Joining forces to broaden brand exposure

Sportradar and Churchill Downs Incorporated’s online sports wagering arm TwinSpires have joined forces in a five-year sports betting partnership focused on the US market. The St Gallen, Switzerland-based sports data and content organization announced its multi-year deal with TwinSpires on April 15.

Freshly rebranded from BetAmerica to TwinSpires earlier this year, the Kentucky-based sports and online gaming company will gain access to Sportradar’s pre-match and live wagering services, plus content solutions across many US sports.

The latest agreement comes as Churchill Downs seeks to broaden the exposure of its TwinSpires brand within the rapidly expanding American sports betting market.

TwinSpires deal assuaged the blow dealt Sportradar by the National Football League

The TwinSpires deal assuaged the blow dealt Sportradar by the National Football League (NFL) after it ditched its former data rights partner, a company the NFL holds equity in, for London-based rival Genius Sports on April 1.

TwinSpires racing out the stalls

TwinSpires is wasting no time getting out the stalls following its freshly rebranded entry into the sports and online gaming market in January 2021, when it launched under the new brand in Michigan.

In addition to its Sportradar deal, the Churchill Downs-owned brand also rolled out its TwinSpires Sportsbook in Tennessee yesterday, sharing the news via Twitter:

In a news release about the Sportradar deal, president of Churchill Downs online division Ian Williams highlighted the “significant steps” the business is making in growing its US exposure. He referenced the increasing number of live events TwinSpires players can “access, view lines, and place wagers on.”

MD of US Betting for Sportradar Neale Deeley concurred, saying TwinSpires’ growth in the US sports wagering scene gives the brand a “great opportunity” going forward. He added: “We look forward to joining [TwinSpires] on this journey and helping them deliver a high-quality betting experience that customers can rely on.”

Sportradar making 2021 strides despite NFL blip

Despite its multi-year data rights agreement with the NFL going south, Sportradar has been expanding its business on several fronts in 2021.

On March 25, the Swiss brand announced it had secured international media distribution rights for the Chinese Basketball Association League, building on an existing relationship with the CBA through a new multi-year deal.

Sportradar helped itself to a strategic slice of US business a few days earlier, when it announced the acquisition of sports technology and analytics firm Synergy Sports.

The purchase gives Sportradar an amplified footprint in the US market, courtesy of Synergy’s agreements with the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. It also avails Sportradar of existing data and video analytics deals with college sports, with access to all of men’s and women’s NCAA Division 1 basketball, and the lion’s share of NCAA Division 1 men’s baseball.