Industry News
European Tour and IMG Arena announce data distribution partnership
Shot-by-shot data will be collected at European Tour events
IMG ARENA to distribute and license official scoring data
European Tour will deliver an enhanced integrity programme
The European Tour has announced a new partnership with IMG’s IMG ARENA, a leading sports betting and content hub, for the collection, distribution and licensing of its official scoring data, allowing fans to benefit from significantly enhanced statistics and insights.
As part of the partnership, IMG ARENA will live stream two selected Par 3 holes per week for syndication to data rights clients in selected territories.
IMG ARENA will distribute and license the Tour’s official scoring data on an exclusive basis to worldwide media organisations and international regulated sports betting and gaming markets in a significant long-term arrangement.
IMG ARENA is developing a cutting edge, real-time, shot-by-shot data collection system which will be installed at all European Tour events, with these new insights set to be available to fans via European Tour platforms and global broadcasters.
A fully trained scoring team will use leading GPS technology, connectivity systems and greenside cameras to collect data from every shot in European Tour competition. Successful trials have been completed and further testing will take place across a host of events during 2019, with a view to the system being fully operational for the 2020 season.
Under its agreement with the European Tour, IMG ARENA will work closely with the European Tour’s Integrity Unit, which was launched in 2018 as a key component of an enhanced integrity programme to protect the Tour from corruption relating to sports betting.
Rufus Hack, Chief Content Officer of The European Tour, said: “This partnership with IMG ARENA will provide an enhanced statistical offering from our tournaments through real-time, shot-by-shot data.
“It will help us to grow our fan base and increase engagement through improved data and insights for fans across all our platforms. Licensing the data for regulated sports betting markets will allow fans around the world the opportunity to engage with our product in a different way.
“IMG ARENA will work closely with our robust integrity programme, and our investment in this area will combine the latest thinking and world-class technology to both disseminate official scoring data to betting markets and protect our tournaments from the threat corruption.”
Max Wright Senior Vice President and Head of Commercial at IMG ARENA, said: “More than a year in the making, this partnership will deliver one of the most sophisticated sports data products ever created. Our state-of-the-art, live scoring capture system will deliver a wealth of data and power a range of exciting new live betting markets.
“There is a huge opportunity for golf to become a global leader in sports betting. IMG Arena is at the forefront of the efforts to deliver this, with the European Tour a significant and complementary addition to our portfolio.”
The European Tour’s Golf Integrity Unit leads its integrity strategy, forging relationships and facilitating communication with betting operators and regulators. It also routinely focuses on player education and will use Genius Sports’ bet monitoring system, which is also employed by Major League Baseball and the English Premier League.
The system compares real-time odds movements from global betting markets with predictive algorithms, providing automatic alerts for any irregular activity.
Keith Waters, the European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer, added: “Our primary responsibility is to our players. We will educate and support all professionals to ensure they have the right guidance and understand the latest golf betting regulations.
“We are also conscious of our duty to the game of golf and its outstanding reputation for integrity, so our education and coverage will extend to all player support personnel, including the caddies, friends and families of the players.
“We will be utilising Genius Sports’ sophisticated monitoring system and co-ordinating with betting regulators and operators, who play a vital part in preventing corruption.”
Ben Paterson, Integrity Operations Director of Genius Sports, said: “To be truly effective, a sport’s integrity strategy must be underpinned by continuous bet monitoring and reporting. We are proud to have been selected by the European Tour, providing new levels of visibility over global betting on their competitions and ensuring their events remain transparent, unpredictable and protected.”
About IMG:
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events, and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in sports training and league development, as well as marketing, media, and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. IMG is part of the Endeavor network.
Industry News
SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
Industry News
Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase
Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.
“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.
“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.
Industry News
PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer
PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.
In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.
Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.
“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
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