Major League Baseball has inked a new multi-year deal with Sportsradar to make the firm its exclusive gatekeeper for betting data across the globe, starting with the 2019 season.
Why it matters: This deal could pave the way for in-game betting opportunities in baseball — the sport most ripe for live wagering with so many stops and starts between pitches. Sportsradar will get that data seconds before other non-MLB feeds do.
Troubling financials, negative press and NCAA rules have put the future of junior college football (or JUCO) on shaky ground. Several programs have shut down in recent years, and the fear is that this trend will continue.
Why it matters: Junior college football has long been a lifeline for players who might have otherwise fallen through the cracks, while also serving as a farm system for Division I's top programs.