Flutter Entertainment-owned FanDuel Group is to launch a new television network and digital over-the-top (OTT) platform in the US.
Scheduled to go live next month, FanDuel TV will be broadly distributed on linear television through the operator’s relationships with major cable and satellite distributors such as Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon FIOS, DirectTV, DISH, Cox Communications, FuboTV, YouTubeTV, and Hulu.
The FanDuel+ OTT platform will be widely available on direct-to-consumer OTT platforms including Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire, while it will also be free to download for all existing FanDuel customers with accounts on any of its sportsbook, casino, horse racing or daily fantasy platforms.
Together, FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ become the first linear and digital networks dedicated to sports wagering content to launch in the US.
“FanDuel TV is the first network designed from the ground up to be watched by viewers with their phone in hand,” FanDuel’s chief commercial officer Mike Raffensperger said. “We intend for FanDuel TV to sit at the intersection of live sports and interactive content; our goal is to provide fans compelling programming to watch and wager on in tandem with our mobile app.”
FanDuel TV will be a rebrand of horse racing-focused TVG Network and broadcast a range of content including a live daily morning show fronted by Kay Adams, who was previously a host of “Good Morning Football” on the NFL Network. TVG had been owned by Flutter brand Betfair since 2008.
Sports media specialist and former NFL punter Pat McAfee and his team at PMI Network will also produce content for FanDuel TV, as will The Ringer Network, a popular sports and pop-culture podcasts and digital network.
Meanwhile, FanDuel’s signature sports betting show “More Ways to Win” will continue to be hosted by former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Lisa Kerney, offering sports betting analysis and insight of the sports leagues.
FanDuel TV also intends to become the new home of international basketball in the US. As part of a licensing deal with Sportradar, FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will air over 3,000 hours of live sports including Australia’s National Basketball League, the Chinese Basketball League, and the French and German pro leagues.
In addition, FanDuel TV will follow predecessor TVG Network by continuing to broadcast horse racing action. This will include live coverage from top tracks including Gulfstream, Del Mar, Keeneland, Pimlico and Santa Anita, and major events such as the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.
“TVG has been the undisputed leader in the horse racing space for the past 20 years and the launch of FanDuel TV creates an exciting new platform for the next 20 years,” Raffensperger said.
“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 US market. We plan to offer more live sports than any network in America.”
