🎙️ Upside Chat with Michael D'Auria, EVP Partnerships, Sports and Technology at Genius Sports, a Leading Sports Technology Company

Today we have the honor of interviewing Michael D'Auria, EVP Partnerships, Sports and Technology at Genius Sports, a leading sports technology company.

Genius Sports is a global sports technology company that provides data, technology, and broadcast solutions to the sports, sports betting, and media industries. Essentially, they act as a crucial link between sports leagues, betting operators, and media outlets. Their services include capturing and distributing live sports data, facilitating sports betting experiences, and enhancing fan engagement through innovative broadcast technologies. Genius Sports plays a key role in the modern sports ecosystem by powering the infrastructure that enables real-time data analysis, betting odds, and immersive fan experiences.

Here is a demo video showcasing Genius Sports’ fan engagement experience:

Here is a video explaining how AI is revolutionizing sport:

Here is a video showcasing Genius Sports’ BetVision:

Genius Sports’ customers range from some of the biggest sports leagues and federations in the world to sportsbooks, media companies, and technology providers. They partner with organizations like the NFL, Premier League, and NBA, ensuring that their data is collected and distributed with the highest level of integrity and efficiency.

📝Show Notes: Through this interview, we touched on his background, his company and product (Perform, Dragon, etc), the benefits for sports organizations and teams to use his product. We also talked about his competitive advantage, business model, and his plans for the next 12 months.

You can read the full transcript of the podcast interview with Mike located at the top of this blog post.

Here are the quotes from the interview with Mike:

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Q1. What is your role at Genius Sports?
"As the [role] at Genius Sports, my primary responsibility is to oversee how we leverage cutting-edge data and technology to support our partners, whether they are sports leagues, teams, or betting operators. My role involves ensuring that our solutions remain at the forefront of the industry by continuously innovating and enhancing the way data is collected, analyzed, and delivered in real-time."

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Q2. What is the core mission of Genius Sports?
"At Genius Sports, our core mission is to harness the power of sports data to enhance the experience for leagues, teams, and fans worldwide. We focus on delivering the most accurate and real-time sports data while developing innovative technology solutions that enable our partners to drive engagement, improve decision-making, and create new revenue streams. Whether it’s through official data collection, AI-driven analytics, or advanced media integrations, we aim to set the industry standard for reliability and performance."

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Q3. What are your main customers today?
"Our customers range from some of the biggest sports leagues and federations in the world to sportsbooks, media companies, and technology providers. We partner with organizations like the NFL, Premier League, and NBA, ensuring that their data is collected and distributed with the highest level of integrity and efficiency. At the same time, we serve a growing network of betting operators who rely on our real-time data and trading solutions to optimize their platforms."

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Q4. What do your customers like the most about your products?
"The most valued aspect of our products is the reliability and real-time accuracy of our data. In industries like sports betting and media, where milliseconds matter, our ability to deliver precise, high-quality data instantaneously gives our partners a significant competitive advantage. Additionally, our customers appreciate the depth of insights we provide, from player performance metrics to predictive analytics, allowing them to make more informed decisions and enhance fan engagement."

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Q5. Comparative Data Collection Methodologies
"Our data collection methodology is built on three core pillars: reliability, granularity, and real-time capabilities. We leverage official partnerships with leagues to ensure our data is sourced directly from the field of play, eliminating inaccuracies that can arise from third-party data scraping. Our AI-driven tracking systems capture even the most intricate details of player movements, ball tracking, and game flow, allowing teams, leagues, and betting operators to access highly detailed, real-time insights with unparalleled accuracy."

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Q6. Diversification Beyond Official Data Partnerships
"While official data partnerships remain a fundamental part of our business, we’re actively expanding into adjacent areas such as AI-driven video analytics, enhanced fan engagement tools, and media technology solutions. Our roadmap includes developing more sophisticated predictive analytics, broadening our reach into new sports, and integrating additional automated solutions that help teams and leagues maximize their data’s potential beyond traditional applications."

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Q7. Advancements in AI-Powered Video Analysis
"AI-powered video analysis is revolutionizing the way we track player performance and game dynamics. At Genius Sports, we’ve invested heavily in machine learning and computer vision to extract real-time insights from live game footage. Our technology is advancing rapidly, with new developments in automated event detection, tactical analysis, and biometric tracking. Over the next year, we’re focusing on refining these capabilities to make them even more accessible and valuable for teams, leagues, and media partners."

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Q8. Perform (software for event/tracking data)
"Perform is a powerful tool designed for detailed event and tracking data analysis. While its primary use case today is within coaching and performance teams, we see enormous potential for its application in scouting. The key factor is infrastructure—leagues with high-quality camera setups will be able to leverage Perform to assess player performance in real-time, making it a valuable tool for talent identification. We’re continuously working on making it more adaptable to different levels of competition."

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Q9. Perform’s biggest edge
"What makes Perform stand out is its ability to seamlessly integrate both live and post-game analysis. The ability to provide real-time insights during a game is incredibly valuable for in-the-moment decision-making, but the depth of data available for post-game review is equally powerful. Whether it’s adjusting strategies mid-game or conducting detailed player evaluations afterward, Perform delivers a level of analysis that few platforms can match."

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Q10. Dragon product
"Dragon is unique because it brings elite-level tracking and analytics to leagues that may not have the budget for some of the more expensive solutions in the market. Our goal with Dragon is to make high-quality sports data technology more accessible, allowing a broader range of teams and leagues to benefit from advanced insights. The system is designed to be highly scalable, meaning it can be implemented across different levels of competition without the need for massive infrastructure investments."

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Q11. Betting client types
"We serve a diverse range of betting clients, and while each segment is profitable in its own right, our managed trading services and bet-building products have been particularly successful. Sportsbooks are looking for innovative ways to differentiate themselves, and the ability to offer customizable, data-driven betting experiences has been a key driver of growth. The demand for real-time betting data continues to rise, and we’re constantly evolving our offerings to meet this need."

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Q12. What are your plans for the next 12 months?
"Over the next year, we’re focused on several key initiatives: expanding our AI capabilities, strengthening our partnerships with leagues and betting operators, and continuing to innovate in the fan engagement space. We’re investing in new technologies that enhance the way sports data is captured and used, ensuring that we stay ahead of industry trends and provide the best possible solutions to our partners."

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Q13. How do people contact you to learn more?
"Anyone interested in learning more about Genius Sports can visit our website, where we provide detailed information about our products and services. We also have a presence at major industry events and conferences, where we’re always happy to connect with partners, potential clients, and anyone interested in the future of sports data and technology."

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