[Editor’s note: FanDuel is an advertiser of PFT and PFT Live on NBC Sports Radio. Also, NBC Sports has an equity stake in FanDuel.]
The daily fantasy industry took years to develop, quietly and largely out of the national spotlight. This year it exploded, with hundreds of advertisements, millions in revenue, and billion-dollar valuations for companies like FanDuel and DraftKings.
Now under siege in multiple states -- states that have legal gambling operations that are threatened by an endeavor that Congress has deemed to be not gambling -- the DFS industry is pushing back. FanDuel has launched a petition for fans to sign and submit.
“Every year 50 million Americans play online fantasy sports. I am one of them,” the petition states. “There are many problems facing our nation, but passionate sports fans that want to connect with our favorite players and teams is hardly one of them. Fantasy sports is fundamentally a test of knowledge. I play because I love the competition and the camaraderie. In fact, I think fantasy sports is what makes watching sports an American pastime. I oppose any measure that would ban online fantasy sports. And to anyone looking to end this game I say: Let us play!”
On one hand, the decision to launch a petition gives credence to the threats the industry is suddenly facing. On the other hand, the threats are there regardless of whether the industry engages them.
Regardless of how it’s handled and how it all turns out, PFT is committed to covering the future of daily fantasy because, given the size of the industry and its strong connection to pro football, it’s a significant NFL story. We’ll at all times acknowledge the advertising relationship with FanDuel, and it’s up to the reader to decide whether we’re carrying water or being fair to the story and fulfilling the obligation to inform the audience.
Now, we’ll get back to informing the fairly large portion of the audience that plays fantasy football on who will and won’t be available this Sunday.
