Gambling in the USA

Stats Perform Hires Steve and Peter Hirdt, the Pioneers of Sports Broadcast Research and Content

Published

4 years ago

December 11, 2019

Stats Perform Hires Steve and Peter Hirdt, the Pioneers of Sports Broadcast Research and Content

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Stats Perform, the revolutionary leader in sports AI and data, announced the hire of Steve and Peter Hirdt, the two biggest innovators in U.S. sports broadcast research and content over the past four decades. The Hirdt brothers join Stats Perform from Elias Sports Bureau with Steve taking over as senior director of operations and research and Peter as senior director of content and broadcast service.

“Having worked in network television for 45 years, there is no single person I have relied upon or trusted more than Steve Hirdt,” said legendary NBC sports broadcaster Al Michaels. “Together we’ve worked close to a thousand events (baseball, football, basketball), and he’s made every telecast better. His perspective is unmatched. Working with Steve has been an honor, and the countless times I’ve been praised for coming up with fascinating information, let the truth be told: It almost always came from Steve. This is a major, major coup for Stats Perform.”

The Hirdts are synonymous with sports data in the United States, having pioneered the widespread use of statistics in sports media. The standards that the Hirdts established and the language and techniques they developed are fundamental to the statistical content produced by leagues, teams, and the media.

“If you talk to anyone across the sports broadcast industry, Steve and Peter’s names come up as two of the most influential minds for modern sports statistics and media coverage,” Stats Perform Chief Executive Officer Carl Mergele said. “Over the past four decades, they instilled standards and practices that led the sports broadcast industry to embrace the use of data to enhance storytelling. Now they join Stats Perform at a pivotal moment as we use industry-leading AI and our unmatched historical database to unlock a new set of sports insights. Having Steve and Peter on board takes our illustrious research media team to an even higher level.”

Steve Hirdt is the country’s foremost expert on sports statistics. From his research on the first edition of The Baseball Encyclopedia, to his groundbreaking work on ABC Monday Night Baseball, and 35 years as an Emmy Award-winning director of information on Monday Night Football on both ABC and ESPN, Steve has been an influential advocate for sports data that is accurate, innovative and interesting. During his career at the Elias Sports Bureau, including more than 20 years as executive vice president, Steve’s deep sports knowledge and insight made him a trusted advisor to the country’s leading sports executives, writers and broadcasters. He is also a frequent committee member for the Baseball Hall of Fame and a recognized voice on documentaries and talk shows.

“I am thrilled to join the team at Stats Perform, which already has deep roots in sports broadcasts worldwide,” Steve said. “With recent advancements in AI, Stats Perform is at the forefront of ushering in new capabilities for data and statistics in sports. We look forward to joining the team to create the new wave of sports broadcast.”

Before Stats Perform, Peter spent more than four decades at the Elias Sports Bureau, where he mastered the presentation of statistical content during 16 years consulting on ABC Monday Night Baseball and Monday Night Football and CBS Sports’ MLB coverage. Peter was also the lead writer of the Elias Baseball Analyst (nine annual editions) and Elias Says, a daily column on ESPN.com for 13 years. He conceived, designed and managed the Graphics Library, a service now used on virtually all MLB, NBA, and NHL telecasts. He served as liaison to Elias’ broadcast and media clients, led the company’s expansion into soccer, and developed and implemented its social media strategy. As a vice president since the mid-1990s, Peter negotiated contracts with many of Elias’ largest clients.

“We are excited for the opportunity to bring our decades of experience in statistics and sports media to a company with the infrastructure and technology to fully support our initiatives,” Peter said. “Stats Perform is at the forefront of using AI and machine learning to get deeper and faster meaning out of sports moments. I am thrilled to join and take advantage of the new AI capabilities at our disposal.”

Stats Perform powers broadcasters and digital destinations with data-driven insights, industry-leading global research support, editorial content and photos that keep audiences informed and engaged with the action. With historical databases reaching back to the 1870s, Stats Perform covers hundreds of leagues including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA Football, men’s and women’s college basketball, EPL, EFL Championship, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Serie A, PSL, QSL, NRL and Top 14.

“Steve and Peter’s illustrious careers have had a direct impact on the way we watch and conceptualize sports today,” Stats Perform Chief Operations Officer Mike Perez said. “Stats Perform has one of the best media research teams in the business and having the Hirdts at the helm opens us up for so many exciting opportunities.”

This week, the Hirdts are attending the 2019 Baseball Winter Meetings™ in San Diego, California.

Mike Breen of ESPN and ABC said: “The Hirdt family has had an extraordinary impact on how we view and enjoy our sports. Their integrity and accuracy are only exceeded by their love and passion for the sports they cover.”

Bob Costas of MLB Network said: “For decades, the Hirdts have provided keenly insightful and always 100 percent reliable information enhancing the depth of sports coverage and the quality of its presentation. The key has been not just the wealth of raw data, but an editorial sense that produces genuine insights and interesting story lines supported by that data.”

About Stats Perform:

Stats Perform collects the richest sports data in the world and transforms it through revolutionary AI to unlock the most in-depth insights for media and technology, betting and team performance. With company roots dating back almost 40 years, Stats Perform embraces and solves the dynamic nature of sport – be that for digital and broadcast media with differentiated storytelling, tech companies with reliable and fast data to power their innovations, sportsbooks with in-play betting and integrity services, or teams with first-of-its-kind AI analysis software. As the leading sports data and AI company, Stats Perform works with the top global sports media, tech companies, sportsbooks, teams and leagues.

SOURCE: Stats Perform

Gambling in the USA

Nebraska’s First Permanent Casino to Open in May in Columbus

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nebraska’s first full-fledged, newly built and state-sanctioned gambling casino is slated to open in Columbus next month, marking a milestone in the state’s rollout of casino gambling.

The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission last Friday approved a target opening date of May 13 for Harrah’s Columbus.

“This is a big deal,” commission Chairman Dennis Lee said.

The state’s three other casinos are open, but in temporary facilities. According to construction schedules, all should be open by early next year.

“We’re definitely excited to open the first permanent casino in the state,” said Don Ostert, Harrah’s Columbus general manager.

The 17,000-square-foot casino floor will feature 400 slot machines and 11 live table games, including roulette and craps, Ostert said. It will feature a Brew Brothers restaurant and will offer Caesar’s sportsbook and racebook, Ostert said.

For racing fans, the complex will feature the state’s only 1-mile horse track, though racing isn’t scheduled to begin until August 16. By June, officials hope to have some horses out on the track to test the new surface.

Ostert said officials hope to draw customers from Norfolk and Grand Island, but also from Omaha and Lincoln.

Columbus Mayor James Bulkley said that, from the city’s standpoint, “we are very excited to see it get started and become part of the community.”

The developers incorporated some Columbus history into the casino, he said.

“The location where it is used to be called Wishbones, and it was a venue for years for entertainment, and so people recognize that name, and they have kept that name for the sports bar,” he said.

He expects the casino will draw from Omaha. Although driving to Columbus from downtown Omaha might take close to an hour and a half, the drive from west Omaha is more like an hour, he said.

“I can hit Elkhorn in a short hour today, which is now western Omaha,” he said.

In a few months, Omahans won’t have to leave town to visit a brand-new casino.

At Horsemen’s Park in Omaha, Warhorse Gaming officials are aiming to open their new casino in early August. It will open with 900 gaming positions, including table games and a Sweetwater Cafe.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 15-21

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

Caesars Entertainment announced that the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app is accepting mobile sports bets at Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi, Mississippi. Sports fans 21 and older who are interested in wagering on sports via mobile devices can download the Caesars Sportsbook Mississippi app to register and deposit statewide but must be physically present on-property at Harrah’s Gulf Coast to wager.

The Office of Lottery and Gaming (OLG) has announced that FanDuel’s sports betting app and website has officially launched. This development will introduce FanDuel’s sports wagering platform to District residents and visitors, completely replacing the current GambetDC sports betting app and website.

eCOGRA has been officially authorised by the Secretaria De Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) to operate as a certifying entity for betting systems, live gaming studios and online games in Brazil. This announcement marks a significant milestone as eCOGRA continues to extend its international offering of iGaming testing, inspection and certification (TIC) services in regulated markets across the globe.

Jennifer Shatley, a recognised expert in the field and a highly sought speaker and advisor, has joined the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA) as Executive Director. Shatley has had 25+ years worth of experience, working closely with the treatment community, academics, researchers, government bodies, state councils and gaming industry representatives to promote responsible gaming.

Odditt, a leading provider of innovative sports betting data, tools and analytics, has appointed Elaine Milardo as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). With over 25 years of experience in the data industry and key roles at DraftKings and Vistaprint, Elaine brings a wealth of expertise to Odditt’s growing team.

Partnerships

Trustly, the global leader in Open Banking Payments, and Light & Wonder, the leading cross-platform global games company, are bringing cashless, in-person deposits to casino floors with Light & Wonder’s cashless solution, RAPIDPLAY. Building on Trustly’s success with guaranteed payments in online sports betting and iGaming, Trustly will deliver the same seamless, quick and secure online payment experience to the physical casino floor.

Fintech company Sightline has entered into an exclusive partnership with compliance and anti-fraud technology solutions leader GeoComply to bolster the security and efficiency of digital transactions within the regulated gaming industry. Sightline will integrate GeoComply’s cutting-edge IDComply identity verification solution as well as GeoComply’s compliance-grade geolocation tools across its comprehensive suite of digital payment solutions for land-based casinos and online gaming operators.

BetMGM has announced a partnership with GameCode, a distinguished iGaming company focused on the North American market. The partnership includes the launch of Boom Boom Boom, HammerCash, Gold Gold Gold and Super3 series which are now live at BetMGM in Michigan and New Jersey through direct integration. BetMGM plans to offer GameCode’s full portfolio of games in all jurisdictions where the operator’s iGaming platform is live pending regulatory approvals.

SCCG Management has announced a joint venture investment with Numb3rs, an innovative all-in-one payment solution provider built for gaming operators. The partnership aims to transform the gaming sector by integrating Numb3rs’ proprietary tech stack, ECRYPT, into the marketplace, thereby offering a comprehensive suite of payment processing solutions.

Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – April 8-14

Published

2 weeks ago

April 15, 2024

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Latest News

FanDuel Group, the premier online gaming company in North America and an Official Partner of Churchill Downs Inc., announced five time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan and Grammy award-winning R&B singer Ne-Yo as the headlining performers at FanDuel’s inaugural Kentucky Derby Party. The exclusive, invite-only event will take place on Friday, May 3 at Paristown Arts and Entertainment District in Louisville, Kentucky from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM.

TPI, a leading provider of innovative player communication solutions for the casino industry, has appointed Joe Tingson as its new Vice President of Customer Success. With his unparalleled dedication to his customers, Joe will play a pivotal role as a leader for our digital Customer Success and Product teams.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, has announced plans for its new 33,000 square foot Atlanta Headquarters, which will be located in the Star Metals Building in Midtown Atlanta. The company plans to grow its workforce by 1000 new jobs over the next seven years, the economic impact of which will be $25M to the state of Georgia.

Century Casinos Inc. has announced that it opened its hotel in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, The Riverview. The Riverview is a 69 room, six-story building with 68,000 square feet that is adjacent to and connected with Century Casino Cape Girardeau. The project cost $30.5 million and was financed with cash on hand.

Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced the opening of Terre Haute Casino Resort in Terre Haute, Indiana. The $290 million investment includes a casino floor with 1000 slot machines, 36 table games, and a state-of-the-art sportsbook. The 400,000-square-foot entertainment venue also features regionally inspired bars and restaurants including: Four Cornered Steakhouse, Rockwood Bar & Grill, The Soda Shoppe, Crossroads Center Bar and High Limit Bar.

Bragg Gaming Group Inc., a global B2B gaming technology and content provider, announced that Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Ronen Kannor, has notified Bragg’s board of directors (Board) that he will resign from his position to pursue other career opportunities, effective June 3, 2024. The Company confirms that the search for a replacement CFO has commenced.

Partnerships

EQL Games has partnered with global aggregation leader and NeoGames company, Pariplay, to provide the Virginia Lottery, through an agreement with NeoPollard Interactive, with a series of eInstant iLottery games for their industry-leading digital platform.

JACK Entertainment LLC announced the selection of Konami Gaming Inc.’s SYNKROS to power industry-leading systems technology across its 1.5 million square feet of casino entertainment space. The Ohio-based gaming operator’s portfolio includes a combined 2600+ gaming machines and 85 table games at JACK Cleveland Casino in downtown Cleveland, and at JACK Thistledown Racino, located approximately 10 miles to the southeast.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that the company has reunited with the Atlanta Braves as the club’s Official Daily Fantasy Sports Partner for the 2024 season. The partnership extends a longstanding relationship that dates back to 2020, with the two Atlanta-based companies continuing to work together on unique opportunities for their dedicated fans.