Genius Sports joins Rams and Verizon to delight fans with data

Genius Sports and the Los Angeles Rams know that just because you have fans in your building on game day doesn’t mean you have their undivided attention.

The growth of fantasy sports, gaming, short-form videos and streaming content means fans still turn to their devices, regardless of what they paid for entry or what’s happening on the field. That’s not good news for sponsors like the Rams and National Football League (NFL) partner Verizon, but Genius Sports has a game plan for it.

As the NFL’s official league data distributor – and data partner to 400 organizations in sports leagues around the world – Genius Sports has worked with the Rams and Verizon to build on in-stadium experiences and bring more fans to the game.

During Sunday’s game between the Rams and Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium, fans will see replays and highlights powered by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats (NGS) data and GeniusIQ machine learning and AI from Genius Sports . These clips display player locators, identification and speeds; the time it takes a quarterback to throw a ball; and a mini-map of the field and player routes – all including the Verizon logo and branding.

SoFi Stadium, site of Super Bowl 56 in 2022, will show data-integrated highlights from the Rams and Verizon on its 120-yard, 70,000-square-foot 4K LED infinity screen suspended above the field, as well as numerous screens in lounge areas and Easements through the facility. Those 18 to 20 reps per game — as well as a highlight package at the end of the game — along with a mariachi band, house guitarist Nita Strauss and a socially savvy mascot, create an in-stadium experience that is the Rams’ case for fans strengthens leaving their screens and sofas.

“We plan these five hours to be an immersive and varied experience, from the opening of the gates to the closing of the gates, to support and enhance the football that takes place on the field,” said Sarah Schuler, Rams vice president of game presentation. “But it is the next level of near real time [data] With things like speed guides, route trees, and casting times, you can get this information before you know you need it [that] Rivaling, if not beating, the home experience, and that’s the goal.”

Faced with an augmented reality

In March, just as the NFL offseason began, the Rams turned to Genius Sports to incorporate stats into the team’s game plans.

Genius offered its package of “Hustle and Performance” stats with the promise that they could be added to replays almost immediately with graphical overlays. So when Rams quarterback Matt Stafford threw a pass less than two seconds into the game, the Rams’ instant replay producer and stat producer could activate player extension and location features and track the throw from multiple angles.