Are You Watching This, the Austin-based technology company that measures the real-time excitement levels of pro and college sports, has struck a partnership with data giant Sportradar.
The new deal calls for the two to jointly sell data products that include traditional statistics, advanced and motion tracking-based measures and excitement analytics.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
Are You Watching This, which uses proprietary algorithms to measure the excitement levels of games, separately had sold its data to clients often at a rate of a penny per user or subscriber per month. Sportradar is an official partner of the NFL, NBA and NHL, among others.
“This is a partnership where we can really make each other better,” said Mark Phillip, Are You Watching This founder and CEO. “They have such great data and league relationships that nobody else does, and we can do some interesting things together.”
Are You Watching This ranks games on four primary levels: OK, good, hot and epic, with the latter representing a must-see event. Those rankings fluctuate in real time, and are used to help direct fans to a particular game either on TV or on digital platforms.
Sportradar confirmed the partnership, which was led by Benn Gurton, U.S. head of business development, but declined to comment further.
Are You Watching This, meanwhile, has begun to pursue a patent infringement claim against Silicon Valley-based Thuuz, the company’s primary rival. Thuuz also provides excitement analytics for clients such as NBC Sports, Fox Sports and Dish Network, helping direct viewers to live and upcoming events. But Phillip has claimed Thuuz’s work infringes upon patents he had held for much of the past decade, and has retained law firm Covington & Burling.
“We’re having conversations with Thuuz, and I’m optimistic this will turn out well,” Phillip said.
Warren Packard, Thuuz founder and CEO, was traveling overseas and unavailable for comment. Thuuz, however, recently filed paperwork with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission regarding a developing Series B funding round. The company has raised $6.5 million of an intended $11.6 million.
