FanDuel will rebrand TVG as FanDuel TV, FanDuel+ platform
FanDuel Group said Thursday that it will rebrand its TVG network as FanDuel TV, which will include a broadly distributed linear cable television network. The company also will launch an over-the-top platform to be known as FanDuel+.
Both FanDuel TV and FanDuel+ will go live in September and become the first linear/digital network dedicated to sports wagering content and delivering more live sports programming than any other network in America.
TVG said that although its main network will be rebranded as FanDuel TV, the advance-deposit wagering platform and mobile app will continue to carry the TVG brand. Customers will be able to continue using the TVG app and will not need to have a FanDuel sportsbook account to access it.
Horse racing coverage on the network from noon till midnight daily EDT will remain largely unchanged. Wagering on racing featured on the network during this 12-hour block accounts for more than 90 percent of the company's advance-deposit wagering handle.
Kay Adams 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 a.m. EDT. As part of the launch, FanDuel+ will be free to download for existing FanDuel customers with accounts on any of its sportsbook, casino, horse racing or daily fantasy platforms.
“FanDuel TV is the first network designed from the ground up to be watched by viewers with their phone in hand,” said Mike Raffensperger, chief commercial officer of FanDuel. “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.”
New morning show. Adams will host her own hour-long show Monday through Friday, welcoming guests and personalities from across sports and entertainment. 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.
Original content from PMI. Pat McAfee’s PMI Network will produce fresh new content as part of the network’s weekly block of programming. Details regarding new PMI Network content will be shared by McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show when they're ready.
Content from The Ringer. FanDuel has reached a programming agreement with Bill Simmons' The Ringer Network providing FanDuel TV content from one of the industry’s most listened to and followed sports and pop-culture podcasts and digital networks. Details about specific content from The Ringer, which Simmons founded in 2016, will be disclosed in the future.
More Ways to Win. 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.
“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,” said FanDuel CEO Amy Howe.
New live sports programming. FanDuel TV intends to become the new home of international basketball in the U.S. 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; and the French and German pro leagues.
Stable of horse-racing experts. FanDuel TV will emerge from predecessor TVG Network. In keeping with the TVG lineage, FanDuel TV will feature a stacked lineup of experts, including Christina Blacker, Britney Eurton, Gabby Gaudet, Mike Joyce, Todd Schrupp and the rest of TVG’s award-winning on-air talent roster. FanDuel TV’s programming schedule will be underpinned with live racing coverage, including the Breeders’ Cup World Championships this November at Keeneland.
"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," Raffesperger said. "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+ also will be widely available on direct-to-consumer OTT platforms, including Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire. For more information on FanDuel TV programming and news, follow @FanDuelTV on Twitter and Instagram.