How to choose a sports content provider

Write one brief for every supplier

Define the audience, competitions, languages, formats and review standard. Specify whether you want drafts or publication-ready outputs, and what that phrase means to your business. Use the same input dataset so differences in source material do not distort the comparison.

Include an awkward case: unavailable team news, a conflicting statistic or a postponed fixture. Ask each provider to explain how it handles the gap. Responsible handling of missing information can be more revealing than a flawless easy example.

Compare like-for-like responsibilities

Question	Why it matters
Who supplies the facts?	Input preparation may remain your responsibility
Who checks the output?	Editorial review can change the offer’s scope
What rights are included?	Data and images may have separate restrictions
What can be customized?	Tone, structure and visual design are different tasks
How is content delivered?	A file, dashboard or integration requires different work
How are errors corrected?	Publication requires an ongoing response process

A supplier’s website is a starting point for questions, not proof that every listed capability applies to your contract. Obtain dated confirmation of the requirements that matter to your project.

Run a small pilot

For a fictional football project, request one preview and one comparison graphic using the same controlled brief. Evaluate factual consistency, reader usefulness, brand fit and ease of correction. Record the editor’s time as well as the supplier’s delivery time.

A simple scale from “fails requirement” to “meets requirement” can be more practical than a complicated weighted score. Keep the comments behind each score. Otherwise, a numerical total can conceal a serious sourcing or rights problem.

Understand cost without inventing benchmarks

Ask what the quote includes, what triggers additional work and what happens when the fixture schedule changes. Article count alone does not describe length, complexity, review or asset production. Use your own volume assumptions and the supplier’s confirmed terms.

Do not infer standard market prices from a small sample of offers. Your comparison should state its date and scope, especially when language, delivery or editorial responsibility differs.

Make the decision reviewable

Keep the brief, delivered examples, source questions, evaluation notes and agreed boundaries together. This creates a record that a colleague can assess without sitting through the sales conversation.

When evaluating BetIQ, use the published features to frame questions about articles, match analysis and graphics. Confirm the actual delivery arrangement and review process directly rather than treating an illustration as a live product interface.

Use the worksheet

Download the supplier scorecard to compare each sample against the same requirements.