honored The Rudin Family for their long-standing commitment to the TCS New York City Marathon and the late professional runner Gabriele Grunewald for her commitment to continue running through her cancer and inspiring many to be physically active through treatments.

More recently, the organization honored Olympic Champion and cancer survivor Kikkan Randall and Dr. Jordan Metzl in 2018, Chip Gaines, Jeff Rochford & Aubrey Barr in 2019, Shannon Miller in 2020, and Cycle For Survival co-founder David Linn in 2021.

For more information about AKTIV Against Cancer please visit www.aktivagainstcancer.org/award

National Lacrosse League Announces 2022-23 Schedule; Face Off Weekend Set for December 2-3

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) today announced the largest schedule in its history – 135 games – as the 2022-23 regular season gets underway with Face Off Weekend on December 2-3, 2022. The NLL’s 36th year opens with six games, three matchups in Canada and three in the U.S., as part of a 22-week schedule through April 29. Fans can view the entire slate at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.

Face Off Weekend will include two TSN Game of the Week contests on Friday, December 2 (Philadelphia Wings at Halifax Thunderbirds, 6 p.m. ET) and Saturday, December 3 (Vancouver Warriors at Toronto Rock, 5 p.m. ET). All 135 games during the regular season are available on ESPN+ and through TSN’s platforms, including TSN.ca and the TSN app. The complete national broadcast schedules for TSN and ESPN and the League’s playoff schedule will be announced in the coming weeks.

“Our fans have been eagerly anticipating Face Off Weekend since our sensational Final’s series capped an incredible season and playoffs in the spring,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood. “We expect that the passionate fan bases at the six venues opening the 2022-23 regular season will pillar momentum for the rest of the year, and the broad reach of TSN and ESPN ensures that fans across North America can join in the celebration.”

The Las Vegas Desert Dogs, the NLL’s 15th and newest franchise, open Week 2 at Panther City, and will play their inaugural home game on Friday, December 16, at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The game at Las Vegas will be televised on ESPN2 at 10:30pm ET. The defending champion Colorado Mammoth will hoist their 2022 NLL Championship banner on Saturday, January 7, 2023, against the Calgary Roughnecks.

Some other highlights of the 2022-23 NLL schedule include:
• Four other Face Off Weekend games will be contested on December 3, including the Albany FireWolves at Buffalo Bandits, San Diego Seals at New York Riptide, Rochester Knighthawks at Georgia Swarm and defending champion Colorado Mammoth at Saskatchewan Rush
• Each team will play 18 games (nine home and nine away) over the 22 weeks
• There are five weeks in which all 15 NLL teams will be in action (Week 9, Jan. 27-28; Week 10, Feb. 3-4; Week 16, March 17-19; Week 17, March 24-25, Week 18, March 31-April 2

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Athletes First Partners to Represent Edmonton Oilers For Jersey Patch Sales

Athletes First Partners (A1 Partners) todayannounced that they have been retained by the Edmonton Oilers to handle the exclusive sale of the Oilers’ jersey patch, further expanding A1P’s growing offerings for brand partnerships. The Oilers resurgence—highlighted by last season’s trip to the Western Conference Finals, as well as their wildly passionate fan base, massive social and broadcast outreach and engagement, and return to their original iconic jersey colors of the dynasty years—is making their jersey patch one of the most unique and invaluable brand opportunities for the 2022-23 season.

“There are few North American clubs that have the deep history, including the glorious past of five Stanley Cup championships, the vibrant social media presence of today, and the young stars of tomorrow like the Oilers do. We know this opportunity will resonate for brands looking for that deep engagement, not just in the Pacific Northwest but across all of North America,” said Jim O’Connell, President Athletes First Partners. “We also know how important timing is in our business, and we are pleased to see the club continuing to drastically increase their reach as an organization, further than ever before.”

“Athletes First Partners showed us an innovative approach that we felt was different than others, and we are looking forward to seeing how they tailor all aspects of our history, brand, culture, city and fan base to find the perfect partner for our patch opportunity,” said Stew MacDonald, Chief Revenue Officer, OEG Sports and Entertainment. “As we return to our original NHL jersey colours with a rich history, including five Stanley Cup championships, this is a truly unique opportunity for a top North American brand to be part of many more historic moments in royal blue and orange starting this fall.”

Led by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers advanced to the Western Conference finals last season, their latest and most crucial step in returning to the Wayne Gretzky-led glory years of the 1980’s. Off the ice, the Oilers have built an unprecedented social media following, leading all NHL clubs in social engagement and content consumption with 32 million impressions weekly throughout the season. The Oilers have also amassed the second largest national broadcast audience and third largest regional broadcast audience across the NHL. Those numbers are only expected to rise as the iconic club continues its much anticipated upward rise this fall.

To date, seven NHL clubs have secured jersey patch deals for the coming season.

Ready® Signs Steelers Quarterback Kenny Pickett

Ready®, one of the fastest growing sports nutrition brands in America with co-owners Aaron Donald and Giannis Antetokounmpo, today announced the signing of NFL first round draft pick and Pittsburgh Steeler rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett as a Ready® athlete.

Pickett was already quite familiar with Ready® having used its products while at Pitt, so the partnership was a logical extension. “Kenny already knew the fueling and recovery benefits of our products from his own experience. We really focus on our mentality and mission; and it became obvious he was a great fit to be a member of the Ready® Team,” said company founder and CEO Pat Cavanaugh.

Pickett will only promote products he uses during training, its Sports Drink and a few other select Ready® products in his various online and non-digital platforms. He joins NFL world champion Aaron Donald, NBA star and global basketball icon Giannis Antetokounmpo, and top rated American female tennis player Jessica Pegula as Ready® brand champions and ambassadors.

Pickett was the 2022 first-round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers after a stellar senior season when he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, first team All-American, and voted ACC Football Player and co-Athlete of the Year while leading Pitt to an ACC Championship.

“Kenny is a great example of continuing to work hard and remembering it’s not where you start it’s where you finish, which is a pillar of the Ready® mentality that defines our brand,” said Cavanaugh. “Throughout his career and breakout senior season, he continued to get better and better achieving one goal after the next. He’s just getting started.”

“I’m excited to be part of the Ready® Team especially since I’ve experienced the benefits of the products when I was at Pitt,” said Pickett. “The more Pat and I spoke about the brand and their mission to inspire athletes to take more pride in their effort than their talent; that attitude and mentality resonated with me and how I approach my football career.”

Telemundo Rolls Out The Future Is Futbol, A Comprehensive Report On The State Of Soccer

NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises today released a timely report titled The Future Is Fútbol to define and characterize the fundamental shift in the importance of soccer in mainstream American sports and the role Latinos are playing in this economic, cultural and media phenomenon. The Future Is Fútbol report draws on primary and secondary research and data collection, including quantitative surveys and an innovative neuroscience study among bilingual Hispanics. To view the full report please click here.

Fútbol has an estimated 5 billion fans around the world and 85 million adult followers in the U.S. Gallup estimates that soccer has seen a significant increase in popularity, with a gain of 52% more fans from 2012 to 2019, compared to 27% growth in basketball and 8% growth in baseball during this period. Fueled by its growing popularity among young people and women in particular, as well as Latinos overall, the sport is benefiting from the tailwinds of growth driven by the FIFA World Cup 2022TM – kicking off in November in Qatar – and the tournament’s arrival in the U.S. in 2026.

“Fútbol is the sport of America’s future. Soccer is growing in the U.S. and Hispanics are clearly leading the way,” said Monica Gil, Chief Administrative and Marketing Officer, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “Every four years, the FIFA World Cup TM brings Latinos and non-Latinos together with a spirit and intensity that no other sporting event in the world can match. There is no more authentic way to experience the World Cup than in Spanish. For companies and brands seeking real cultural connection and a space to engage Latinos, soccer and the FIFA World Cup TM are the place to be, this fall and for years to come.”

According to the report, the World Cup is considered more important among Hispanic World Cup viewers than any other sporting event, including the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Olympic Games, or the NBA Finals. FIFA reported that the 2018 FIFA World CupTM reached over half the global population with 3.57 billion viewers. In 2018, the World Cup had its greatest 32-day performance in Spanish-language media history, with a commanding total U.S. audience reach of 37 million.

The Future Is Fútbolfurther highlights the power of soccer as a multibillion-dollar business with profits of $40 billion in 2019, twice the worldwide revenue for American football. Fans follow players and teams year-round as celebrities and representatives of national origin and sources of local pride. U.S. soccer fans spend 7% more than the average American sports fan on team sports clothing, tickets, sports equipment, and memorabilia. In 2021, soccer matches were available almost every day, with only six days without a match on broadcast TV, a phenomenon that offers brands, retailers and advertisers alike an advantage like no other sports property.

Other key themes highlighted in The Future Is Fútbol include:

  • Latinos Fueling Growth – Latinos have driven shifts in the U.S. population over the last decade. As their influence grows, so does soccer’s popularity. Hispanics and other diverse fans bring with them a love for soccer that has been part of their story for generations, shaped by history and now representing the next breakthrough in mainstream American sports.
    • Among U.S. Latinos ages 16 and older, almost three-quarters (73%) say they are soccer fans, and three times more Hispanics call themselves Superfans (22%) compared to non-Hispanics (7%).
    • More than half (53%) of Latinos ages 16 and older and nearly 1 out of 3 non-Latinos (29%) say they plan to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022.
    • Latinos rank both soccer (57%) and American football (59%) well above basketball (45%) and baseball (40%).
  • “Fútbol is Everything” Culture
  • 61% of Hispanic World Cup viewers are fútbol Enthusiasts, regular fans or superfans, who say that if their team won the World Cup, their euphoria would be unmatched, an experience more exciting than getting their dream job or getting married.
  • Over half (57%) of Hispanic Enthusiasts say they have reshuffled their priorities to watch an important game, including skipping family or friend events, taken off work, spent money they did not have or traveled miles to watch an important match.
  • The FIFA World Cup TM is as big as a holiday. Soccer gatherings are momentous among Latino Enthusiasts who rank the event second only to Christmas, more significant than Thanksgiving and New Year’s.
  • Biggest Multi-Platform Sporting Event –The ability of fans to watch and engage on any screen has a monumental impact on the growing FIFA World Cup TM fandom. Soccer media coverage and content have increased exponentially to meet the demand for more high-quality live, virtual and social fan experiences 24/7.
    • The FIFA World Cup 2022TM is expected to be the world’s biggest multi-platform sports event ever. The incremental viewership from live streaming helped make the 2018 FIFA World CupTM the biggest multi-platform sports event in Spanish-language history.
    • 67% of Hispanic viewers plan to watch the World Cup on broadcast TV, and 42% plan to stream the matches.
    • Television is the preferred device for Hispanics to watch the World Cup (90%), followed by smartphone (34%) and computer (17%).
  • The Power of Spanish – For most Hispanic fans, Spanish is the language and culture of fútbol. Viewers describe Spanish-language soccer commentators as excellent storytellers, utterly poetic and animated about what is happening on the field.
    • Over half (56%) of U.S. Hispanic World Cup viewers prefer watching the FIFA World CupTM in Spanish.
    • Even 1 out of 5 English-dominant Hispanic World Cup viewers prefer to watch in Spanish.
    • Spanish is not exclusive to Hispanics because 17% of non-Latino tournament viewers said they would watch some of the matches in Spanish as well, an increase of 12% over 2018.
    • According to a brain neuroscience study conducted among U.S. bilingual Hispanics, watching a World Cup match with Spanish commentary generated 15% greater likeability, keeping fans glued to their screens longer than watching the identical match in English.
      • Key game moments, like the iconic goal call by the Spanish commentator, prompted an average of 37% greater emotional intensity compared to English, making the “highs” higher and the “lows” lower.
      • The effects of Spanish game commentary also transferred to advertising. In the study, the identical ad, when played in Spanish had 19% higher likeability and 49% greater emotional intensity vs. English.
  • Latinas Are Watching and Bringing Their Kids – Hispanic women are an untapped opportunity among soccer viewers.
  • Four in ten (41%) U.S. Latinas say they are likely to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022TM.
  • 76% of Hispanic mom tournament viewers encourage their kids to follow the World Cup and professional fútbol.
  • Hispanic females are passionate fans and together comprised 17 million Spanish-network FIFA World CupTM viewers in 2018, making the tournament the most-watched Latina sporting event in Spanish-language history.
  • Among the World Cup audience, a fifth (21%) of Latinas call themselves Superfans, which is far greater than both non-Hispanic males (10%) and non-Hispanic females (8%).
  • And Latino viewing is a family affair, with 70% of Latino parent event viewers saying it’s important to watch the FIFA World CupTM in Spanish with their kids.
  • First-Choice Sport of Young People in the U.S. – Soccer has become the fastest-growing major team sport among all high school students and is the most popular among Hispanic high schoolers.
    • High school soccer participation increased 32% from 2002 to 2019, far more than the average growth of basketball (-6%), American football (-2%), baseball (6%), or ice hockey (7%).
    • Soccer is egalitarian, considering that high school girls play almost as much as boys, with participation growing 31% for girls versus 33% for boys from 2002 to 2019. There were 394,105 high school girls who played soccer in 2019, a figure not far behind the 459,077 high school boys who played.
    • Soccer is currently the most popular team sport among 40% of Hispanic high school students who say they played or were planning to play the sport in 2020, compared to 21% of all high school students.

Global and inclusive, growing across women and youth, fútbol is poised to redefine the American sports landscape. After years of wins, both large and small, fútbol is coming of age at the moment when millions of Latinos and fútbol fans of all backgrounds stand ready to watch, engage and lead the way.

Telemundo Deportes is the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ taking place in Qatar this Fall, starting Nov. 20. The network is prepared to deliver the most ambitious coverage in Spanish-language history with all 64 matches live, including all four games on Thanksgiving Day. Peacock will stream all the Spanish-language World Cup matches live, and will feature pre-game and post-game coverage, as well as special programming with extended interviews and highlights.

Topps NOW Timmy Trumpet Card Celebrates Diaz Save

With the Mets holding onto a narrow 2-1 lead over the Dodgers on Wednesday night at CitiField, Timmy Trumpet took the field to welcome closer Edwin Diaz into the game. Trumpet played a live rendition of his song “Narco,” Diaz’s intro song all season.

Now through Friday at 2 p.m. ET, fans can get a Topps NOW card commemorating the occasion. The card, depicting Trumpet’s live performance, is available here. Only the number of cards ordered by Friday at 2 p.m. ET will be printed.

ESPN, TSN To Provide Most Extensive Coverage of National Lacrosse League Entry Draft

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL) today announced the broadcast coverage plan for the 2022 NLL Entry Draft, which will be held on Saturday, September 10 beginning at 2 p.m. ET at the historic The Carlu in downtown Toronto. This year’s first round will be available for the first time on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada and ESPN+ in the United States, with additional rounds covered in real time on NLL social channels. It marks the most extensive live coverage of the NLL Draft in the league’s history.

“We are proud to be able to work with our North American broadcast partners ESPN and TSN to be able to provide in-depth, wide ranging coverage of the 2022 NLL Draft for the first time,” said NLL Commissioner Brett Frood, who officially assumes the fulltime position September 1. “Being able to showcase the personalities of these elite athletes on such a special day to a passionate and engaged fan base is essential to the continued growth of the league and sport. We look forward to utilizing the draft as a catapult to foster authentic and meaningful connections between our players, teams, fans and communities throughout the 2022-23 season and beyond.”

The 2022 NLL Draft coverage will be hosted by Devan Kaney with TSN’s Teddy Jenner and Pat Gregoire providing analysis. TSN’s Ashley Docking will report from the floor of the Draft adding analysis and interviews with the decision makers, influencers and prospects and their families in attendance. The live broadcast starts at 2 p.m. ET and will include a 10-minute pre-show prior to the first pick. Following the conclusion of Round 1 (23 picks), continuing coverage of Rounds 2-6 will be published, in real time, on the league’s social media channels with supporting video.

The Draft will be open to the public, free of charge, with initial seating for up to 200 at The Carlu. More seats may become available as the draft nears. Fans interested in attending can reserve their seat by registering at this link. The NLL Entry Draft was held virtually in 2020 and 2021 following a two-year run at Philadelphia’s Xfinify Live! in 2018 and 2019.

Media who are interested in attending should fill out this form to request a credential.

The Rochester Knighthawks will make the first overall selection in the draft followed by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs making their inaugural selection.

The full first round NLL Entry Draft order, as of August 30, pending pre-Draft transactions, is as follows:

1. Rochester (from Las Vegas)
2. Las Vegas (from Rochester)
3. Vancouver
4. Albany (from New York)
5. Panther City
6. Saskatchewan
7. Albany (from Georgia)
8. New York (from Philadelphia via Albany)
9. Panther City (from Albany via Halifax)
10. Calgary
11. Georgia (from San Diego)
12. Halifax
13. Buffalo (from Toronto)
14. Buffalo
15. Colorado
16. Las Vegas (additional compensatory selection)
17. Albany (compensatory selection)
18. Las Vegas (from Calgary) (compensatory selection)
19. Buffalo (compensatory selection)
20. Georgia (compensatory selection)
21. Panther City (from Albany) (compensatory selection)
22. San Diego (compensatory selection)
23. Philadelphia (from Saskatchewan) (compensatory selection)

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

FanDuel Group Launches FanDuel TV With Kay Adams

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America, announced today its intent to launch FanDuel TV which will include a broadly distributed linear cable television network, and its new OTT platform to be known as FanDuel+. Both FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will go live in September of this year and become the first linear/digital network dedicated to sports wagering content and delivering more live sports programming than any other network in America. As part of the launch, FanDuel TV is excited to welcome Kay Adams who will headline the network with a live daily morning show five days per week. Adams, who previously served as a host of Good Morning Football on the NFL Network will host the show from FanDuel TV’s Los Angeles studios each day at 11:00 am EDT. As part of the launch, the company announced that FanDuel+ will be free to download for existing FanDuel customers with accounts on any of its sportsbook, casino, horse racing or daily fantasy platforms.

“FanDuel TV is the first network designed from the ground up to be watched by viewers with their phone in hand,” said Mike Raffensperger, Chief Commercial Officer, FanDuel. “We intend for FanDuel TV to sit at the intersection of live sports and interactive content and believe Kay is the best example of an on-air talent who can bring fans closer to the narratives of the games they care about most. Our goal is to provide fans compelling programming to watch and wager on in tandem with our mobile app.”

Kay Adams Headlines New Morning Show

Adams will host her own hour long show Monday through Friday, welcoming guests and a wide range of personalities from across sports and entertainment. She looks forward to continuing her well-established track record of entertaining and informing sports fans in the morning! Daily viewers can expect the same “Hey Kay Adams” energy as always, and the daily studio show will also be available on YouTube and other social media platforms.

Pat McAfee and the Squad at PMI to Produce Original Content

FanDuel TV is excited that one of the hottest and most influential people in sports media Pat McAfee and his team at PMI Network will also be joining the party!  McAfee’s PMI Network will be producing fresh new content as part of the network’s weekly block of programming.  Details regarding new PMI Network content will be shared by Pat on The Pat McAfee Show when it’s ready for primetime!

Programming from Bill Simmons’ The Ringer Network

As part of the launch of FanDuel TV, the company has reached a programming agreement with The Ringer providing FanDuel TV content from one of the industry’s most listened to and followed sports and pop-culture podcasts and digital networks. Details on specific content from The Ringer, which Bill Simmons founded in 2016, will be disclosed in the future. 

More Ways to Win with Lisa Kerney

In addition, FanDuel’s signature sports betting show More Ways to Win will continue to be hosted by former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Lisa Kerney bringing sports betting analysis and insight of the major sports leagues to viewers each week. More Ways to Win has been a cornerstone of FanDuel’s programming with Kerney covering a variety of sports content focused on the sports wagerer in her high energy style. A FanDuel brand ambassador, Kerney has appeared recently in the company’s baseball ads and hosted the company’s FanFest event, which was streamed live from Los Angeles to more than 300,000 viewers during the week of Super Bowl LVI.

“Having proven on-air talent, live content from the most influential name in sports media in Pat McAfee and the industry’s best team covering horse racing today demonstrates that FanDuel TV will be a dynamic network from day one,” said Amy Howe, Chief Executive Officer, FanDuel Group.   

New Live Sports Programming

FanDuel TV intends to become the new home of international basketball in the U.S. As part of a licensing agreement with Sportradar, FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will air more than 3,000 hours of live sports including international basketball league action from the National Basketball League (NBL) Australia’s professional league, the Chinese Basketball League, as well as the French and German pro leagues.

Stable of Horse Racing Experts  

FanDuel TV will emerge from predecessor TVG Network, a channel synonymous with delivering racing excellence for the past quarter century. In keeping with its proud TVG lineage as the unquestioned home of horse racing, FanDuel TV will feature a stacked lineup of unparalleled coverage from respected experts including Christina Blacker, Britney Eurton, Gabby Gaudet, Mike Joyce, Todd Schrupp and the rest of TVG’s award-winning on-air talent roster.  FanDuel TV’s programming schedule will be underpinned with the best live coverage from the top tracks including Gulfstream, Del Mar, Keeneland, Pimlico, Santa Anita and many more. FanDuel TV will also deliver unmatched coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships this November, hosted at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky.

“TVG has been the undisputed leader in the horse racing space for the past 20 years and the launch of FanDuel TV creates an exciting new platform for the next 20 years,” added Raffensperger. “FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will accelerate the renaissance racing is enjoying and repackage the sport for a new generation of mobile enabled fans, while also bringing new leagues and sports to the U.S. market.  We plan to offer more live sports than any network in America.”

FanDuel TV will be broadly distributed on linear television through its relationships with the industry’s leading cable and satellite distributors including Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FIOS, DirectTV, DISH, Cox Communications, FuboTV, YouTubeTV, and Hulu. FanDuel+ will also be widely available on direct-to-consumer OTT platforms including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire. For more information on FanDuel TV programming and news, follow @FanDuelTV on Twitter and Instagram.

NY Regulator Expects To Clear 2022 Sports Betting Targets

Since launching Jan. 8, New York sportsbooks have already handled more than $9.7 billion on sports wagers statewide, a figure that cements the Empire State as the nation’s capital of sports betting. Online wagering has already generated more than $368 million for New York state tax coffers, an astounding figure considering that only four states across the nation have eclipsed the $100 million threshold since the U.S. Supreme Court’s repeal of PASPA in May 2018.

The explosion of sports betting leaves New York State Gaming Commission Executive Director Rob Williams optimistic that the state could generate $500 million in tax revenue from online sports wagering in the first year of the market. For context, when former Gov. Andrew Cuomo reversed course on sports betting in 2021, his administration projected that the state would not clear that figure until Fiscal Year 2026, at the earliest. The numbers are astounding when you consider that more than two other dozen states have generated around $1.31 billion in combined tax revenue from legal sports wagering since May 2018.

“We’re very pleased with the overall success of the mobile sports wagering industry in New York. We are very cognizant that we’ve reached those great numbers without going through a football season,” Williams told Sports Handle last week on the sidelines of the Racing and Gaming Conference at Saratoga.

The nation’s capital for sports betting

From the outset, there were clear indications that New York appeared poised to shatter national records, based on the sheer volume of activity in certain sports-crazed neighborhoods of Manhattan. New Yorkers placed more than 300,000 wagers over the first hour of legal sports betting in the Empire State, and a total of 17.2 million over the first weekend on Jan. 8-9, according to Vancouver-based geolocation provider GeoComply. For the Super Bowl, New York activity represented a whopping 25% of the company’s U.S. sports betting traffic, ranking first.

Consequently, there are strong indications that New York will surpass $2.3 billion in handle for the upcoming NFL season. Of the seven states that provide a breakdown for revenues by sport, wagering on the NFL last year represented about 18-20% of their overall handle, according to Sports Handle internal research. The figure jumped to 27.6% in Mississippi for retail sports wagers (the state only accepts online sports bets inside casino properties). One outlier is Nevada, where NFL wagers represent about 37% of the state’s overall handle on a historical basis, according to the UNLV Center For Gaming Research. Last year, NFL wagering represented 33.4% of the handle statewide.

New York launched online sports betting one day before the final Sunday of the 2021-22 NFL regular season.

When you toss in betting on college football, New York appears on track to clear $500 million in tax revenue. As a point of comparison, Colorado handled more than $158 million in college football wagers in 2021, on top of the $689.1 million state sportsbooks handled on the NFL. Although the Colorado figures contain wagers in several offseason months, the bulk of wagering occurred in the four months during the season. The population in New York outranks Colorado by a factor of 3.4x.

“There’s no doubt that as we go through this upcoming fall football season with both college and professional football that we will exceed the initial revenue numbers that we were aiming for,” Williams said. “It has been a wonderful success without what everyone concedes is the most important season to benefit sports wagering, so we’re very bullish on the market.”

At a hold of 8%, New York sportsbooks could generate more than $180 million in gross gaming revenue (GGR) from the NFL alone. Given the explosion of single-game parlays, it stands to reason that the hold this fall could be considerably higher. For those attempting to forecast the NFL hold in New York, trends on the hold from parlays in Illinois might be instructive:

SGPNTV debuts in 150 million homes

The Sports Gambling Podcast Network’s flagship program, The Sports Gambling Podcast with Sean Green and Ryan Kramer, will be available to some 150 million additional viewers next month as the free sports gambling content provider launches SGPNTV on the popular TV streaming platforms Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV.

The launch of SGPNTV is set for Thursday, September 1, just in time for the 2022 NFL and college football seasons. The Sports Gambling Podcast will air its final NFL Predictions Show during a live stream at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT that day.  Additionally, all 32 NFL team previews previously produced by SGPN will also be available On Demand on the day of launch. Future episodes of The Sports Gambling Podcast will be available daily on SGPNTV. Additional SGPN podcasts are expected to be available on SGPNTV in the coming months. 

SGPNTV, which is free to download and watch, adds approximately 150 million more streamers to the potential viewership during a time when more and more states are making sports gambling legal. Currently, 30 states plus the District of Columbia allow sports betting, while five more states have approved the legislation and are awaiting its launch, and three more have bills pending.

“We’ve found a sizable audience and it’s growing, so this is another step in our journey as the top independent, always-free provider of sports betting content,” said SPGN co-founder Green, who has experience as a Hollywood show writer and comedian. Green funded the growth of SGPN five years ago when he won $200,000 in a DraftKings daily fantasy contest.

The American Gaming Association estimated that 31.4 million Americans bet over $7B on the Super Bowl and that over 45 million people in the U.S. bet over $3B on March Madness this past year. 

“The addition of SGPN to these platforms is key as the entire industry continues to climb,” said SGPN co-founder Kramer. “The growth of sports betting and the amazingly diverse populations that are engaged is a great fit for our offering of all free, all the time sophisticated picks and analysis.  Content is king and we produce more than anyone in the non-subscription space.”

As the marketplace begins to mature, more platforms are hiding content behind paywalls and forcing followers to pay for picks and analysis on the bigger games. SGPN’s traditional model relies on delivering the desired audience in both size and demographics to advertisers, marketers and brand-builders.  Audiences continue to grow because the content comes at no cost.

National Lacrosse League Announces Information For 2022 Entry Draft

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced that the 2022 NLL Entry Draft will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 2 p.m. ET at the historic The Carlu in downtown Toronto.

Information about live broadcast coverage and details surrounding how fans can consume the 2022 NLL Draft on social media will be announced at a later date. The Draft will be open to the public, free of charge, with seating for 400 at The Carlu.

After a blockbuster trade following the 2022 Expansion Draft, the Rochester Knighthawks will make the first overall selection in the draft followed by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs making their inaugural selection. Vancouver, New York, and Panther City will make the following picks, respectively.

The full first round NLL Entry Draft order, as of August 23, pending pre-Draft transactions, is as follows:

  1. Rochester (from Las Vegas)
  2. Las Vegas (from Rochester)
  3. Vancouver
  4. New York
  5. Panther City
  6. Saskatchewan
  7. Georgia
  8. Albany (from Philadelphia)
  9. Halifax (from Albany)
  10. Calgary
  11. Georgia (from San Diego)
  12. Halifax
  13. Buffalo (from Toronto)
  14. Buffalo
  15. Colorado
  16. Las Vegas (additional compensatory selection)
  17. Albany (compensatory selection)
  18. Las Vegas (from Calgary) (compensatory selection)
  19. Buffalo (compensatory selection)
  20. Georgia (compensatory selection)
  21. Panther City (from Albany) (compensatory selection)
  22. San Diego (compensatory selection)
  23. Philadelphia (from Saskatchewan) (compensatory selection)

The NLL Entry Draft was held virtually in 2020 and 2021 following a two-year run at Philadelphia’s Xfinify Live! in 2018 and 2019. Draft eligibility requirements are available at https://www.nll.com/combine/draft-eligibility/.

For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Betting Innovation Centre launches Opta BetBuilder Plus for the World Cup

Stats Perform and Sporting Solutions’ new Betting Innovation Centre announced its first B2B product set, Opta BetBuilder Plus, that will quickly unlock the true potential of player props and same-game betting for every operator and bettor.

Initially built for football and ready to integrate today, Opta BetBuilder Plus is the only major betbuilder product to utilise Stats Perform’s renowned Opta player statistics and enables sportsbooks of all sizes to offer thrilling experiences for the 2022 World Cup and many competitions beyond.

The product fills key gaps that have held back the growth of football betting by connecting sharp pricing with contextual front-end Opta stats, in-play as well as pre-game, delivered in multiple formats including singles, pre-combined multis, a betbuilder API and hosted betbuilder UI.

Opta BetBuilder Plus features unique Opta-powered markets, like player shots on target and goalkeeper saves, which are available for a broad range of global football competitions. The service has also been built from the ground-up to be fast and simple to launch, particularly for hundreds of operators with an existing Sporting Solutions or Stats Perform integration.

“Opta BetBuilder Plus creates dream experiences for bettors and operators and will set a benchmark for the future of betbuilder products. It perfectly combines the best of Sporting Solutions and Stats Perform: elite modeling and trading expertise, uniquely deep player data, product expertise and the world-renowned Opta brand,” said Shane Gannon, SVP Betting at Stats Perform.

CEO of Sporting Solutions, Andy Wright, said: “Since announcing the Betting Innovation Centre, operators have been asking for player proposition prices like shots to be available at scale in betbuilders and same-game products, in-play as well as pre-game, to make football betting more entertaining for their users.

“They also want their traders to have genuine confidence in the player proposition pricing, so they can keep more markets open longer, for more games, and be creative with their boosts and promotions. That’s a large part of the unique value we’re bringing.”

Added Gannon, “Operators want their customers to be able to quickly find and place the right bet, to track it and have stats to help them make a cash-out decision, for all the big leagues but also their local hero players and teams.

“Our Opta BetBuilder Plus product set enables all of this, via a very fast integration. It is perfect for any operator wanting to unlock the true potential of football betting and means every operator can quickly offer trusted, unbeatable football betting experiences,” he said.

EBET’s Sports Betting Brand BetTarget Secures Ring Sponsorship of Saturday’s Bare Knuckle Fighting

Touted as the biggest combat sporting event this summer, EBET’s brand BetTarget will gain brand exposure leading up to and throughout the live action. The event will be distributed in over 60 countries and is expected to be broadcast to 133 million homes. The event is also expecting over 300,000 live PPV viewers and a rebroadcast viewership of 25 million.

EBET’s BetTarget offers the latest odds and live betting on all major sports and events with more than 3,000 live events per month and thousands of additional pre-event markets.

“Bare Knuckle fighting is rapidly becoming one of the most popular combat sports in the world. And with 91% of the fan base above the age of 21, this event is a great fit for our sports wagering brand, BetTarget,” commented Mark Thorne, Chief Marketing Officer of EBET. “We look forward to exposing our brand to the massive audience this fight card will engage.”