SportsGrid is the premier destination for real-time sports betting news, analysis, and entertainment. Emerging as a powerhouse, the platform has quickly become one of the most popular sports streaming services, reaching over 245 million monthly-active-users.
Capitalising on modern consumption and entertainment trends, SportsGrid aims to become the Number One “gambling channel.”
With an authentic mix of 24-hour live streams, dynamic sports coverage, and influencer-driven content, it bridges the gap between gaming and entertainment.
In this exclusive feature, iGamingFuture’s Head of Content, Curtis Roach, sits down with SportGrid’s Co-Founder and current President, Louis M. Maione, to discuss new approaches to sports betting advertising.
Read on as we explore the importance of embracing diverse marketing channels, strategies for increasing market share, creating authentic connections with consumers, and SportsGrid’s plans to apply the “OnlyFans” model to iGaming.
As the sportsbook market continues to mature and spread across North America, so does the competition level between operators. How can operators best use a free streaming platform like SportsGrid to help them penetrate new markets and gain significant market share?
“As legalised gambling sweeps across the U.S., albeit at a slower pace of late, both big and small operators need to think about their media plan in terms of spend and where it complements their strong retention strategy.
“Media-minded business leaders understand that content is–and always will be– King.
“Static commercials are not a strategy but a spoke in said strategy. All operators with material budgets are perfectly positioned to leverage both new and old media acquisition strategies.
“SportsGrid is a complete and targeted engagement tool with incredible distribution for a direct-to-consumer model.
“As of this year, the SportsGrid Television & Radio Networks will reach over 80 million viewers, with the network’s distribution platform available to over 245 million monthly active users across Connected TVs, OTT platforms and mobile devices.
“Market share wars are won on the front line funnels and meeting the end-user where they are 24/7. SportsGrid allows operators to engage a direct audience through a live and original “always on” content mix.”
The advent of live sports betting in North America has seen the explosion of the ‘Micro Betting’ trend, which now accounts for a large portion of sportsbook revenue. How can content providers like SportsGrid help operators extract the most value from this increasingly popular bet type?
“The rise of micro betting has been relentless thanks largely to its instant entertainment gratification. These bets are usually short-term and placed on specific sporting moments, making them a great product for operators.
“NFL and MLB’s stop-start characteristics play into this perfectly as they can be broken down into more betable moments.
“SportsGrid opens the door to micro-content and provides the opportunity to super-serve its audience in-game live content.
“Our In-Game LIVE (IGL) show is the most popular on the network. It allows us to speak directly to the bettor many times throughout a game and assist them in finding valuable play opportunities.
“Working with SportRadar allows us to present daily editorial coverage with unrivalled data sets and analytics. Clients benefit from timely, interesting, and insightful data while allowing publishers to monetise their audience further.”
Creating organic moments of customer engagement is a continual challenge for operators, especially as competition increases. Operators are now looking for alternative strategies to connect with players. What role do you think live streamer influencers will play in this going forward? Is this the best way to engage the next generation?
“Streamers and influencers are an important part of the content wheel. They are a great way to engage the younger demographics and win the day. The key is to pair the talent with the brand and push a clear agenda and marketing campaign in an authentic manner.
“We believe our company can meet the moment by creating an environment where all influencers and streamers, big and small, can gain from the revenue generated by encouraging their followers to “play along” with them.
“Think of it as an ‘OnlyFans’ model but for sports and casinos, where our talent can engage their audiences.
“In September, SportsGrid unveiled a ground-breaking partnership with popular slots influencer Brian Christopher, the centrepiece of which will be the exclusive Brian Christopher Show.
“He will have his own dedicated segment on SportsGrid’s new Casino & Gambling Network, set to launch next year. Brian’s popularity is astounding; at last count, he has 1.8 million subscribers and eight million monthly viewers across all platforms.
“In sports, we have a 26 per cent market share, and we’re excited to diversify into new categories as we strengthen our position as a premier destination for casino gaming media.”
Do you think there’s a crossover between Casino and Sportsbook audiences? If so, how can operators reach both audiences through similar channels?
“Absolutely. SportsGrid works with the most prominent sports betting operators, and we have a large betting audience, but if you look at the industry, the sports betting operators also operate online casinos.
“Diversifying into this segment is a way for us to continue to “super serve” our customers at the operator level and our audience.
“Operators can use media outlets like SportsGrid to educate sports enthusiasts and gamblers on new product offerings. Sponsoring shows across channels allows content providers the flexibility to introduce and cross-sell the viewers.
“Operators build the rundown to deliver product choice content and then deliver it in a seamless, engaging way.”
Editor’s Note:
SportsGrid taps into modern information consumption and social gaming trends, providing new and authentic ways for operators to communicate directly with customers.
In Louis’ opinion, media-minded, savvy operators must take the competition to the front lines, face it head-on, and leverage new and old media acquisition strategies to increase their market share.
Or, as he puts it: “Market share wars are won on the front line funnels. And by meeting the end-user where they are 24/7.”
With its large audience and complete “content wheel” of engagement strategies, SportsGrid helps operators integrate their branding into mainstream entertainment, serving as a powerful advertising tool.
And it’s proving widely successful across all sectors, especially through in-game live betting.
Moreover, with a growing emphasis on influencer-driven content, SportsGrid provides substantial opportunities for gambling brands to collaborate with talent, allowing them to reach younger and traditionally harder-to-target demographics of bettors with engaging content.
