Esports data provider Bayes Esports has extended its exclusive data partnership with League of Legends developer Riot Games until 2024.
Bayes said that the deal will give it exclusive worldwide distribution rights for “virtually all League of Legends competitions”, including in-game data, fixture lists and audiovisual rights for betting operators.
Bayes Esports chief operating officer Amir Mirzaee said the partnership “is an essential component to strengthen the esports ecosystem and contribute to the sport’s sustainability.
“Riot and Bayes launched the first official data offering of any game publisher back in 2019. We jointly laid the groundwork for data integrity and sustainability, and we’re beyond excited to take the partnership to the next level”.
Since the deal began in 2019, it has been expanded to add new “tailored solutions”, including a team data portal and the addition of extra regional leagues.
“The forefront of our partnership was initially focused on the distribution and commercialisation of data to third parties,” John Knauss, technical product manager at Riot Games, said. “But through great conversations with Bayes Esports, the community and the teams, we have learned that together we can achieve so much more to support the continuous growth and success of LoL Esports.”
Mirzaee added that the partnership has become about much more than simply distributing data.
“The complex ecosystems emerging across industries are creating a need for a collaborative and community approach where partners can co-create innovation and co-sell together,” he said. “Over the years, our partnership with Riot Games has evolved from distributing data to engaging with the betting and media industry, to collaboratively innovating the game data tech stack from the ground up.
“On both sides, there was a joint understanding that this cooperation would play a critical role in shaping the future of the LoL esports ecosystem and its community. To this end, our tech teams have worked together to establish a League of Legends community data portal that allows various types of community members to access a variety of historic data, from game replays to scrimmage data— securely and privately.
“This is an absolute breakthrough in the professionalisation of esports, especially for pro teams that need this data to improve their game.”
