STAMFORD – Millions of fans watch NFL coverage on NBC Sports every week. Many of them are trying to predict behavior, not just tune.
Reflecting the rise of fantasy sports and sports betting in recent years, Stamford-based NBC Sports has launched a partnership with one of the largest sportsbooks, BetMGM, this season. Shows, and content across other NBC Sports platforms. Officials at NBC Sports and BetMGM see the partnership as a way to further engage fans, especially younger viewers. At the same time, they said they are aware of the risks that some fans may become involved in problem gambling. This is a problem that has become more pronounced with the growth of online gambling, which was legalized last year in Connecticut.
Mitesh Mehta, Senior Vice President of Betting, Gaming and Strategic Partnerships at NBC Sports Next, a division of NBC Sports, said in an interview: We need to keep evolving because the reasons people listen to music continue to change. ”
“Reach, Resonate and Engage Your Fans”
About a month and a half into the 2022 season, the new partnership is already making an impact on NBC Sports’ coverage of the NFL. “Football Night in America” is available on the NBC Network, the Peacock Streaming Service and the Universo Cable Channel. FNIA is the lead-in show to SNF.
The partnership also includes real-time betting odds on scoring tickers during FNIA and related content during the post-match show “Peacock Sunday Night Football Finals.” Plus, there’s his BetMGM affiliation on all Berry-hosted content across NBC Sports platforms, including “Matthew His Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Berry,” which airs weekdays on Peacock.
“The number one goal of our partnership is to reach, resonate with and engage our fans, and we are thrilled to be working with the talented team at NBC Sports to make that happen this season in the NFL.” ” BetMGM said in a statement. “We look forward to bringing insights from the BetMGM trading team to his football fans across the country and providing entertaining segments showcasing the excitement of betting at BetMGM.”
NBC Sports began featuring fantasy sports and betting on its shows long before it partnered with BetMGM. According to comScore, the company’s nbcsportsedge.com site ranks among fantasy professionals in visits, page views, and time spent on websites focused on fantasy sports and gaming information from September 2021 to August 2022. It was ranked second.
“All types of games that accompany the core game itself, especially sports betting, but also fantasy and free-to-play games, lead to a younger, more diverse audience that stays engaged longer and more often. said Mehta.
NBC Sports is looking to grow its audience, but NFL coverage has already dominated viewership for years. For the 16th year in a row, FNIA has been ranked the most-watched weekly studio show in sports. Last season, it averaged 7.1 million viewers from 7:30 PM ET to 8:15 PM ET. “Sunday Night Football” averaged 19.3 million viewers last year, making it the number one primetime show for the 11th year in a row.
Josh Schuart, director of sports administration at Sacred Heart University’s Jack Welch College of Business & Technology, said in an email. “But let’s be honest, the NFL has completely wiped out all other live sports programming when it comes to ratings, and doesn’t need to provide ‘additional stimulation’ to get viewers to watch the game.”
numerous partnerships
In recent years, other Connecticut-based companies have also partnered with fantasy sports and wagering providers.
Stamford-based WWE, which operates the WWE Network on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming platform, announced last year that DraftKings would become its official gaming partner. The agreement comes just weeks after the administration of Governor Ned Lamont announced comprehensive sports betting and online gaming deals with operators of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun casinos.
The partnership between WWE and DraftKings kicked off with a free-to-play pool competition at WrestleMania 37 in April 2021.
“Sports games are a great category for WWE and provide another touchpoint for fans to engage with the WWE brand,” WWE co-CEO Stephanie McMahon said when the partnership was announced. “We can take fan excitement to another level by allowing fans to make predictions in their own pool and then participate in live matches. Beyond) we want to expand into a weekly show.”
Among other Connecticut connections, DraftKings announced a deal with Foxwoods in December 2020. Three months ago, the Bristol-based actor reached a “content integration” agreement with ESPN. Meanwhile, Mohegan Sun has partnered with FanDuel.
BetMGM represents MGM’s exclusive sports betting division online and at MGM casinos nationwide, and has already established itself as one of the largest sportsbooks through its operations in other states. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wyoming, Ontario Canada.
However, BetMGM’s betting options are not available in Connecticut as BetMGM is not licensed to accept bets in Connecticut. To operate in-state, he must be associated with one of his three “Master Gaming Licensees” in-state. Each Licensee may have one “skin”. This refers to partnerships with online game operators. In addition to their respective deals with Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun’s DraftKings and FanDuel, CT Lottery has partnered with RushStreet.
Concerns about problem gambling
The growth of sports betting comes with the potential for some fans to get into trouble with excessive or reckless gambling.
In response to these potential pitfalls, BetMGM said in a news release about its partnership with NBC Sports that “responsible gaming education will continue to be a key focus” as it expands into new markets.
“BetMGM is committed to providing resources to help our customers play responsibly, including GameSense, an industry-leading program developed by a British Columbia lottery company and licensed to MGM Resorts. We are proud of you,” he added in the release. “Through his GameSense integration within BetMGM’s mobile and desktop platforms, customers have direct access to responsible gaming tools.”
An NBC Sports official said they hoped the BetMGM promotion within the content would appeal to fans who are mostly betting smaller sums.
“This question is directed at sportsbooks because ultimately they are sportsbook users,” Mehta said. “But the way we present content is storytelling and information. We’re looking for casual bettors to spend a few bucks here and there on the game, regardless of fandom.
Meanwhile, gambling risks are becoming more and more prominent in the state home to NBC Sports.
“Calls/Texts/Chats to our free 24/7 helpline have doubled on average compared to the same period before the game’s (online) expansion launched last fall. ‘ said Paul Tarbox, a spokesman for the Connecticut Problem Gambling Council. said in an email. “Those elevated contacts also remain stable.”
CCPG provides assistance by phone at 888-789-7777 and through chat on its website, ccpg.org.
“We are neither for nor against gambling, but we are always concerned that television and other productions normalize gambling,” Tarbox added. Participating in betting after watching a show without understanding the risks involved, responsible betting strategies to reduce gambling-related harm, or questionable gambling resources available when necessary.”
pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; Twitter: @paulschott
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