Friday, March 29, 2024
HomesportsNFL data rights owner Genius Sports closes $1.5 billion merger

NFL data rights owner Genius Sports closes $1.5 billion merger

  • Shareholders of special purpose acquisition company dMY Technology Group approved the $1.5 billion merger with Genius Sports.
  • Genius Sports enters the NYSE after finalizing one of the most sought-after data rights agreements in sports.

Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens, left, stiff arms the Kansas City Chiefs' Juan Thornhill at Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium on Sept. 28, 2020.Todd Olszewski | Getty Images

Genius Sports, the tech firm that now owns the National Football League's official data rights, completed its merger with special purpose acquisition company dMY Technology Group.

The SPAC's shareholders approved the the $1.5 billion deal with Genius Sports on Friday. Genius will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GENI starting Wednesday.

Genius said it enters the public market "with over $145 million in cash and no financial debt on the balance sheet" as it looks to capitalize on global sports betting, including a growing U.S. market. Goldman Sachs estimated last month the U.S. sports betting market will be worth nearly $40 billion by 2033.

"As Genius Sports enters an exciting new chapter in its history, we are uniquely positioned at the heart of the world's sports, betting and media ecosystem," Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke said in a statement. "Our merger with dMY II and listing on the NYSE are a testament to the enormous opportunity ahead of us as we leverage our unique scale, drive innovation and deliver products that help our partners create new and immersive experiences for sports fans around the world."

Genius Sports enters the NYSE after finalizing one of the most sought-after data rights agreements in sports.

NFL and Genius Sports agreed to a four-year deal on April 1, making Genius the official data provider for NFL games. Under the pact, Genius will distribute real-time play-by-play stats, the league's "Next Gen Stats" and will provide sports betting data feeds to media companies and sports betting firms domestically and internationally.

This is a May 16, 2018, file photo showing then-Turner Broadcasting President David Levy attending the Turner Networks 2018 Upfront in New York.Evan Agostini | Invision | AP

The company also has partnerships with other leagues, including the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, PGA Tour and the NCAA. Top betting companies Flutter Entertainment — which owns FanDuel — DraftKings, Caesars' William Hill, MGM's BetMGM and PointsBet use Genius' data.

The company named former Turner Sports boss David Levy as its new chairman on March 25. Levy will serve on the company's board alongside dMY Chairman Harry You and CEO Niccolo de Masi.

"With its proprietary technology, unparalleled access to data and growing network of partnerships, (Genius) is powering the global sports, betting and media ecosystem," de Masi said. "What's more, the company benefits from a strong competitive moat and clear, promising growth opportunities that should drive compelling value for shareholders over the long-term."

Shares of dMY Technology Group dropped about 16% on Tuesday.

 Disclosure: CNBC parent Comcast and NBC Sports are investors in FanDuel.

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