In the modern, multidimensional sports betting and broadcasting world, consumers want content served ‘when they want, where they want and how they want it’.
This is the viewpoint of Steve Bornstein and David Levy, respective President – North America and Chairman of Genius Sports, who shared their opinions on 2022 developments in a recent video discussion as part of the firm’s recent investor day.
In particular, the duo highlighted how consumers now have demands for a wide range of sporting content – with sports schedules packed full of a huge variety of different offerings from golf to American football to combat sports – and this in turn influences betting trends.
“I think the future of where Genius is going to connect with all this, is that there are certain times when you don’t want to watch all of the teams.”
“Using golf as an example, let’s say Sergio Garcia isn’t in the golf tournament but he’s playing on Sunday – you’ll never see Sergio in a normal telecast, but if you have a bet that he’s going to have four birdies today you will see that.
“There is an opportunity to put a camera on almost every golfer, and let the fan decide what they want to watch, and that’s where the future of this content business is going.”
A common objective underscored by Genius in recent years has been a focus on fan engagement, with the sports data and technology company identifying the role sports betting can play in this offering.
In the aftermath of the repeal of PASPA in 2018, the sports wagering sector in the US has expanded exponentially, and Levy believes this provides an opportunity for sportsbooks to partner with media rights holders to usher in a new era of fan engagement.
“Who you want to see, when you want to see and really, what you want to bet on,” he explained. “Ultimately, Genius is going to supply products and services that are going to increase fan engagement, and that’s why I came here.
“I think either sportsbooks and media companies are going to merge in some form or have very close relationships with each other.”
Agreeing with his Genius colleague, Bornstein argued that one of the major benefits of today’s multifaceted sports environment is that major tournaments such as the National Football League (NFL) can attract customers, who then be given the opportunity to consume content from a wider range of sports.
“The NFL brings them into the house,” he said. “To me, we’re not solving for, we’re part of, the process that people are using for better engagement. When you watch the NFL it is a multi-screen experience.
“As people gamble, consume and gamify the content, they’re interest level and engagement level increases astronomically, and by providing those services you’re increasing the content and engagement.”
In pursuit of the diverse content detailed by the two executives, Genius Sports has embarked on a huge expansion plan for its client network in recent years. The company, a NYSE-listed enterprise, has formed partnerships with tournaments and operators as prominent as the NFL and bet365 to obscure sports such as pickleball.
