Thinking through media and sports betting
There was a time where gambling content had a sleazy feel to it. That’s probably because mainstream media was not talking about it. In fact, if someone in the media talked about “betting”, people would laugh or cringe. Remember how Brent Musburger would always reference the line for the game during his college football broadcasts? The producers were the ones cringing. Yet, all the while, people were betting on games. But the regulators and the leagues said it’s not allowed–of course they knew sports betting drove engagement, viewers, clicks, and–money. But it all had that wrong feel to it.
Now sports betting is allowed in many states (and more are coming) and the leagues are okay with it. The 2020 NFL season will feature the second major pro sports team to play in the betting capital of the world, Las Vegas. The fact that the NHL and the NFL allowed Vegas to have a team says a lot about where we are with sports betting. Accepted and dare I say, encouraged?
How does one encourage someone to bet? How about marketers?
This article below by Axios gives some reference to how much the marketers (media) are betting on sports betting. The media is marketing to people that may be inclined to bet on sports by providing them content on sports betting. And this isn’t some casual marketing. These big media companies are hiring for their sports betting content. There will be people at Fox, CBS, other networks, and content companies focused solely on sports betting content.
The media knows what it takes to get people to click on their links and become fans of their content. They know sports gamblers crave this information. Information like trends, statistics, predictions, stories, and insights.
The regulators are making it okay to bet.
The professional sports leagues are finally admitting sports betting is good for business. And they are allowing it.
The sports betters that were already in the game will continue to stay in the game. And there will likely be a new crop of sports bettors.
The media is simply seeing the connection between sports and the gambler as an opportunity to produce content that drives revenue. And while the connection has always existed, it’s now not wrong anymore.
If the media is right, which I would say the odds are in their favor, they will win the bet they are making on sports betting.