It joins companies such as Sky Sports, the PGA Tour, and many more

Kevin De Bruyne Premier League promo

The Premier League has joined the partner consortium for the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator. 

The league will be a strategic advisor to the startups selected for the annual program, which is currently midway through its third iteration and has applications open for its fourth cohort. It began in 2021, and since then SportsTech startup alumni have participated in 103 pilots, partnerships, and commercial deals with consortium partners.

The Premier League joins NBC Sports, Sky Sports, Golf, NBC Sports Next, and Comcast Spectacor, alongside Nascar, WWE, PGA Tour and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling, in the programme. The group aims to provide assistance to rising sports technology startups in the fields of media & entertainment; fan/player engagement; athlete/player performance; team & coach success; venue & event innovation; fantasy sports & betting; esports; and the business of sports.

Jenna Kurath, VP of startup partnerships, head of Comcast NBCU SportsTech, said: “Through our first three cohorts, we noticed that more than one-third of startup teams applying are international and often looking to break into the US market to further accelerate their business success.

“The Premier League, with its expansive footprint, global fanbase, and incredible leadership will be a wonderful asset to our startups and their experience in the program. We’re excited to work alongside the Premier League team and startup founders to test and experiment with emerging technologies that will bring fans closer to the sports moments that matter.”

Paul Molnar, chief media officer at the Premier League, added: “We are delighted to be adding to our longstanding relationship with Comcast and NBC by joining the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Accelerator. We look forward to working with the Comcast NBCU team, Boomtown, and the other sports partners to help discover new and emerging technologies which can play a meaningful role in the ever-changing sports industry, while supporting the startup founders in their evolution and development.”

Will McIntosh, president, Fandango & NBC Sports Next, commented: “We are thrilled to welcome the Premier League into the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech family. In assessing the next sports partner to bring on board, the Premier League was a standout choice that will provide value to the startups in the accelerator looking to find product market fit in the world of sports. With our broadcasting rights on Sky, Peacock, and NBC Sports, this partnership also creates a shared alignment for building new, more immersive fan experiences.”