“Sports betting has been baked into the ESPN experience for years,” says Chris Grove, CEO of American Affiliate, a sports betting investment portfolio. DraftKings and FanDuel, PENN’s rivals with a 70 percent market share on sports betting in the US, advertise prominently on ESPN. The Daily Wager, ESPN’s sports betting show, launched in 2019 and has been a ratings hit.
Yet, in the words of former Disney CEO Bob Chapek, ESPN’s marriage with sports betting has proven too “ perfect” to miss. This is the same Disney, remember, that prohibited casinos on its cruise ships and fought the expansion of gambling establishments in Florida. “When billions of dollars are on the line, apparently does not mind jumping into bed with a sports gambling platform,” says Darren Heitner, the founder of the sports law firm Heitner Legal.
In 2023, Iger admitted that he “was probably on the more conservative side about for a long time,” worried that any association would damage the company’s family-friendly values, but that-provided Disney wasn’t playing bookie-his opinion had shifted with public acceptance. Disney CEO Bob Iger’s move here is a notable one.
