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Freshfields advises DAZN on the combination of Perform Content with STATS
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP (‘Freshfields’) has advised DAZN Group and Access Industries on the combination of Perform Content, the complete global sports content company, with STATS LLC (‘STATS’), the revolutionary leader in sports AI. This follows a reorganisation and separation of the Perform Content business involving 30 countries. The transaction was enabled by an investment from Vista Equity Partners, a leading investment firm focused on enterprise software, data, and technology-enabled businesses. DAZN Group, Perform’s owner, will receive a combination of cash and a significant minority stake in the newly formed company.
Together US-based STATS and European-based Perform will combine STATS’ world-class expertise in artificial intelligence with both companies’ rich historical archives, creating a treasure trove of sports data primed to be unlocked by AI. Pairing the deepest, most granular data with leading AI solutions will accelerate innovation by generating machine learning predictions to improve team performance and player evaluation, automating natural language insights to enrich storytelling for broadcasters and sports technology, and forming new data to provide sportsbooks with boundless player props and precise projections of sports outcomes. These innovations will be the foundation of the future strategy of the new entity, extending across all of STATS and Perform, including Opta, RunningBall and Watch&Bet, allowing rights-holders, leagues, media, and gaming partners to derive the most value and develop the richest experiences for billions of fans.
Ben Barlow, DAZN Group’s General Counsel, said “Freshfields were outstanding. Everyone in the DAZN legal team loved working with them – strategic, professional, and able to cover all bases across the globe, from the UK, US and beyond. We could not have asked for more.”
Sam Newhouse, Global Transactions Partner at Freshfields, said “Working with Ben and DAZN legal has been an absolute pleasure. Their innovation, flexibility and ability to deliver over a demanding and complex transaction and time frame has produced real value for the DAZN Group.”
The Freshfields Team was co-led by partners Sam Newhouse, Richard Lister and Stephen Hewes, and lead associates Rhys Evans and Emily Rich.
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