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Saturday, November 23, 2024

DraftKings Sells VSiN Back to Musburgers Amid Gambling’s Original Content Retreat

  • DraftKings is the latest gambling giant to scale back from a prior push into original content. 
  • VSiN said no programming interruptions will come because of the sale. 
Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

The sports betting radio and television channel VSiN has returned to its former ownership. 

On Monday, Musburger Media announced it has bought VSiN back from DraftKings, just three and a half years after it sold it to the gambling giant. DraftKings bought the company in 2021 for roughly $70 million. 

VSiN cofounders Brian Musburger and Bill Adee will lead the company going forward, and DraftKings said it will continue to advertise on the platform. Musburger is the nephew of fellow VSiN cofounder and former ESPN commentator Brent Musburger. 

“DraftKings continues to optimize its investments in content and media to align with the most critical areas and needs of our business strategy, objectives, and goals,” said DraftKings CMO Stephanie Sherman. 

VSiN launched in 2017 behind Brent Musburger, before sports gambling was widely legalized. It expanded over the last seven years with syndicated radio shows and deals with some regional sports networks; several established sports personalities like Michael Lombardi have created sports shows with the network.

DraftKings is just the latest gambling giant to pull back from original content after previously leaning in to it. Bally Sports and BetMGM have recently scaled back their own content plays after mixed results. In 2023, Penn Entertainment sold Barstool Sports back to founder Dave Portnoy for $1 after deciding to partner with ESPN for its sportsbook. On Monday, fantasy sports personality Brad Evans said that BetMGM had canceled his Live on the Line show.

VSiN said viewers won’t experience any programming interruptions due to the sale. 

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