The Rugby Football League, RL Commercial and Betfred Super League have announced a three-year extension of the sport’s official data partnership with Stats Perform, the sports tech leader in predictive data and AI.
The agreement will enable every Betfred Super League club to benefit from access to new live, AI-powered, predictive Rugby League feeds, as well as Stats Perform’s pioneering dual-code RugbyHub Live and DataEngine software which deliver unique performance insights to support in-game analysis and fan engagement.
The extended partnership will see Rugby League data captured at a deeper level than ever before. Stats Perform’s most detailed Opta data, comprising more than 5,000 on-ball events and qualifiers per game, will be collected live for every Betfred Super League and Betfred Challenge Cup match. In addition, Opta data will also be collected for all England Men’s and Women’s senior international matches, as well as matches played by the England Knights.
Alongside this performance data, staff across the RFL, RL Commercial and Betfred Super League will be able to utilise Stats Perform’s pioneering predictive rugby data to share previously unattainable insights with fans and coaches alike. Stats Perform’s live predictive AI metrics are in use across both rugby codes and include a Kick Predictor, Live Win Probability, Expected Points and a match Momentum tracker.
The increase in Opta data coverage and new Stats Perform software means that both the RFL and Betfred Super League clubs will continue to benefit from the most comprehensive rugby services available worldwide.
After finalising the agreement, Dr Dave Rotheram, Chief On-Field Officer of the Rugby Football League, said: “We are delighted to be continuing our long-standing partnership with Stats Perform. It’s an invaluable resource for coaches, analysts and players in our England programmes and at the Betfred Super League clubs, and will also allow RL Commercial to share more detailed statistics than ever with Rugby League fans, who are rightly renowned for the passion and knowledge with which they follow the sport.”
Stats Perform’s Chief Commercial Officer, Alex Rice, added: “During 2023 we have launched a wide range of new dedicated Rugby League services, which are centred around our long-term investment in AI. We are very pleased to see these services underpin our extended agreement with the RFL and Betfred Super League, which will enable rugby fans and performance staff at teams to benefit from new and innovative predictive insights – all delivered via cutting-edge, responsive software.”
