ESPN announced a partnership with Penn Entertainment last month that will see the launch of a network-branded sportsbook later this fall called ESPN Bet.
Now the network must figure out a way to incorporate ESPN Bet into programming. ESPN VP of sports betting and fantasy, Mike Morrison, was quoted by Variety as saying that it’s clear sports wagering can’t be ignored.
“It has become a big part of storytelling,” Morrison said.
ESPN has a betting-focused show called The Daily Wager, but it appears the focus now becomes making ESPN Bet and betting-related content a regular part of programming.
The network is not the first to launch an official sportsbook partnership. FOX Bet recently shutdown amidst a dispute with partner Flutter. NBC also dipped its toe in the water in 2020, gaining an equity share in PointsBet.
