After last May’s Supreme Court repeal of PASPA, NBC Sports Group boss Mark Lazarus asked content strategy EVP David Preschlack to investigate ways for the network to get involved in sports betting. Less than a year later, NBC has launched a free-to-play gaming app, experimented with betting-themed NBA broadcasts on two of its regional sports networks, produced betting-focused digital content, and begun accepting betting-related advertisements.
“At a high level, at NBC Sports, we like to fashion ourselves as a well-funded startup. There continues to be an entrepreneurial spirit within our organization,” Preschlack said, adding: “We’re trying to be as ambitious and active as possible, and we’ve explored every avenue to participate in the space.”
Preschlack, who is also the president of NBC Sports’ RSNs, acknowledged some “luck” that the states adopting sports betting early fall within the networks’ coverage footprint. NBC has RSNs whose broadcast territories include all or parts of New Jersey, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. NBC also has a station for Washington, D.C., where the rollout of sports betting is expected the summer.
The overflow channels for NBC Sports affiliates carrying the 76ers and Wizards have both produced gaming-themed broadcasts. The 76ers hired dedicated talent for the showcases, which debuted the concept with an April regular season game and returned for a first-round playoff game. The Wizards aired eight game broadcasts utilizing the traditional game feed but with betting-focused stats, spreads, and odds.
“We’ve used our regional sports networks as petri dishes,” said Preschlack, who was speaking on a panel at SBC’s Betting on Sports American conference on Thursday.
The network also released the NBC Sports Predictor app with free games centered on English Premier League and PGA Tour broadcasts. A third game for NASCAR races is due this summer.
“It positions us well in the future and, from a CRM standpoint, from the free-to-play side, we’re just getting bigger and bigger data,” Preschlack said.
The real competition among media companies is how best to reach casual bettors, he said. As an example, Preschlack noted that the average sports bet in New Jersey is less than $20, which suggests most sports fans are shying away from high-stakes wagers. “Mission critical,” Preschlack said, is enticing those fans to watch NBC Sports broadcasts.
“If we’re all trying to get after the casual bettor—and that’s where the market is—then there’s got to be an entertainment segment to it,” he added.