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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
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: Stats Perform Hires Steve and Peter Hirdt, the Pioneers of Sports Broadcast Research and Content
Latest News
The Battle for VCT Pacific 2026 Begins in Bangkok as Ten Teams Clash at VCT Ascension Pacific 2025
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Velocity Gaming Represents South Asia at VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 — Set to Take on APAC’s Finest for a Place in the VCT Pacific League 2026
National, October 14, 2025: The road to the next VALORANT Champions Tour season reaches its decisive stage as VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 kicks off today in Bangkok. From October 14 to 26, ten elite teams from across the Asia-Pacific region will converge at the Imperial Samrong Convention Hall to fight for two coveted berths in the VCT Pacific League 2026 and a share of the USD 100,000 prize pool.
The tournament marks the culmination of a year-long regional circuit, bringing together emerging contenders and established names, including Velocity Gaming, who will step onto the international stage to take on the Pacific’s top contenders, aiming to secure the region’s first-ever spot in the VCT Pacific League. Over the next twelve days, the stage in Bangkok will determine which teams rise to the international league in 2026.
Qualified Teams – Ten teams from across APAC have earned their place at Ascension Pacific 2025:
South Asia:
- Velocity Gaming
VCT Pacific:
- BOOM Esports
- Nongshim RedForce
Southeast Asia:
- Motiv Esports
- NAOS
- FULL SENSE
- Team NKT
Japan:
- RIDDLE ORDER
Korea:
- SLT Seongnam
Oceania:
- E-KING
Velocity Gaming has qualified for VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 after beating S8UL 3-1 in the Grand Final of the OMEN VALORANT Challengers South Asia 2025 Ascension Qualifiers.
Tournament Format
The competition begins with a Group Stage featuring two groups of five teams each, seeded based on regional performance. Both VCT Pacific representatives will be placed in separate groups. Teams will face off in a single round-robin, best-of-three format within their groups.
The top six teams will advance to the Playoffs, a modified double elimination bracket where the top two seeds from each group start in the upper bracket, and the third seeds begin in the lower bracket.
All playoff matches will be best-of-three, except the upper and lower bracket finals, which will be best-of-five qualification matches, determining the two teams that will ascend to VCT Pacific 2026.
Schedule – The full tournament unfolds over 12 days of competition:
- Group Stage: October 14 – 21
- Playoffs: October 22 – 26
- Upper Bracket Final: October 25
- Lower Bracket Final: October 26
Matches begin daily at 14:00 GMT+7 / 15:00 GMT+8 / 16:00 GMT+9.
Schedules are subject to change. For the latest updates, visit valorantesports.com.
Tickets
- Fans can experience the thrill of Ascension Pacific 2025 live as the tournament reaches its climax from October 24 to 26 at the Imperial Samrong Convention Hall in Bangkok.
- Come cheer for your region’s best as they battle for a spot in the VCT Pacific League 2026.
Venue Address:
- 999 Sukhumvit Rd, Samrong Nuea, Mueang Samut Prakan District,
- Samut Prakan 10270, Thailand
Tickets:
- Early bird tickets went on sale on September 20, followed by general sales on September 23.
- Tickets are available now via Ticketmelon — simply search for “VALORANT Ascension Pacific 2025” to secure your spot.
The post The Battle for VCT Pacific 2026 Begins in Bangkok as Ten Teams Clash at VCT Ascension Pacific 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Airoclip Raises $2.75M Seed Round Led by T-Accelerate Capital and Co-led by Centre Court Capital and BITKRAFT Ventures
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Airoclip, an AI-powered gaming studio focused on building adaptive gaming experiences for global audiences, has raised $2.75 million in a seed funding round led by T-Accelerate Capital (TAC), co-led by Centre Court Capital and global gaming investor BITKRAFT Ventures.
Founded in 2024 by IIM Calcutta alumni Naga Rohith Anisetty and Pruthvi Sai Y, Airoclip is pioneering a new era of mobile puzzle games by integrating adaptive story progression, innovative monetisation models, and scalable live operations. The company focuses on AI-driven personalisation and dynamic content generation to deliver superior gaming experiences to the world from India.
Airoclip, with its flagship puzzle games Tap Hexa and Hexa Dreams, has rapidly gained strong traction among players in the USA and Europe. With a stellar 4.8/5 rating on the Play Store and more than 300,000 installs, the studio is just beginning its journey to craft premium puzzle experiences for global audiences.
“We’re not just building games, we’re crafting experiences that evolve with every player. We’re thrilled to partner with investors who share that vision and will help us bring it to life,” said Rohith, co-founder and CEO of Airoclip.
This capital infusion will accelerate the development of Airoclip’s proprietary game personalization technology and strengthen its teams across game development, data, design, and marketing.
“We combine strong game design principles with innovative content formats that generative AI now enables. This approach will significantly enhance player engagement and unlock new revenue streams. By creating personalized, culturally relevant content, we can scale
efficiently across global markets with experiences that truly resonate with players everywhere,” added Pruthvi, co-founder.
Investors see Airoclip’s approach as a blueprint for how Indian founders can merge creative depth with analytical precision to build global gaming experiences.
“We’re excited to partner with Airoclip on their growth journey. Their sharp blend of analytical depth and creative ambition reflects the evolution of India’s gaming ecosystem and underscores the confidence of a new generation of studios ready to compete on the global stage,” said Carol Wong, Founding General Partner at T-Accelerate Capital.
Backed by increasing digital adoption and rising global playtime and revenue, the casual gaming segment is seeing sustained investor interest and global momentum.
“Airoclip represents the new wave of ambitious gaming studios emerging from India with global potential and vision. Their focus on quick prototyping along with their past experience in scaling games globally positions them to create enduring mobile gaming franchises from India in the future,” said Anuj Tandon, Partner – India & UAE at BITKRAFT
The post Airoclip Raises $2.75M Seed Round Led by T-Accelerate Capital and Co-led by Centre Court Capital and BITKRAFT Ventures appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Genting Casino Launches the £20k Spin Leaderboard Challenge with VIP finale at Resorts World Birmingham
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Premium online casino brand Genting Casino has announced the launch of its headline £20k Spin Leaderboard Challenge, an exciting promotion offering players the chance to spin for £20,000 grand prize in a roulette showdown at Resorts World Birmingham in December.
Live now until 17 November 2025, this exclusive multi-channel promotion gives eligible UK online casino customers the opportunity to get free spins on deposit, compete in a leaderboard by playing selected games, and secure a place in a live-filmed casino tournament, culminating in a single spin worth £20,000.
Players can opt in by making a deposit of £10 or more at Genting Casino using the bonus code WIN20K, which grants 150 free spins on Big Bass Splash, 10 leaderboard points and a shot at climbing the top 50.
The top five players on the leaderboard will be invited to Resorts World Birmingham for a VIP experience including an overnight stay on the 13th December, up to £150 travel reimbursement and entry into a high-stakes live roulette tournament. The overall tournament winner will claim the Grand Prize Spin which could be worth £20,000.
Those finishing between 6th and 50th place on the leaderboard will receive 100 free spins on Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Catch 2.
Mike Vella from Genting Casino said: “We’re thrilled to offer our unique £20k spin promotion to online customers again, culminating in our unique live finale. The campaign brings players from screen to casino floor in a spectacular fashion and is part of our commitment to capitalise on the exclusive journey we can offer our online customers thanks to our partners at Resorts World Birmingham.”
Leaderboard points are earned playing Online Slot Games and selected Live Tables. Double points are available on specific games on certain weeks with eligible titles including Genting Live Roulette from Manchester, Lucky Lady’s Charm Deluxe and Fishin Frenzy The Big Splash.
The final five players will participate in a filmed, bracket-style live roulette tournament at Resorts World Birmingham, with one last spin deciding who walks away with the life-changing top prize.
Winners will be contacted on 19 November 2025, and the live tournament date will be on 13 December 2025.
This is another example of Genting Casino offering customers a chance to play their favourite online games in order to climb the leaderboard to win prizes from cash following on from previous promotions which offered winners experiences including trips to see some of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.
Genting Casino offer a premium online experience with over 7,000 casino games ranging from the classic casino table games including live roulette, blackjack and a catalogue of online slots and instant win games from leading studios and providers, including favourites like Starburst, Fishin’ Frenzy and Book of Dead, all within a safe and secure gaming environment.
The post Genting Casino Launches the £20k Spin Leaderboard Challenge with VIP finale at Resorts World Birmingham appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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