All of the key American media sportsbook platforms seem to have daily fantasy sportsbook dance companions, after the occasions of a busy summer time within the DFS business.
Nevertheless, the extent of the relationships between ESPN, Fox, CBS and NBC with DraftKings and FanDuel isn’t at all times completely identified. And the impression of those relationships would possibly be revealed as soon as NFL season begins.
Those we all know for certain: ESPN and Fox
The 2 media platforms we all know essentially the most about by way of their DFS plans are ESPN and Fox:
- ESPN guardian firm Disney determined to not spend money on DraftKings, however ESPN and DK did do a deal that made them “unique companions.”
- Fox Sports activities led a USD300 million spherical of funding final month for DraftKings. And with that got here one other main media deal, the place DK reportedly dedicated to USD250mm in advert spend. That deal, nevertheless, will not be unique.
What all which means is that DraftKings has sturdy relationships with two of the platforms closely into sportsbook — and NFL soccer (Fox with Sunday video games, ESPN with Monday Night time Soccer). FanDuel will probably be shut out of ESPN ultimately.
Whereas the Fox deal permits for FanDuel and different DFS operators to promote on Fox platforms, it’s onerous to imagine anybody would make a significant funding in a platform that can possible be dominated by DraftKings.
So the place does that go away us on different main sportsbook media networks?
FanDuel and the NBC relationship
NBC Sports activities Ventures is a seamless investor in FanDuel, and that was on show in its latest USD275mm spherical of funding.
In contrast to Fox and ESPN, there was no public or reported announcement of any kind of main deal between FanDuel and the NBC sportsbook platforms.
As a significant investor in FanDuel nevertheless, it appears counterintuitive that NBC would permit DraftKings to have a significant presence on its platforms (NBC, NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and many others.). And with the amount of cash DraftKings is spending on different platforms, it’s unclear how a lot advert spend it will commit at NBC, anyway.
Attention-grabbing notes on the NBC/DFS relationship:
- Golf Channel is a part of the NBC household, however FanDuel doesn’t provide daily fantasy golf like DraftKings does.
- NBC and the English Premier League simply signed a brand new six-year deal. Once more, DraftKings affords soccer — and EPL contests — whereas FanDuel doesn’t.
- Comcast Ventures can be a FanDuel investor, and the Comcast SportsNet assortment of regional networks additionally falls beneath the Comcast/NBC umbrella.
CBS, FanDuel and SportsLine
The ultimate piece of the puzzle by way of sportsbook media content material within the U.S. is CBS. However that is maybe essentially the most troublesome property to investigate with obtainable info.
CBS not too long ago launched its personal DFS product through SportsLine.com. On the similar time, you may nonetheless discover loads of references and promotion of FanDuel through CBS, which nonetheless have a advertising deal, in accordance with New York Enterprise Journal.
CBS has taken a contrarian strategy in DFS already, providing rake-free contests at launch. Will it proceed to take action by providing its personal DFS contests and nonetheless selling and taking cash from DFS operators? Or is that this only a holdover from an current take care of FanDuel?
DFS and NFL on TV
The 4 platforms listed above account for all of the NFL video games proven within the U.S. (aside from one recreation that Yahoo will reside stream.)
With each DraftKings and FanDuel flush with money following their newest rounds of funding, it’s truthful to imagine we’re going to see a whole lot of commercials and DFS promotion throughout the key sportsbook TV platforms transferring ahead. In spite of everything, the lion’s share of income within the DFS business will probably be generated over the ultimate 4 months of the yr, and buyer acquisition throughout the closing third of 2015 will probably be key.
Whereas we all know we’re prone to see DraftKings closely on each ESPN and Fox, what we’re going to see on the opposite two platforms — and what FanDuel’s promoting plans are and the way they will or will leverage their NBC and CBS relationships — stay a bit extra up within the air.
To search out out the solutions to these questions, we could have to only watch the industrial breaks throughout this fall’s NFL video games.
Photograph by Algorhythm Labs used beneath license CC BY-ND 2.0.