The XFL, the startup professional football league that is the successor to the league formed by the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE) and NBC has announced that it is partnering with Genius Sports on an integrity program to protect the league from illegal activity.
According to the partners, the “comprehensive integrity program” will help the XFL identify and deal with potential problems that arise from gambling on the league.
“Sports betting is growing rapidly in the U.S., and we are gearing up to be a good citizen and thoughtful participant in the marketplace,” Jeffrey Pollack, president and COO of the XFL, said in a press release. “Our alliance with Genius Sports is an important first step and foundational element.”
Genius Sports is a sports data company that collects and distributes statistics and content, including data related to betting. The company works with the NCAA, the NBA and the PGA Tour, among other leagues around the world.
“The XFL has shown an exemplary commitment to protecting the integrity of its games,” Genius Sports managing director Steven Burton said. “We are proud to partner with such a dynamic league and look forward to helping the XFL benefit from increased fan avidity by engaging with the nascent US sports betting industry.”
So what does the XFL get?
Under the agreement, Genius will provide monitoring of all pre-game and live betting markets, including alerts and analysis of odds movements.
At the XFL training camp this month in Houston, players, coaches and officials will go through integrity workshops conducted by Genius, to help educate stakeholders on “best practices to prevent betting-related misconduct.” It will also provide information on how much betting is expected on games and work on processes for reporting and investigating integrity-related issues.
Genius provides an online portal where staff and officials will be trained on league regulations and “the importance of integrity to the league’s future growth,” according to the XFL.
