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by Pat Evans
In recent months, sports betting operators have looked to media companies to help them deepen engagement with existing customers while also bringing in new ones.
Recent deals include Penn National Gaming’s investment into Barstool Sports, and the partnerships between BetMGM and Yahoo, and Bleacher Report and Caesars.
As the battle for sports betting market share heats up across the country, FanDuel is also getting into the action, partnering with sports betting OTT network SportsGrid in an exclusive content and distribution deal.
With the deal, FanDuel gains access to digital distribution, broadcast, syndication and radio assets within SportsGrid’s 24-hour gaming and lifestyle network. SportsGrid can be found on XUMO, PlutoTV, The Roku Channel, and STIRR.
“We have a shared vision on the future, and the convergence of content, data, and gaming,” FanDuel Vice President of Digital Content Adam Kaplan said. “We’ve been partners with a lot of value driven both ways, and this was a natural planned step.”
Financial terms of the multi-year agreement were not disclosed. The partnership will produce more than 50 hours of monthly original video and audio content. SportsGrid will also feature FanDuel odds, data, and promotions.
Kaplan said the short- and medium-term plan will be to create pre-, in- and post-game video and audio content to help bettors synthesize data and make more informed decisions. In a more long-term approach, Kaplan said the partnership would create content with a broader appeal to reach new customers.
A recent survey from HPL Digital Sport found 69% of sports bettors want betting tips, while 50% want engaging editorial content, and 34% wish for the ability to communicate with other users.
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FanDuel has been particularly active the past week, launching a partnership with the Denver Broncos and extending a deal with Sportradar, giving the platform use of official NFL league data. FanDuel now has access to all major U.S. sports league data through its partnership with Sportradar.
The SportsGrid partnership for FanDuel is a play to help innovate the customer experience, Kaplan said. He said with sports betting becoming legalized across the country, users will continue to look for more engaging ways to become better informed about betting. Meanwhile, there are more ways to reach consumers than ever before.
“It’s all about the convergence and making it free and available,” Kaplan said. “No matter what device people are watching or listening on, we did it with that vision in mind.”
Kaplan said the two companies have been partners and this expansion has been in the works. SportsGrid has a production facility within the FanDuel Sportsbook in New Jersey, and with this deal, the network’s New York City Studio 34 will now be sponsored by FanDuel.
The new partnership will build on both companies’ branded content efforts, using FanDuel’s sports wagering authority and scale with SportsGrid’s creative, said Louis Maione, SportsGrid founder and president.
“The goal is to collaborate with FanDuel to reach a wider group of consumers by combining SportsGrid’s media properties with FanDuel’s distribution channels, shared talent, creative capabilities, and influencers in social media,” Maione said.
