PHILADELPHIA—Comcast NBCUniversal has announced that the Premier League has joined the partner consortium of the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator.
As part of the partner consortium, the Premier League, which is the organizing body of the English Premier League football competition, will work with other members of the group as strategic advisors to the startups selected for the annual program, which is currently midway through its third cohort.
In addition to advising the startups, the Premier League will have the opportunity to be involved in the selection of startups for SportsTech’s fourth cohort, which is currently open to applicants, as well as future classes.
“Through our first three cohorts, we noticed that more than one-third of startup teams applying are international and often looking to break into the U.S. market to further accelerate their business success,” said Jenna Kurath, vice president of startup partnerships, head of Comcast NBCU SportsTech. “The Premier League, with its expansive footprint, global fanbase, and incredible leadership will be a wonderful asset to our startups and their experience in the program. We’re excited to work alongside the Premier League team and startup founders to test and experiment with emerging technologies that will bring fans closer to the sports moments that matter.”
“We are delighted to be adding to our longstanding relationship with Comcast and NBC by joining the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator,” added Paul Molnar, chief media officer at the Premier League. “We look forward to working with the Comcast NBCU team, Boomtown, and the other sports partners to help discover new and emerging technologies which can play a meaningful role in the ever-changing sports industry, while supporting the startup founders in their evolution and development.”
The decision to join the consortium builds on existing ties between Comcast NBCU and the league.
Peacock and NBC Sports will serve as the exclusive U.S. media home of the Premier League Summer Series — the first ever Premier League-hosted pre-season tournament in the United States — featuring nine live matches across nine days beginning Sat., July 22.
All match and studio coverage of the Premier League Summer Series will stream live on Peacock in the U.S.
Will McIntosh, president, Fandango & NBC Sports Next noted that in “assessing the next sports partner to bring on board, the Premier League was a standout choice that will provide value to the startups in the accelerator looking to find product market fit in the world of sports. With our broadcasting rights on Sky, Peacock, and NBC Sports, this partnership also creates a shared alignment for building new, more immersive fan experiences.”
Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech was set up to spur innovation in sports technologies.
As part of that effort it has built a distinct group of experts who advise the accelerator's participants.
These include business leaders from NBC Sports, Sky Sports, GOLF, NBC Sports Next, and Comcast Spectacor, alongside NASCAR, WWE, PGA TOUR and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling.
The Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech focuses on providing opportunities for rising sports technology startups in the fields of media & entertainment; fan/player engagement; athlete/player performance; team & coach success; venue & event innovation; fantasy sports & betting; esports; and the business of sports.
Startups participating in Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech also benefit from an ongoing relationship with the program and its partners. Since the first class in 2021, SportsTech startup alumni have participated in 103 pilots, partnerships, and commercial deals with consortium partners.
The startups selected for the fourth Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech class will be announced in February 2024. Organizations interested in joining as part of the advisory group within SportsTech can visit https://www.comcastsportstech.com/partners.
