Zug, Switzerland – Infront has entered the betting space after launching its dedicated Infront Bettor service that brings together the organisation’s expertise and experience in media rights with a highly desirable content portfolio for betting operators globally.
A total of 30 rights holders – including the English Football League (EFL), Turkish Super Lig, the Coupe de France and Infront’s historic pedigree of ice hockey rights – are included in the offering. The acquired rights cover over 18,000 hours of content per year covering over 20,000 events from 30 countries over the next three years.
Infront launches the Infront Bettor division with agreements across content and sponsorship with over 20 bookmakers. The content agreements include 24/7 round-the-clock technical support on the dedicated video platform used to distribute the low latency stream to all clients. The integration of the platform includes a mapping solution which makes booking, data integration and broadcasting content easy. The team have ambitious plans to drive a sophisticated layer of analytics to demonstrate the return on investment for all clients
Amikam Kranz, Vice President Media, Betting & Technology, Infront said: “We see a real potential to provide the new Infront Bettor service for betting operators and, as a result, improve fan’s experience of watching sport. Not only does this new team diversify Infront’s business further, but it will help combine the media and technological expertise, unlocking additional revenue streams for many stakeholders. It also highlights how we are able to leverage the best technology to provide the highest quality service for our clients whilst also using the experience we have from decades in the media rights business to deliver the best quality service to new stakeholders.”
Chris Catling, Head of Infront Bettor service, said: “We want to launch products that increase engagement, utilise Infront's experience working with broadcasters and, ultimately, use that to improve the offering available to betting operators. Linking with the Infront sponsorship team and its deep relationships with sports books for sponsorship has already provided us with a great synergy as we enter the market with Infront Bettor."
Infront Bettor will also work closely with Infront Lab, the Group's sports tech hub, and has a bold vision for making betting video streams far more engaging, driving a higher ROI for Infront's bookmaker clients. Infront has equally ambitious plans for data and the role computer vision will play in the collection of data in the future. Infront Bettor's content portfolio is broad and its one-stop streaming solution, complete with back-office service, can help bookmakers create a more engaged product for their audience, ultimately benefitting rightsholders.
Infront has established a stellar team with a wealth of industry expertise for its new service. Alongside Chris Catling, the department leadership will include Hamish Bicket, Diogo Almeida and Graham Pearce as Directors, who together bring a combined 40+ years of experience working in the sports tech and betting industries.
Infront Bettor and Infront Lab will together with the Media department comprise the newly established unit Media, Betting & Technology, led by Amikam Kranz.
Chris Catling joined Infront in April 2022 as a Senior Director to set up and spearhead the Infront betting division. Chris brings vast senior-level experience in the sports technology industry, most recently leading a betting rights acquisition team at Stats Perform. Previously, Chris was responsible for setting up the UK arm of global sports technology business Deltatre, where he rose to Managing Director of the UK and Asia business unit. Chris went on to pioneer IMG Media’s OTT business, prior to the creation of Endeavour Streaming, where he successfully launched a number of direct-to-consumer OTT products including Scandinavian football channel Strive.
Prior to his career in the sports business, Chris played professional rugby for 10 years, earning 10 England A caps, and appearing in over 100 Premiership games for Gloucester. He also had spells in the French Top 16 with ASBH Beziers and the Italian first division with Amatori Catania.
Hamish joined Infront in March 2022 as Director, leading betting acquisitions and managing the betting portfolio. He began his career in the sports industry in 2005 with Eurosport, working in both the Distribution and Rights teams in Paris. He then moved to Munich in 2015 to join Sportradar, helping to build out their betting streaming portfolio. Following the acquisition of the Sportsman Media Group Hamish formed an integral part of the newly formed Sports Content and Partnerships unit, deepening relationships with key rightsholders and Federations. Hamish is an avid sportsman, having participated in several triathlons. He is also a keen amateur golfer.
Graham Pearce brings over fourteen years of sports media and betting industry experience to the Infront betting division as Director of Operations. Graham's most recent experience as VP Client Operations at Stats Perform saw him responsible for the creation and running of multiple operational and technical teams in the sports betting and media divisions, as well as leading strategic integrations across various business units following the merger of Stats and Perform Group. Graham's experience includes a notable 10 years at Perform Group leading account management, commercial operations and product development teams.
Diogo joined Infront in May 2022 as Head of Sales for Infront Bettor, to set up and lead the Sales Department. Diogo has had various roles across the sports industry in the UK, Spain and his native Brazil. Prior to joining Infront, Diogo was Head of Sales for Sport Buff, a company that is revolutionising how fans interact with sports broadcasts, including how they can bet on events. Diogo has a vast experience dealing with betting operators across the globe with recent experiences in South and North America as well as the European market.