DraftKings has launched DraftKings Network, a sports betting-centric video streaming service.
DraftKings Network is “the one spot to get all-in on sports and celebrate the thrill of action 24/7″, according to the DraftKings website. It features video versions of podcasts affiliated with the sports betting operator, including former ESPN talent Dan Le Batard, Mike Golic, and Mike Golic Jr. Details of the initial rollout were first reported by Bloomberg.
“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,” a DraftKings spokesperson said in a statement.
DraftKings follows FanDuel’s lead
The move comes seven months after rival FanDuel rebranded its horse racing channel into FanDuel TV, which features ESPN alum Michelle Beadle and former NFL Network host Kay Adams.
DraftKings owns VSiN, which broadcasts on YouTube TV and audio simulcasts nationwide.
Like FanDuel, which leveraged its partnership with The Ringer to fill network airtime with video podcasts, DraftKings Network is building with videos courtesy of its partnership with Meadowlark Media, the media startup founded by former ESPN President John Skipper and Le Batard.
Shares rise ahead of earnings
Company executives are expected to discuss the network during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Friday.
The company’s stock was trading at $22.41 a share on Monday, up more than 100% from its near-low earlier in the year.
The network launch adds to an already busy quarter, in which it launched in new markets Massachusetts and Ohio. The Boston-based operator has an early market share lead in its home state and was second in US market share in 2022 behind FanDuel, according to reports from states that breakdown handle by operator.
