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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 Hires Steve and Peter Hirdt, the Pioneers of Sports Broadcast Research and ContentReading 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

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Nolimit City’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has entered the chat

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Meet Nolimit City’s latest Crazy Ex-Girlfriend…the kind ex who would “accidentally” like your 2014 selfie at 3am and has a little voodoo doll named after you. She’s sliding straight into the portfolio and trust us… you’ll feel her presence. She kind of reminds you of Outsourced and Nine To Five, and with a sound track like hers, you’ll definitely find it hard to forget about her.

Reel Area
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has mapped out your every move and runs through a 2-4-4-4-4-2 layout across 6 reels. She’s wild enough to set your house on fire and also sometimes shows up holding a pair of scissors. xSplit® doubles the value of all position multipliers on its row, including its own. Positions with no multiplier value, will get a 2x multiplier on the first split and then increase it another 2x for each consecutive split. Yeah, possibly the only time you’re happy to see your crazy ex holding a pair of scissors.

Plot Twist
All good romantic stories have a Plot Twist. The Plot Twist symbol upgrades all sticky symbols to random higher paying symbols and transforms into the same upgraded symbol. Only one Plot Twist symbol can land per spin. The Plot Twist symbol will not affect Wild and Bonus symbols. If no winning combinations land on the first spin, the Plot Twist symbol transforms into a random mid paying symbol.

Rebound Spins
Buddy, I think it’s time to move on… to Rebound Spins. Wins award respins on non winning positions. Winning symbols and all their instances on the reel area will remain sticky during the respin. Every respin that either improves the win, contains a symbol type from the current win or a Wild/Bonus symbol will award an additional respin. During each respin, the multiplier value of all non-winning positions increases by +1 except for Wilds, Bonus and sticky symbols. Rebound Spins end when there are no more wins.

Carpe DIEm Spins
Carpe DIEm, my guy! Landing 3 Bonus symbols will trigger 5 Carpe DIEm Spins. Position multipliers are kept during Carpe DIEm Spins, and a Wild symbol will remain sticky on the top position of the second reel.

Super Carpe DIEm Spins
Landing 4 Bonus symbols will trigger 7 Super Carpe DIEm Spins. Position multipliers are kept during Super Carpe DIEm Spins, and two Wild symbols will remain sticky on the top and bottom position of the second reel.

Mega Carpe DIEm Spins
Landing 5 Bonus symbols will trigger 10 Mega Carpe DIEm Spins. Position multipliers are kept during Mega Carpe DIEm Spins, and Wild symbols will remain sticky on all positions on the second reel.

Speed Run (Nolimit Bonus)
We all have a special place in our hearts for our “firsts”, don’t we? Speed Run makes its debut in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend! All Carpe Diem modes are played at a fast paced sequence. Position multipliers are kept.

God Mode (Nolimit Bonus)
Remember the good ol’ days when she treated you like a god? Learn how ‘Love Hurts’ by landing God symbols on each position and enjoy the only good thing an ex can give you. A Max Win.

Nolimit Boosters

Break ups are never easy. It’s time to up your game with these Nolimit Boosters:• Bonus Booster – guaranteed a Bonus symbol on reel 2.
• Print Spins x20 – guaranteed a spin that starts off with x20 multipliers on all positions.
• Printer Spins x250 – guaranteed a spin that starts off with x250 multipliers on all positions.
• Printiest Spins x1,000 – guaranteed a spin that starts off with x1000 multipliers on all positions.

The post Nolimit City’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has entered the chat appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Fujitsu launches ‘Fujitsu Accelerator Program for SPORTS’ to create new value through Sports x Technology

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Fujitsu today announced the launch of “Fujitsu Accelerator Program for SPORTS,” a global partner co-creation program aimed at fostering new innovation in the sports sector.

Through Fujitsu Accelerator, Fujitsu collaborates with startups and other companies to create new businesses and solve challenges by leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as AI and quantum computing. This new program seeks to expand the value and monetization potential of corporate sports. It will achieve this by combining the strengths of Fujitsu’s sports teams and athletes—including its American football, women’s basketball, and track and field teams—and facilities, with the innovative technologies and ideas of partner companies. Through co-creation, the program aims to generate new value in sports and related fields such as entertainment, tourism, and merchandise and build a corporate sports ecosystem.

Fujitsu will begin recruiting new partners who want to engage in new business creation from December 1. Selected companies will be determined after a pitch event scheduled for February 2026. Proof of Concept (PoC) initiatives are planned to commence from fiscal year 2026.

Through various collaborations facilitated by this program, Fujitsu will continue to promote “improving people’s well-being,” one of the indispensable contribution areas of its materiality. In addition to promoting sports through its long-standing support for various teams and athletes, Fujitsu will further accelerate collaboration with local communities and encourage employee engagement.

Application Themes

1. Athlete and Team Enhancement

  • Measures to improve athlete performance and results (e.g., training support, mental health support, etc.)
  • Data analysis and collection for team sports

2. Well-Being

  • Health promotion initiatives targeting a wide range of people, from athletes to general participants and local residents
  • Efforts to improve exercise habits and encouragement to start an exercise regimen

3. Fan Engagement Enhancement

  • Measures to enhance the appeal of corporate sports teams and athletes, and to attract fans
  • Merchandise sales utilizing team IP, improved viewing experiences, and digital fan-participation projects

4. Regional Revitalization

  • Revitalization of areas around home arenas and grounds. Business planning in collaboration with local communities (local governments, educational institutions, shopping districts, etc.)
  • Tourism planning, especially initiatives linked to the Kawasaki area

5. Social Inclusion

  • Access to sports for all demographics (para-sports, adaptive sports), sports experiences for elementary and junior high school students, and club activity support

6. Operations and Business Foundation

  • Sports management platforms, corporate sports revenue models, event management, sponsor visibility, DX planning for venues, and athlete second career support

Fujitsu’s Sports Teams

Fujitsu manages many sports teams including its American football team “Fujitsu Frontiers,” the women’s basketball team “Fujitsu Red Wave,” and the track and field team. These teams have produced top athletes who aim for national and world championships. Athletes work as full-time employees of Fujitsu while engaging in their athletic activities, embodying the company’s values and social mission through sports.

1. Fujitsu Frontiers (American Football Team):
Eight-time X-League champions, aiming for an unprecedented ninth title.
2. Fujitsu Red Wave (Women’s Basketball Team):
Achieved their second W-League championship in 16 years in 2023. A top team that values player autonomy.
3. Track and Field Team:
A top-level team that has produced world, Asian, and Japanese record holders. Athletes excel in a wide range of events, including race walking, marathon, and sprints.
4. Other Sports Teams:
In addition to the above, Fujitsu also has various other sports teams, including in women’s cheerleading, men’s basketball and volleyball, 9-man volleyball, swimming, horseback riding, and golf.

Upcoming Schedule (Tentative):

  • February 6, 2026: Application deadline
  • February 26, 2026: Pitch event
  • March 2026: Selection of adopted companies
  • April 2026: Start of PoCs

Companies selected to participate in this program will be provided with opportunities to interview and survey athletes and staff belonging to Fujitsu’s sports teams. Fujitsu will offer its training facilities for the PoCs, support the development of use cases, and promote and sell co-created services through the Fujitsu Group.

Fujitsu’s Commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015 represent a set of common goals to be achieved worldwide by 2030.
Fujitsu’s purpose – “to make the world more sustainable by building trust in society through innovation” – is a promise to contribute to the vision of a better future empowered by the SDGs.

The post Fujitsu launches ‘Fujitsu Accelerator Program for SPORTS’ to create new value through Sports x Technology appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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SkillOnNet Redefines RNG Gaming with World-First Launch of AI-Powered GAIA Roulette

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GAIA is the world’s first AI-driven roulette host now in commercial use.

Global entertainment brand SkillOnNet has announced the launch of GAIA Roulette, a groundbreaking new roulette experience powered by artificial intelligence.

The game – which is now live on PlayUZU Mexico, with plans to expand to additional markets across the SkillOnNet network in the coming months – blends the thrill of RNG gameplay with the 3D realism of a live dealer. It’s the world’s first AI-driven roulette host now in commercial use.

Unlike traditional RNG tables, GAIA Roulette features an intelligent, interactive digital dealer that is personalized to each player. GAIA learns player preferences, adapts its communication style, and provides real-time assistance, helping users understand bets, game flow, and strategies.

Players can discuss game events – asking questions about game results, previous numbers, their wins and losses, and review gameplay history – but they can also talk about everyday topics like hobbies, sports, foods, movies, weather and more to make the experience more enjoyable.

Designed and developed in-house by SkillOnNet, GAIA stands for Gaming AI Agent. It uses GPT-4.1-mini for chat, which supports every language, so players worldwide can converse with her in their native tongue.

For players who enjoy the personal touch of a live dealer, GAIA provides the next best thing. And because it’s powered by RNG technology, they also enjoy faster gameplay and more spins per session than a real live-dealer environment.

For SkillOnNet, GAIA represents a major step forward for AI-driven gaming and personalised casino experiences.

Jani Kontturi, Head of Games at SkillOnNet, said: “With GAIA Roulette, we’re redefining what’s possible in RNG casino entertainment, and we’re proud to bring our players something truly revolutionary. PlayUZU has always been about fairness, fun, and innovative entertainment — and GAIA fits perfectly with that promise. This launch will set a new standard for what players can expect from online roulette.”

The post SkillOnNet Redefines RNG Gaming with World-First Launch of AI-Powered GAIA Roulette appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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