Everybody wants in on the sports gambling craze these days. Even casino games supplier Aristocrat Leisure is reportedly considering breaking into the field. Sports gambling partnerships and alliances are being forged on a daily basis, and there’s little doubt that the sports scene five years from now will be much different than what it is today. One of the newest alliances to be created comes from Turner Sports, which has hooked up with both DraftKings and FanDuel for various programming options on the company’s menu. It’s also getting them connected to the Bleacher Report, which Turner purchased in 2012.
Going forward, DraftKings will be the official and exclusive sportsbook for all sports that Turner airs, with the exception of NBA – that was given to FanDuel. As usual, everyone’s staying quiet on the amount of money that’s going to be changing hands, but there’s no doubt that all parties will mutually share in the spoils of sports gambling-based content. Everyone from ESPN to Yahoo to CBS is looking to incorporate some type of sports gambling partnership into their broadcasts, and this trend won’t slow down anytime soon.
For FanDuel, which already had an existing, open relationship with Turner, the company will soon find its brand integrated with various NBA content on Turner Sports, including on live telecasts the broadcaster produces. It will also be found on the Bleacher Report’s digital channels, as well as its app. Says FanDuel Chief Marketing Officer Mike Raffensperger, Together, we’re bringing viewership to the next level by offering exclusive sports betting content that’s directly integrated into their NBA programming. We’ll be incorporating FanDuel Sportsbook odds and analysis into Turner Sport’s live broadcasts and Bleacher Report’s digital content, offering a new, enhanced, experience for NBA fans.”
Adds Turner Sports Executive VP for Sports Partnerships and Branded Content Will Funk, “NBA fans across TNT and Bleacher Report are responding well to sports betting content. We’ve already seen this with the TV and digital elements we’ve designed with FanDuel this past season, and are excited to expand our partnership. Our collective goal is to grow NBA audience via engaging FanDuel interactive gaming experiences integrated across Turner Sports’ platforms.”
DraftKings will get the rest of the action, as well as become the exclusive sportsbook for fantasy sports activity for Turner and Bleacher Report. Viewers will start to see odds and statistics from DraftKings pop up on broadcasts and digital channels, as well as find alerts and editorial content included on the Bleacher Report app. Says Ezra Kucharz, the chief business officer for DraftKings, “Regulated betting is quickly becoming a fixture of modern sports entertainment, and this collaboration with Turner Sports further scales the reach of our products and content to engage fans.”
