DraftKings has continued its foray into the media area with a “first-of-its-kind” content material take care of Meadowlark Media and standard persona Dan Le Batard.
Underneath the settlement introduced Tuesday, DraftKings will distribute Meadowlark’s Dan Le Batard Present with Stugotz podcast and different exhibits throughout its platforms.
The exhibits will function DraftKings Sportsbook odds, betting traits and “normal sportsbook and daily fantasy info.”
A touch of the deal first appeared final week in Indiana. Meadowlark signed up there as a “sportsbook wagering registrant,” apparently upfront of this announcement.
New content material included as effectively
Along with that settlement, DraftKings plans to fee new content material that Meadowlark will develop and produce.
The Miami Herald reported DraftKings spent about USD40 million on the deal over three years. The Wall Road Journal reported the deal as USD50 million.
The Le Batard Present will proceed as a podcast for a number of weeks earlier than launching a YouTube model in the summertime. DraftKings would be the title sponsor.
The connection between DK and Meadowlark
DraftKings invested between USD500,000 and USD2 million in Meadowlark again in April, following the launch of the corporate in January. The media enterprise was based by ESPN veterans John Skipper and Le Batard.
Le Batard thanked DraftKings for offering “rocket gas and complete freedom” to the corporate.
“I’m overjoyed to staff with a fearless artistic associate who sees the longer term and needs to assist us change it,” Le Batard mentioned. “DraftKings believed in us, our ideas and our mission sufficient to provide us a freedom that no scared company or conventional media associate ever may or ever would.
“To our followers, know that DraftKings is the explanation you aren’t behind a paywall, and I’m promising you the cash gained’t change the present or corrupt us in any method.”
Le Batard famously butted heads with ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro over present content material in 2019. He introduced his departure from ESPN the next 12 months.
DraftKings plans on changing into greater than a sportsbook
The deal is the newest enlargement into the media area for DraftKings.
The agency acquired Vegas Sports activities and Data Community (VSiN) final month and has been linked with additional media purchases like The Motion Community.
The Boston-based operator additionally employed a chief media officer earlier this month. Brian Angiolet will work with VSiN and Meadowlark on “environment friendly content material fashions” to maximise attain to new clients.
Pores and skin within the sport
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins mentioned the deal would assist it deliver “premium content material to skin-in-the-game sportsbook followers.”
Meadowlark CEO John Skipper added:
“With the liberty to broadly distribute [the Le Batard programs], we’ll be capable to attain the biggest potential viewers and supply unbelievable content material to DraftKings.”
DK inventory was comparatively unmoved on Tuesday, final up 0.5% to USD59.57.