Report: DraftKings to develop sports betting streaming service
Boston-headquartered operator reportedly close to launching free video streaming channel to rival FanDuel TV+
DraftKings will soon launch its own sports betting-geared free video streaming service, according reports on news site Bloomberg News.
It is understood that the Boston-headquartered operator will primarily look to convert its existing slate of podcast content into streaming-based video shows.
“Over the years, DraftKings has expanded our media footprint by securing top talent and trusted personalities across sports media, and we’ve begun the initial rollout of DK Network,” DraftKings told Bloomberg in a statement.
The report comes in the same week as sports broadcaster ESPN began a series of layoffs instigated by parent firm The Walt Disney Company, layoffs which have seen figures such as ESPN’s longest-serving employee Mike Soltys, who joined the company 43 years ago, shown the door.
Disney is understood to be looking to cut 7,000 jobs and slash $5.5bn in costs worldwide, and with ESPN talent affected by the cuts, media-geared sports betting companies like DraftKings and its rival FanDuel could be set to benefit.
DraftKings has an existing partnership with Meadowlark Media, signed in April 2021, with Meadowlark founder, newspaper sportswriter, and former ESPN personality Dan Le Batard for the distribution of his podcast, The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.
Since that initial deal, the firm has increased its podcast content, exponentially adding shows including Too Many Men featuring hockey analysts Alison Lukan, Shayna Goldman and Sara Civian, and The Cooligans with football-loving comedians Alexis Guerreros and Christian Polanco.
DraftKings also has rights to Shutdown Fullcast, hosted by Spencer Hall, Holly Anderson, Jason Kirk, and Ryan Nanni, and DNF (Did Not Finish), an F1 programme with Meadowlark’s Jessica Smetana and Spencer Hall through its Meadowlark Media partnership.
DraftKings and Meadowlarks’ other sports-forward shows include Basketball Illuminati, Underdogs and Point Forward, as well as culturally focused programming such as Cinephobe, Cinephile and Off the Looking Glass.
Outside of the Meadowlark deal, DraftKings has shows with Mike Golic Jr, Jared Carrabis, Mike Golic Sr, Michael Lombardi and entered into an agreement with Ross Tucker Media for daily and weekly NFL content in December 2020.
DraftKings’ main US rival, FanDuel, launched its debut streaming service in August 2022, recruiting former Good Morning Football anchor Kay Adams to host its flagship show Up & Adams, and has since significantly increased its streaming content with NBA, horseracing, and NFL-geared content.
FanDuel has also scaled up its other media assets, recently extending its partnership with The Ringer and increasing its investment in US media company Spotify.