Tuesday, June 9, 2026

Another Week, Another League Deal for Genius

BAL/Design: Alex Brooks

Just a month after closing a $1.5 billion SPAC deal to go public, Genius Sports continues to develop its global data ecosystem.

Ahead of its earnings call this Thursday, the London-based company announced that it will begin providing real-time statistics for the NBA’s Basketball Africa League. The sports technology company has a $3.2 billion market capitalization and reported $47 million in revenue in its fiscal Q4 — a 27.6% increase from the same time last year.

All eyes were on the BAL during its inaugural tip-off over the weekend. Rapper J. Cole was trending after making his professional basketball debut with Rwanda Patriots just two days after releasing his sixth studio album, “The Off-Season.”

The NBA’s flagship effort in Africa joins a growing list of organizations Genius has recently partnered with or purchased:

  • May 7: Acquired Second Spectrum for $200 million
  • May 3: Announced it would buy F2P game provider FanHub
  • April 20: Completed a $1.5 billion merger with dMY Technology Group
  • April 2: Announced exclusive NFL rights for $120 million per year in a six-year deal

BAL games will air in 215 countries and territories across ESPN, beIN SPORTS, and NBA TV, among others. Nike and Jordan Brand each produced six uniforms for the league’s 12 teams.

A docuseries on the league’s first season is also under way, directed by South African director Tebogo Malope.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) shoots against San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the third quarter during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden.

Ticket Prices for Game 4 at MSG Drop Following Knicks Loss

Ticket demand falls sharply for Wednesday’s Game 4.

Game 3 Tips at MSG Without Incident Despite Heavy Security

Game 3 tipped off at 8:44, right around Games 1 and 2.

NBA, NHL Title Series Continue Delivering Big Audiences for ABC

The NHL is continuing its television audience growth wave.
Apr 28, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Left to right: Tina Fey and Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner and Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor sit court side during the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Unwritten Rules of Madison Square Garden’s Celebrity Row

The best seats in the house come with unspoken expectations.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.

NFL Faces Renewed Congressional Attack Over Media Pricing, Access

Federal scrutiny rises further around the league’s media policies.
Jun 2, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) brings the ball up-court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half in game four of the Western Conference finals of the 2012 NBA playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
June 8, 2026

ESPN Ends NBA Finals AI Graphics After Viral Tony Parker Image

Online outrage surfaced after ABC aired an AI-generated image of Tony Parker.
Mar 15, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; FS1 announcer Jason Benetti during the game between the Colorado Buffaloes and the Washington State Cougars at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
June 9, 2026

How NBC’s Jason Benetti Learned to Trust His Dry Wit

Benetti is in his first season as NBC’s lead baseball announcer.
Sponsored

Landon Donovan: What Soccer in America Still Needs

Landon Donovan discusses the evolution of soccer in America and investing in the NWSL.
Jun 4, 2026; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Texas Longhorns players and coaches pose for a group photo after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders to win the NCAA WomenÕs College World Series championship series at Devon Park.
June 8, 2026

WCWS Finals Break Viewership Records

Game 2 of the WCWS finals averaged 2.5 million viewers on ESPN.
Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.
June 5, 2026

NBA Finals Game 1 Viewership Is Highest Since 2019

Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs is Monday.
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson (left) and Tim Legler (center) and play-by-play announcer Mike Breen during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.
June 5, 2026

ESPN’s Tim Legler: ‘I Don’t Think About Coaching Anymore’

Legler is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut.
June 5, 2026

Stanley Cup Final Viewership for Game 1 Nearly Doubles on ABC

The Vegas win was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final opener since 2019.