Nexstar Media Group is partnering up with the company behind a streaming video network that provides extensive coverage of sports betting by way of a just-signed multi-year agreement that will see the launch of what’s being billed as the nation’s first-ever diginet devoted to sports wagering and fantasy sports.
Beginning September 1, SportsGrid Network from SportsGrid Inc. will be distributed across nine digital subchannels licensed to Nexstar in nine major U.S. markets: San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; Tampa-St. Petersburg; Portland, Ore.; Nashville; Norfolk; Grand Rapids; Knoxville; and Des Moines.
SportsGrid considers itself to be the nation’s “first and only 24-hour sports wagering and fantasy sports program service.”
That said, it is in many ways a competitor to such established brands as DraftKings, BetQL and VSiN, bringing Nexstar into a highly active and burgeoning non-traditional revenue stream for both television and radio in the broadcast media space.
At present, SportsGrid’s content is distributed across over-the-air broadcast and cable television, connected Smart TVs, a variety of streaming platforms, mobile devices and on the internet. The new network is being added to recently vacated digital sub-channels licensed to Nexstar.
At its launch, SportsGrid Network will feature 18 hours of exclusive live original programming hosted by a team of on-air personalities, sports and gambling experts, and guest contributors, as well as a variety of pre-produced programming and encore presentations of the network’s most popular shows.
The network’s mission: to provide real-time sports news, data, analytics, and statistics to engage sports audiences whenever and wherever they choose. SportsGrid’s reporting and analytic platform includes daily odds, lines, matchups, injury reports, statistics, news, and more across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, golf, tennis, and soccer.
SportsGrid’s live programming originates from television production facilities adjacent to Madison Square Garden in New York and at the SG Studios & Production Hub, across the Hudson River in the state of New Jersey.
SportsGrid was founded by President Louis Maione. He said, “Nexstar’s national reach across 199 owned or operated television stations in 116 markets throughout the U.S. is a great platform for distributing our content to fantasy sports fans and gamblers everywhere. This agreement provides both companies the opportunity to share content and to strategically expand the network to additional Nexstar markets.”
Sean Compton, the former radio industry executive who today is President of Nexstar’s Networks Division, commented, “Our nation is sports obsessed and we are delighted to deliver SportsGrid’s programming to address the rapidly growing interest in sports betting and fantasy sports. Distributing SportsGrid’s programming across digital subchannels in nine of our markets will enable us to connect with new audiences and continue expanding a new and fast growing revenue stream.”
