UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB agreed a five-year extension to its deal with sports data company Opta through to the end of 2016. The agreement covers the provision of live performance statistics during coverage of various sports on Sky’s website, television channels, television text service and mobile applications.
Opta’s deal comprises match, team and player statistics in football, rugby union, rugby league and cricket. Opta will develop new statistical features under the new agreement, including “heat maps” to show player movements.
Opta chief executive Aidan Cooney said the company had supplied data to Sky Sports for more than 10 years and added that the company’s services had “largely been defined by feedback” from the pay-television broadcaster.