Genius Sports Acquires Sports Innovation Lab Transforming Fan Engagement and Sponsorships Forever
In an exciting move for the sports and media industry, Genius Sports has announced the acquisition of Sports Innovation Lab, a global leader in fan data, analytics, and insights. This acquisition marks a major step forward in how sports organizations, brands, and media partners can understand, engage, and activate fans like never before.
Genius Sports, known for powering the global sports ecosystem with official data, technology, and broadcast solutions, now combines its unmatched reach and official league data with the deep fan intelligence of Sports Innovation Lab. The result is a fan activation platform that delivers real-time, precise, and actionable insights into fan behavior, spending, and engagement. Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports, emphasized the significance of the acquisition, stating that it strengthens the company’s foundation and provides partners with innovative ways to connect with audiences at scale.
Sports Innovation Lab brings a wealth of experience and advanced analytics to the table. Known for its pioneering research on fan behavior, sponsorship optimization, and commercialization of women’s sports, the company’s proprietary Fluid Fan™ Graph tracks billions of transactions, attendance records, and viewing habits across sports and entertainment. This data allows brands and agencies to target fans with precision, ensuring campaigns are not only engaging but measurable in terms of real-world impact. Josh Walker, CEO of Sports Innovation Lab, highlighted that the union with Genius Sports opens up global opportunities to scale their platform, providing immense value to clients and partners alike.
The combined strength of Genius Sports and Sports Innovation Lab creates the most comprehensive fan database in the world. Through the FANHub platform and partnerships with LiveRamp, Amazon Ads, and The Trade Desk, marketers can reach sports fans with unprecedented accuracy. By leveraging GeniusIQ technology, campaigns can now connect key moments in sports to fans’ real-world behaviors, creating emotionally resonant and highly effective marketing experiences. This synergy between official game data and fan insights allows sponsors and leagues to unlock new revenue streams while improving fan engagement strategies globally.
This acquisition comes at a time when sports sponsorship in the United States alone reached $7.6 billion in 2024. With the combined platform, Genius Sports can provide brands with better audience segmentation, premium inventory, and advanced analytics, ensuring sponsorship investments deliver tangible results. The move is also set to accelerate growth in Genius Sports’ media division, building on innovations like the FANHub launch, NFL extensions, and partnerships with industry giants such as EA Sports, Verizon, and PMG.
Ultimately, the Genius Sports–Sports Innovation Lab partnership is a game-changer for the sports ecosystem. By connecting on-field performance with off-field fan behavior, the platform enables leagues, clubs, and sponsors to make smarter decisions, deepen engagement, and create experiences fans truly care about. It represents the future of sports marketing, where data-driven insights meet real-world action, ensuring that every fan interaction is meaningful and every sponsorship investment is optimized.
As the sports industry continues to evolve, this acquisition signals a bold vision: one where technology and data transform fan engagement, sponsorship strategy, and the overall experience of following sports. By combining two industry leaders, Genius Sports is not only expanding its global footprint but also setting a new standard for what it means to truly connect with fans in the modern era.
Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and press releases. Forward-looking statements may involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those expressed.
