When PENN Sports and ESPN launched ESPN Bet last year, there were plenty of questions about how ESPN Bet the sports betting app, and ESPN the sports media giant would work together. Now, after a full year of operation ESPN Chair Jimmy Pitaro is opening up about the future of the integrated media and sports betting apps.
Speaking at the company’s annual innovation conference, Pitaro described his vision of media and sports betting integration saying, “If I’ve placed a bet on Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are playing, I want to see that betting module next to the live game feed.”
This jibe’s with comments made by PENN CEO Jay Snowden from la“We’ve already seen significant uptake where you’re able to link your ESPN account, and that will deliver the payoff of that as you see your bets appearing on the home screen of the ESPN app,” Mike Morrison, vice president of ESPN BET and ESPN Fantasy, told LSR. “It is essential in taking the friction out, making it seamless and intuitive for the user from the very first time they use the app and really enables us to deliver on personalization.
“Ultimately, we’re going to be able to serve you bets that are either things you typically bet on, types of teams you bet on, players or sports you like.”st year’s innovation, and reported on by Legal Sports Report, about how ESPN and ESPN Bet could work together.”
Though some critics were skeptical of ESPN’s chances of balancing its role as sports news source and bookmaker, the company has actually seen very little criticism of its dual roles after a year’s worth of operations.