DraftKings Buys Las Vegas-based Sports Broadcast Network VSiN?

Posted on: March 30, 2021, 03:22h. 

Last updated on: March 30, 2021, 04:40h.

Larry Henry Read More

Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Gaming Business, Legislation, Politics, Regulation.

Boston-based DraftKings has acquired the Vegas Sports Information Network, whose roster of sports-betting analysts includes veteran broadcaster Brent Musburger.

In announcing the acquisition on Tuesday, DraftKings said it envisions allowing Musburger and VSiN’s leadership team to continue operating the company on a day-to-day basis with editorial independence.

DraftKings also said it intends to keep VSiN’s Las Vegas-based employees, including the on-air talent. DraftKings has a global workforce of 2,600 people.

In January 2020, DraftKings opened a Las Vegas office, and also recently became a primary sponsor of the Center for Gaming Innovation. The center is housed at the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

DraftKings is a publicly traded sports-betting company. Its operations include a smartphone app allowing bettors to participate in daily fantasy sports and to wager on live sporting events. The company is active in 14 states with retail or online sports betting operations.

Las Vegas-based VSiN was founded in 2017. The network provides more than 18 hours of sports analysis and commentary on multiple platforms, including a smartphone app and radio broadcasts. In addition to the 81-year-old Musburger, its broadcasting lineup includes Jimmy Vaccaro, Vinny Magliulo, and Chris Andrews.

?VSiN has a longtime broadcast studio near the sportsbook at the South Point Hotel Casino and Spa at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip. The network also has a studio inside Circa Resort. Circa is in downtown Las Vegas on the northwest corner of Fremont and Main streets.

Over the past several months, VSiN has broadened its reach across the nation. In the fall, VSiN conducted the first live sports-betting broadcast ever from an NFL stadium. This occurred at Mile High Stadium, home of the Denver Broncos.

Musburger’s Betting Advice

Musburger and VSiN recently were featured on a CBS Sunday Morning segment highlighting the nationwide growth in sports betting. The segment also focused on the popularity for sports bettors of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.?

All games in the 68-team field this year have been played in Indiana to minimize potential COVID-19 contact. The final four teams in this year’s March Madness tournament play next weekend. The championship game is April 5. The annual tournament was not held last year because of coronavirus concerns.

On the CBS program, Musburger offered general betting advice.

“If you really need the money, stick with the stock market. But if you’ve got some expendable cash, and you want to enjoy yourself, then go ahead and bet sports,” he said. “But if you think you’re going to be the guy who’s going to make this multimillion dollar fortune, forget about it. It’s not going to happen.”

Sports Betting’s Popularity

Sports betting is legal in 21 states and in Washington, D.C. It is legal but not yet operational in 4 more states. Sports betting legislation is active or has been prefiled in 17 additional states, according to the AGA.

Louisiana is one of the states where sport betting will be addressed at the upcoming legislative session. The state’s Senate president said he will introduce a bill at this year’s session to allow mobile sports betting. The Legislature meets at the Capitol in Baton Rouge on April 12 for a two-month session ending on June 10.