A significant announcement in the tennis world has been made, as Stats Perform has reinforced its prominent role within the sport by extending its partnership with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA). This move ensures that Stats Perform will continue to be the WTA’s exclusive data rights partner for the foreseeable future. The extension of the deal was revealed on the 8th of December, cementing Stats Perform’s status as the official data supplier of the WTA until the end of 2030.
The agreement between Stats Perform and WTA signifies more than just a continuation of their existing relationship; it ushers in a new epoch of data-driven insights in women’s tennis. Under the terms of the renewed deal, Stats Perform will provide an authoritative umpire-derived data feed for WTA matches alongside an ultrafast data stream amassed by the supplier’s cadre of Opta analysts. In what represents a significant leap forward for tennis analytics, the detailed match statistics generated by Opta will encompass comprehensive insights down to rally and shot level. This innovative approach by Stats Perform is set to revolutionize the availability of live insights during WTA matches.
In addition, the collaboration is poised to catalyze the development of new broadcast formats, enhance second-screen experiences for fans, and introduce a more dynamic data landscape for sports betting aficionados. The initial agreement, which took shape as a six-year contract signed back in 2020, has evidently laid the groundwork for a fruitful and long-term alliance between the data provider and the elite women’s tennis circuit.
Through the extended partnership, AI-augmented Opta data on WTA events will continue to be available to licensed sportsbooks, enabling richer and more informed betting experiences. Subscribers and fans will also benefit from access to live video streaming services provided by Stats Perform, offering an immersive leap in how tennis enthusiasts engage with the sport.
The kinship between the parties has also been celebrated in the rhetoric of their leadership, with Alex Rice, the Chief Commercial Officer of Stats Perform, expressing both delight and honor at the opportunity to augment their deep relationship with the WTA. Rice articulated the company’s eagerness to advance fan and bettor experiences through this alliance. Similarly, Marina Storti, the chief executive of WTA Ventures, lauded the extended partnership as a pivotal piece of the WTA’s strategy to drive fan engagement through innovative products and enriched interactive experiences.
Stats Perform’s extension of its WTA partnership comes hot on the heels of several significant deals within the tennis sector. The company holds the distinction of being the exclusive data distributor of prestigious events such as the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the ITF Davis Cup World Group, marking a formidable presence in the arena of tennis data provision.
Earlier in the same year, Stats Perform’s commitment to data quality and integrity was underscored by the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), which awarded the company its highest mark for the third consecutive time. Despite this acclaim, Stats Perform was precluded from partnering with the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in March, as the men’s tour instead inked a parallel six-year contract with rival data company Sportradar.
The strategic value and impact of this extended partnership cannot be overstated, as it represents a nexus of technological innovation, fan engagement, and sports betting within the ever-evolving landscape of women’s tennis. It’s clear that both Stats Perform and the WTA are intent on serving up a future for the sport where data is not merely an accessory but a driver of profound fan and player connection.
