Diamond Sports Group (“Diamond”) and FanDuel, North America’s premier online gaming company, today announced an agreement on a broad, long-term commercial partnership, including:
• Exclusive right to name Diamond’s 16 regional sports networks (“RSNs”) and Diamond’s digital offerings, including the direct to consumer (“DTC”) product, as FanDuel Sports Network;
• linear and digital media placement and integration opportunities across all live NBA, NHL and MLB games on FanDuel Sports Network;
• shared commitment to explore a unified DTC app experience with the ability to syndicate FanDuel TV programming across FanDuel Sports Network, including studio programming like “Up & Adams,” “Run It Back” and FanDuel TV’s live rights programming;
• FanDuel to have reseller designation for Diamond’s DTC product; and additional economic and equity elements.
David Preschlack, CEO of Diamond, stated: “Collaborating with FanDuel provides a tremendous pathway for Diamond to elevate the fan experience and deepen the incremental value we provide for our team, league and distribution partners. This partnership reinforces opportunities to further strengthen the close connection our RSNs have with local fans, including enhancing our DTC offering for a growing digital audience. In the meantime, having finalized agreements with the NBA, NHL and our key distributors, we remain focused on moving our business forward and driving value for our team partners and our stakeholders.”
Mike Raffensperger, President, Sports, FanDuel, stated: “Partnering with Diamond provides us an opportunity to put the FanDuel brand at the intersection of the nation’s largest group of regional sports networks. A large cohort of FanDuel customers are devoted RSN viewers and this agreement allows us to further cement the FanDuel brand with sports fans and provides a unique vehicle to reward our users.”
On October 21, the Bally Sports RSNs will officially be renamed under the FanDuel Sports Network brand with corresponding regional monikers. Diamond Sports Group‘s 16 owned and operated RSNs will include: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, FanDuel Sports Network Florida, FanDuel Sports Network Great Lakes, FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City, FanDuel Sports Network Indiana, FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, FanDuel Sports Network North, FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network Oklahoma,FanDuel Sports Network SoCal, FanDuel Sports Network South, FanDuel Sports Network Southeast, FanDuel Sports Network Southwest, FanDuel Sports Network Sun, FanDuel Sports Network West, and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin. Additional partnership elements and collaborations will be introduced in the coming months. Fans can visit fanduelsportsnetwork.com to continue streaming their local games when they log in with their TV provider or subscribe directly to FanDuel Sports Network.
Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed. Additional information regarding Diamond’s Chapter 11 cases, including court filings and information about the claims process are available at https://cases.ra.kroll.com/DSG.
