Turner Sports has reached an agreement with Caesars Entertainment to develop a sports betting-relating content studio for Bleacher Report.
The new studio will be housed inside Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and will serve as a central hub for the creation of gaming-related programming and editorial content. Distribution will be through Bleacher Report’s website, social media channels, and the B/R mobile app. The studio is currently under construction, and additional details will be unveiled in the coming months, according to Turner’s press release.
“The sports gaming industry is rapidly growing and Turner is poised to be an industry leader in the development of gaming-related content experiences,” said Lenny Daniels, President of Turner Sports, in the press release. “Gaming content will be a key driver for increasing fan engagement across all platforms, including time spent watching live sporting events and other criteria that impact television viewership.”
The studio itself will be Bleacher Report-branded, though the Caesars will be featured as a Bleacher Report gaming partner across a variety of B/R content on multiple platforms. Select programming across Turner’s collection of television networks will also feature Caesars as a presenting sponsor. As part of the deal, Caesars and Turner will co-produce select programs and events.
“Caesars Entertainment continues to redefine its role as a sports authority in the gaming-hospitality industry,” said Mark Frissora, President and CEO for Caesars Entertainment. “Aligning with one of the most influential brands in all of sports media allows Caesars Entertainment to amplify its sports-gaming experience for guests across our global empire and also reach millions of fans who engage with Bleacher Report for premier content every day.”
SportTechie Takeaway
Turner’s partnership with a casino-entertainment company comes just a couple days after Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, said he does not envision Disney entering the sports gambling space. While Turner and Disney own several rival sports media outlets, Disney produces far more content aimed at children. That could be a potential reason for the brand to distance itself from gambling.
Caesars became the NFL’s first-ever casino sponsorship partner in January. B/R Live, the streaming service powered by Turner, was absent from the list of outlets that will begin to distribute sports betting-related content as part of this new agreement. But perhaps as this partnership develops, Turner and Caesars will find ways to integrate gaming-related content into B/R Live.