Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Welcomes The University of Notre Dame to its Partner Consortium

Rhea-AI Summary

Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech, powered by Boomtown, has announced its latest partnership with the University of Notre Dame. Starting in 2025, Notre Dame becomes the first collegiate partner in SportsTech’s innovation program, joining a consortium that includes prominent sports brands such as NBC Sports, Sky Sports, NASCAR, Premier League, PGA Tour, and various U.S. Olympic sports organizations. This partnership builds on Notre Dame's longstanding relationship with NBC Sports, which has exclusively broadcast Notre Dame home football games since 1991. The collaboration aims to provide startups with opportunities for innovation and development through direct engagement with Notre Dame’s experts and leaders. Notably, Notre Dame's athletic and academic programs, including its Innovation Park and accelerator support for startups, will further enrich the program. The initiative highlights an ongoing commitment to innovation in sports and technology, enhancing fan experiences and supporting athlete performance.

Positive

• University of Notre Dame joins as the first collegiate partner in Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech, enhancing the program’s innovation capabilities.
• Collaboration offers startups direct engagement with Notre Dame’s experts and leaders, providing valuable insights and opportunities.
• Notre Dame's longstanding partnership with NBC Sports further strengthens the consortium, leveraging decades of successful collaboration.

Negative

• None.

Notre Dame is the first collegiate SportsTech partner, joining distinguished sports brands like NBC Sports, Sky Sports, NASCAR, Premier League, PGA TOUR, and others to engage and collaborate with founders innovating across the industry

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Comcast announced today that The University of Notre Dame has joined the partner consortium for Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech, powered by Boomtown as the program’s first collegiate organization. Starting with SportsTech’s fifth class, which will begin in 2025, companies selected to join the innovation program will have an opportunity to explore collaborations and engage directly with experts and leaders from the University and its network.

This also builds on the landmark partnership Notre Dame has had with NBC Sports for over four decades – the longest collegiate media relationship. Dating back to 1991, NBC Sports has exclusively presented Notre Dame home football games, and recently announced enhanced rights to bring more Notre Dame content to fans across Peacock and additional platforms.

“Notre Dame adds a unique innovation champion to Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech’s distinguished partner roster,” said Will McIntosh, President, Fandango & NBC Sports Next, a subdivision of NBC Sports and home to all NBCUniversal digital applications in sports and technology. “As the program’s first collegiate advisor, Notre Dame offers new opportunities, access, and insight for startups. Additionally, through our broadcast rights, NBC Sports and Notre Dame have a rich tradition of collaborating on ways of enriching fan experiences, further aligning to one of SportsTech’s core pillars.”

Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech provides portfolio companies with valuable insights and access to decision-makers at leading sports brands around the world. Notre Dame joins a distinguished partner consortium that includes Notre Dame, NBC Sports, Sky Sports, Comcast Spectacor, NASCAR, Premier League, PGA Tour, and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. Over the course of six months, Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech connects founders with partners with an eye toward developing strategic collaborations and enhancing companies’ products and services.

“We are excited to join Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech, bringing together and further enhancing our historic collaboration with NBC Sports and the University’s commitment to innovative athletics,” said Pete Bevacqua, Director of Athletics, University of Notre Dame. “Being part of this program will continue to help us to identify and implement new technologies and ways of thinking that can elevate the sports experience for our University, our athletes, and our fans.”

Notre Dame is proud to foster innovation through its academics and athletic programs, including its Innovation Park, an entrepreneurship center that is home to over 60 startup companies and a place where entrepreneurs, students, and more come to share ideas through meetings, events and training, and its accelerator support program for early-stage startups.

Beginning in April 2022, Notre Dame was one of the first members of NBC Sports Athlete Direct, a platform linking college student-athletes and advertisers through a trusted marketplace, enabling student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Student-athletes who opt-in to the program are presented with NIL opportunities from advertisers that include monetizing their social media followings. Additionally, NBC Sports collaborates with CNBC, the world leader in business and financial news, to provide personal finance resources.

To apply for the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech Class of 2025 and learn more about the program’s eight focus areas—media and entertainment, fan/player engagement, athlete/player performance, team and coach success, venue and event innovation, fantasy sports and betting, esports, and the business of sports—visit www.comcastsportstech.com/2025.

About Comcast Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company. From the connectivity and platforms we provide, to the content and experiences we create, our businesses reach hundreds of millions of customers, viewers, and guests worldwide. We deliver world-class broadband, wireless, and video through Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky; produce, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through brands including NBC, Telemundo, Universal, Peacock, and Sky; and bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life through Universal Destinations & Experiences. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech
Comcast NBCUniversal invests in some of the best sports tech startups in the world. We back this investment by providing our startups with a rigorous, custom curriculum, and we surround our entrepreneurs with a dream team of sports industry advisors and experts who are passionately dedicated to helping them succeed. Comcast SportsTech features a partnership of four of Comcast NBCUniversal’s sports brands - NBC Sports, Sky Sports, Comcast Spectacor and Golf – alongside Premier League, NASCAR, and PGA TOUR, and three US Olympic sports organizations: U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. This network of partnerships brings an early lens into innovation solutions, exclusive access to research and business insights, and differentiated value to Comcast’s media rights relationships. The program brings creative solutions to the partner consortium and to market through the lens of eight core investment categories: Media & Entertainment; Fan/Player Engagement; Athlete/Player Performance; Team & Coach Success; Venue & Event Innovation; Fantasy Sports & Betting; esports; and the Business of Sports. Visit www.comcastsportstech.com to learn more.

About Boomtown
Boomtown designs and operates bespoke innovation platforms that help major corporations and organizations maximize the power of innovation and deliver real outcomes. Unlike traditional models that primarily serve investors, Boomtown’s platforms are tailored to each client’s unique needs, leveraging external innovation to solve complex challenges, build long-term competitive advantages, and drive significant impact. Since 2014, Boomtown has successfully executed more than 20 innovation programs and invested in nearly 250 startups, achieving a portfolio value of more than $1.9 billion. For more information visit https://boomtownaccelerators.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240708331841/en/

Media:

Louise Eich

Comcast Corporation

Louise_eich@comcast.com

Kelli Dwyer

Comcast Corporation

Kelli_dwyer@comcast.com

Source: Comcast Corporation

FAQ

When did Comcast announce the partnership with the University of Notre Dame for the SportsTech program?

Comcast announced the partnership on October 3, 2023.

What is the significance of the University of Notre Dame joining the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech program?

Notre Dame is the first collegiate partner, offering startups direct access to its experts and leaders, enhancing innovation in sports technology.

What is the historical relationship between NBC Sports and the University of Notre Dame?

NBC Sports has exclusively broadcast Notre Dame home football games since 1991, marking a long-standing media partnership.

Who are some of the other partners in the Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech consortium?

Other partners include NBC Sports, Sky Sports, NASCAR, Premier League, PGA Tour, and three U.S. Olympic sports organizations.

What opportunities will startups have in the SportsTech program with Notre Dame as a partner?

Startups will have opportunities for direct engagement with Notre Dame’s experts, access to its network, and insights into innovative sports technologies.

When will the 2025 class of Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech begin?

The 2025 class of Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech will begin in 2025.