FanDuel group in new US DFS-sports betting partnership?

Industry observers are speculating on the abrupt withdrawal of a press release issued this week by US media company Minute Media. The release originally reported that sportsbook and DFS operator FanDuel Group has formed a partnership with the media company with the objective of launching a fan-powered sports betting and daily fantasy sports information website under the title The Duel.

However, within a day Minute Media issued the following statement to a wide range of publications that had carried the story:

“Minute Media requests that their press release NewsItemId: 20180829005151 entitled “FanDuel Group and Minute Media Team Up to Launch The Duel, a Fan-Fueled Content Platform for Fantasy Sports and Sports Betting” be killed. The release was issued prematurely by Minute Media.”

The original release promised a wide range of crowd-sourced articles, as well as various video and audio content, designed to educate visitors about the markets. It noted that FanDuel would be working with Minute Media to build on its initial success in the newly liberalised US sports betting market, quoting FanDuel CEO Matt King, who said:

“FanDuel is founded on the idea of bringing fans closer to the sports they love, and now, together with Minute Media, we’re letting fans into the press box. We want to give fans a designated platform for all sports and fantasy content, and The Duel is part of our broader efforts to do so.”

Minute Media president Rich Routman added: “With the recent changes to the US sports betting market, there is no better time to be making this strategic move. The fantasy and sports betting industries have been on the rise for quite some time, and the opportunity to shake things up by leveraging authentic fan voices is an opportunity that Minute Media and FanDuel are collectively excited about.”

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