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Stats Perform Hires Steve and Peter Hirdt, the Pioneers of Sports Broadcast Research and Content
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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
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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
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Sportradar Announces Close of Acquisition of IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights
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Acquisition to Accelerate Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, and Free Cash Flow Growth and will be Accretive to Adjusted EBITDA Margins and Free Cash Flow Conversion
Sportradar Group AG today announced it has completed its acquisition of IMG ARENA and its global sports betting rights portfolio from Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. and OB Global Holdings, LLC. The closing marks a milestone in Sportradar’s growth strategy, further strengthening and differentiating its position as a leading technology and content provider in the most bet upon global sports, including soccer, tennis and basketball.
The acquired portfolio encompasses strategic relationships with more than 70 rightsholders, delivering approximately 38,000 official data events and 29,000 streaming events across 14 global sports on six continents. With this, Sportradar sports coverage totals more than 1 million matches annually.
The acquisition enhances the Company’s content distribution and will further fuel product development. Sportradar expects to seamlessly integrate and monetize these rights across its highly scalable technology platform and client network.
Given the unique transaction structure, the acquisition is expected to be accretive to Sportradar’s adjusted EBITDA margins and free cash flow conversion while accelerating the Company’s robust revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow growth. Sportradar is not required to provide any financial consideration as part of the acquisition. Instead, the deal includes total financial consideration to Sportradar of $225 million comprised of approximately $122 million in cash prepayments by the seller to certain sports rightsholders and approximately $103 million to Sportradar. The payments to Sportradar, which are subject to customary purchase price adjustments, will be made over a two-year period.
Carsten Koerl, Chief Executive Officer of Sportradar, stated: “We are pleased to complete the acquisition of IMG ARENA. This marks a significant milestone for Sportradar expanding our access to premium sports content that strengthens and complements our already robust global portfolio and capabilities. With this, we are uniquely positioned to deliver even more immersive, data rich experiences to our clients, partners and fans around the world while accelerating innovation at scale across the global sports ecosystem.”
The post Sportradar Announces Close of Acquisition of IMG ARENA and Its Strategic Portfolio of Global Sports Betting Rights appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Gamblers Connect, a leading iGaming media & affiliate website connecting operators, providers, and players across the global industry, is proud to announce its latest strategic partnership with one of the most respected names in iGaming technology, Slotegrator.
Founded in 2012, Slotegrator has become a cornerstone of the iGaming B2B landscape, empowering hundreds of successful online casinos and sportsbooks with a complete suite of advanced software solutions. From its Turnkey Casino Platform and APIgrator Game Integration module to its Telegram Casino and Moneygrator payment gateway, Slotegrator has continuously set the standard for innovation, flexibility, and compliance.
This partnership marks a major step in Gamblers Connect’s evolution from a trusted affiliate platform into a full-scale media and B2B hub, one that not only connects audiences with the world’s top operators but also shines a light on the technological engines driving the industry forward.
Through this collaboration, Gamblers Connect will highlight Slotegrator’s market-leading solutions across its media channels, showcasing how their technology simplifies market entry, accelerates growth, and ensures regulatory compliance in emerging and established jurisdictions alike.
Slotegrator’s expertise in areas such as crypto casino infrastructure, white-label platforms, and licensing advisory perfectly aligns with Gamblers Connect’s mission to connect the entire ecosystem, from software innovators to decision-makers seeking trusted, efficient, and future-ready solutions.
Together, the two companies will continue to emphasise values that have defined their success: responsibility, transparency, and innovation.
Ataur Rosul Abeer, Sales Supervisor at Slotegrator, commented: “We’re excited to collaborate with top-tier partners to showcase our latest innovations and deliver even more engaging experiences to the global iGaming community.”
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder & CEO of Gamblers Connect, added: “Partnering with Slotegrator represents more than just a collaboration, it’s a strategic alignment of vision. Both our teams share the same goal of improving and Connecting the iGaming industry through quality, integrity, and technology. We’re proud to stand alongside such a respected name as we continue expanding Gamblers Connect’s media and B2B reach worldwide.”
The post Slotegrator & Gamblers Connect enter a new partnership appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Emerging-markets leader broadens its eclectic gaming suite with fresh content from an emerging force in the sector
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has continued to build the momentum in its premium pipeline, thanks to its latest deal with prominent igaming supplier KingMidas Games in a move set to power the studio’s aggressive international expansion strategy.
Through this partnership, more than 100 KingMidas Games titles—spanning its signature Classics, Next-Gen, Slots, and other top-performing genres—are now available to new operator partners via QTech’s definitive aggregator platform for emerging markets.
KingMidas Games is becoming known for its “next-generation content” which serves as a cornerstone of its gaming suite. Its diverse portfolio includes Cards, Chips, Classics, Dice, IP Content, Lottery, Roulette, Slots, and Virtual Experiences – and is defined by radical thinking and engaging game mechanics, as exemplified by high-speed go-kart races, animal obstacle courses, or survival-style gameplay.
This deal organically widens KingMidas Games’ international footprint, unlocking untapped jurisdictions for diversified growth from Asia to Africa and Eastern Europe to Latin America, where the supplier has made strong recent strides together with QTech Games.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “We’re committed to rolling out first-class content that drives revenue for our partners. So, this deal with KingMidas Games extends our impressive sequential pipeline into 2025. Operators are always looking for fresh and engaging titles that truly stand out, and KingMidas Games is thriving against the backdrop of a homogenised marketplace. Like us, KingMidas is dedicated to delivering experiences that combine creativity, tech, and cultural relevance to meet evolving localised player expectations and drive new revenue streams for our growing group of worldwide operators.”
Sean Auret, Global Head of KingMidas Games, added: “We are thrilled to further collaborate with QTech, one of the industry’s leading aggregators renowned for connecting high-quality content with dynamic markets. This partnership amplifies KingMidas Games’ reach across key emerging territories and marks another exciting step in our mission to deliver next-generation gaming experiences to a truly global audience.”
The post QTech Games maintains its gold standard with KingMidas Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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