Disney ignites sports betting recruitment search
ESPN parent company triggers hunt for senior manager to “operationalize” sports betting and fantasy business
Disney has begun casting the net for a new senior manager for sports betting at its flagship sports broadcasting brand ESPN, as part of the entertainment giant’s drive towards launching sports betting.
The new role is within ESPN’s sports betting and fantasy team, with a posting on professional networking site LinkedIn already garnering 55 applications, despite only being posted 24 hours prior.
At a wider business level, ESPN’s sports betting and fantasy team is responsible for “managing and operationalizing” the firm’s fledgling sports betting facing business.
This includes “identifying, developing, and executing new business opportunities that further enhance ESPN’s sports betting and fantasy content and product offerings”.
“The team continually evaluates prospective partners in sports betting, as well as season long and daily fantasy, that drive best in class fan experience and advance ESPN’s market leadership,” the job advert states.
The new position is based in New York City, operating out of ESPN’s 125 West End Avenue office.
Other areas of responsibility include managing key external betting partner relationships, as well as “areas of opportunity to exceed client and internal expectations, and lead ESPN to maximize commercial, fan and client value.”
Applicants with a strong knowledge of sports media, betting, and gaming industries are highlighted as of particular appeal to ESPN, with the recruiter looking for a minimum of seven years’ experience in business strategy, product, business development or partnerships.
In a reference to the potential direction of the eventual ESPN sports betting business, the senior manager role includes the day-to-day “partner management” of betting and licensing deals for ESPN.
In August, the Wall Street Journal suggested the ESPN brand licensing for sports betting could be up for grabs at a potential cost of $3bn, with the firm reportedly holding talks with both DraftKings and Caesars Entertainment.
Addressing speculation regarding this move at the global giant’s Q4 2021 earnings call, Disney Group CEO Bob Chapek suggested sports betting was a “very significant” opportunity for the global behemoth, driven by increasing consumer demand.
“It’s driven by the consumer, particularly the younger consumer that will replenish the sports fans over time and their desire to have gambling as part of their sports experience,” Chapek explained.
“It’s not necessarily a lean back, it’s a little bit of a lean forward type experience that they’re looking for and, as we follow the consumer, we necessarily have to seriously consider getting into gambling in bigger way and ESPN is a perfect platform for this,” he added.
Indeed, the Disney CEO suggested any expansion of ESPN into sports betting would not ultimately diminish its brand cachet, with the flagship Disney business primarily targeted at those under the age of 21.
“It actually strengthens the brand of ESPN when you have a betting component, and it has no impact on the Disney brand,” Chapek explained.
“Therefore, to go after that demographic opportunity plus the not insignificant revenue implications, is something that we’re keenly interested in and are pursuing aggressively,” the Disney CEO concluded.