Tuesday, Apr. 30, 2019 – A roundup of some of the key sports technology stories you need to know, including SportTechie’s own content and stories from around the web.
- FanDuel to Stream Live Sports Through Betting Platform in New Jersey: FanDuel will begin to stream live sports on its website and mobile app as part of an expanded partnership with Swiss data company Sportradar. The collaboration marks the first time a U.S. sports betting operator will allow consumers to watch live sports within its betting app. FanDuel will initially stream tennis and European soccer matches, but may add more sports. According to Reuters, the service will only be available in New Jersey for now, but FanDuel has plans to offer live streaming in more states that allow mobile sports betting.
- West Ham United Joins Socios Blockchain-Based Fan Engagement Platform: EPL club West Ham United announced it will join Socios, a blockchain-based fan engagement platform. Socios is a mobile app that allows fans to vote on select club decisions through purchasing fan tokens. West Ham United fans will be able to buy tokens for access to exclusive merchandise, games, leaderboards, and experiences. European soccer giants such as Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are already on the Socios platform, but West Ham is the first Premier League team to join the service.
- The Professional Fighters League Raises $30 Million in Series C Funding: The PFL has raised a $30 million Series C round from a group of investors led by Beats Electronics co-founder Jimmy Iovine. Elysian Park Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Los Angeles Dodgers, also contributed to the latest round. According to Bloomberg, the investment will be used to enhance the Professional Fighters League’s data and analytics capabilities. The PFL will integrate real-time fighter performance data into its broadcasts on ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+ during its second season, which begins May 9.
- FloSports Forms Anti-Piracy Partnership With VFT Solutions: Streaming service FloSports announced an anti-piracy partnership with cybersecurity firm VFT Solutions. VFT will monitor live events on FloSports’ social media platforms to identify users who are streaming illegally. The UFC previously used VFT’s platform to combat illegal streaming of Conor McGregor’s fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov in October. “Taking proactive steps to stop online pirates who attempt to illegally stream our content is crucial for our business and is possible through this partnership,” said Amy Loesch, FloSports SVP of Marketing, in a press release.