Stats Perform and the Chinese Super League (CSL) have extended their partnership, with the firm continuing to serve as a data partner of the league. 

The multi-year contract extension will see Stats Perform function as the event and tracking data provider of the CSL, holding the exclusive rights to collect statistics from the CSL home venues using the SportVU system.

Stats Perform will utilise this data to “supplement the league’s broadcast and digital channels” and support its partners to create “unique experiences” across media, brands and sponsors.

Alex Rice, Chief Rights Officer, Stats Perform, said: “We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership with the Chinese Super League. We know how important data is becoming to stakeholders in providing their fans with new and engaging audience experiences.”

The CSL first partnered in Stats Perform in 2016, and the latest extension and enhancement of the contract has seen the continued leveraging of the London-based sports tech and data firm’s Opta platform and Pressbox Graphics product.

Pressbox is used to deepen fan interest in and sponsor awareness of the CSL “from 90 minutes to the entire mtuli-day match life cycle” by producing automated visual graphics and animations, powered by the aforementioned Opta data. In China, this offering is particularly directed towards regional media platforms such as Weibo and Wechat. 

Additionally, the renewal of the partnership will see the introduction of Stats Perform’s Pro services for all CSL franchises, with the aim of conducting performance analysis across the league. 

The firm’s ProVision will be used by clubs to interrogate Opta data, which in itself will enable analysis of upcoming opponents, identification of tactical trends and sharing of coaching insights via video and data visualisations. 

“Through the delivery of Opta data, fans of the Chinese Super League will benefit from insights derived from the industry’s leading and most reliable data source,” Rice continued.

“On the Pro side, I am also pleased that we will be able to support technical staff with visual in-game insights to help with player engagement and development.”

The extension marks a further strengthening of Stats Peform’s foothold as a data provider in East/Southeast Asian sports, where the company also maintains deals with the Thai League, whilst non-European partners include the English Premier League, La Liga and Conmebol.