FanDuel to launch new sports betting-oriented TV channel and streaming platform

Sports betting and iGaming giant FanDuel Group, part of Flutter Entertainment, announced Friday the launch of FanDuel TV, which will include a broadly distributed linear cable television network, and its new OTT platform to be known as FanDuel+.

Both FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will go live in September of this year and become "the first linear/digital network dedicated to sports wagering content," while "delivering more live sports programming than any other network in America," according to a press statement.

Kay Adams

As part of the launch, the company announced FanDuel TV will feature Kay Adams, who will headline the network with a live daily morning show five days per week. Adams, who previously served as a host of Good Morning Football on the NFL Network, will host the show from FanDuel TV’s Los Angeles studios each day at 11:00 am EDT.

As part of the launch, the company announced that FanDuel+ will be free to download for existing FanDuel customers with accounts on any of its sportsbook, casino, horse racing or daily fantasy platforms.

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— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) August 25, 2022

Mike Raffensperger, Chief Commercial Officer for FanDuel, said: “FanDuel TV is the first network designed from the ground up to be watched by viewers with their phone in hand. We intend for FanDuel TV to sit at the intersection of live sports and interactive content and believe Kay is the best example of an on-air talent who can bring fans closer to the narratives of the games they care about most. Our goal is to provide fans compelling programming to watch and wager on in tandem with our mobile app.”

Kay Adams will host her own hour-long show Monday through Friday, welcoming guests and a wide range of personalities from across sports and entertainment. According to the company, she "looks forward to continuing her well-established track record of entertaining and informing sports fans in the morning". The daily studio show will also be available on YouTube and other social media platforms.

Sports analyst and commentator Pat McAffe and his team at PMI Network will also produce original content for FanDuel TV "as part of the network's weekly block of programming." Details regarding the content will be shared by McAffee when it is ready to launch.

Programming from sports analyst Bill Simmons' The Ringer Network will also be part of FanDuel TV, providing content from "one of the industry’s most listened to and followed sports and pop-culture podcasts and digital networks." Details on specific content from The Ringer, which Bill Simmons founded in 2016, will be disclosed "in the future."  

In addition, FanDuel’s signature sports betting show More Ways to Win will continue to be hosted by former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Lisa Kerney, "bringing sports betting analysis and insight of the major sports leagues to viewers each week." More Ways to Win is described by FanDuel as a cornerstone of its digital programming with Kerney covering a variety of sports content focused on the sports wagerer.

A FanDuel brand ambassador, Kerney has appeared recently in the company’s baseball ads and hosted the company’s FanFest event, which was streamed live from Los Angeles to more than 10,000 viewers during the week of Super Bowl LVI.

FanDuel's Amy Howe

Amy Howe, Chief Executive Officer for FanDuel Group, commented: “Having proven on-air talent, live content from the most influential name in sports media in Pat McAfee and the industry’s best team covering horse racing today demonstrates that FanDuel TV will be a dynamic network from day one."

FanDuel TV intends to become the new home of international basketball in the U.S., a press release claims. As part of a licensing agreement with Sportradar, FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will air more than 3,000 hours of live sports including international basketball league action from the National Basketball League (NBL) Australia’s professional league, the Chinese Basketball League, as well as the French and German pro leagues.

FanDuel TV will also emerge from its predecessor TVG Network, a horse and greyhound racing-oriented channel. In keeping with its lineage, FanDuel TV will feature "a stacked lineup of unparalleled coverage from respected experts" including Christina Blacker, Britney Eurton, Gabby Gaudet, Mike Joyce, Todd Schrupp and the rest of TVG’s on-air talent roster.

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— Lisa Kerney (@LisaKerney) August 25, 2022

FanDuel TV’s programming schedule will be underpinned with "the best live coverage from the top tracks including Gulfstream, Del Mar, Keeneland, Pimlico, Santa Anita and many more." FanDuel TV will also deliver coverage of the Breeders’ Cup this coming November including The Breeders’ Cup World Championships. 

“FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will accelerate the renaissance racing is enjoying and repackage the sport for a new generation of mobile-enabled fans, while also bringing new leagues and sports to the U.S. market," added Mike Raffensperger. "We plan to offer more live sports than any network in America.”

FanDuel TV will be broadly distributed on linear television through its relationships with cable and satellite distributors including Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FIOS, DirectTV, DISH, Cox Communications, FuboTV, YouTubeTV, and Hulu. FanDuel+ will also be widely available on direct-to-consumer OTT platforms including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire.