Global sports, events and entertainment agency IMG announced the launch of IMG Arena, a new data collection system geared towards expanding the company’s sports betting offering.
IMG Arena, which sits within the IMG Media division, will provide more than 250 bookmakers worldwide with 24/7 live streaming and on-demand virtual sports products, which have become part of the company’s portfolio since investing in Leap Gaming in June. The system is also built with the capability to efficiently deliver accurate information from source to end user in less than a second.
London-based IMG is ramping up its efforts in the sports betting space in response to the recent legalization of sports betting in the U.S. The new venture is being led by senior vice president and managing director Freddie Longe, who is being supported by a team that includes industry veterans Max Wright and Brad van Wely.
“Backed by the considerable global scale, network and resource of IMG, IMG Arena will build on our existing advantages and well-developed offering to positively disrupt the market, with a strong fan-first innovation pipeline that drives incremental value to our clients and customers,” said Longe.
“The move to IMG Arena underlines the business’ aggressive growth plans and a desire to expand our footprint in a range of worldwide markets, including the U.S. as the region continues to regulate.”
IMG launched its sports betting operation in 2012, and has since signed partnerships with more than 40 major rights holders, including the ATP, Major League Soccer, Serie A, the National Hockey League, EuroLeague and the U.S. Open.
