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Bad Mickey
A number of media companies have gotten into bed with gambling firms in recent weeks. Caesars hooked up wtih ESPN last year, well ahead of more recent "open" marriages where the media firms like Fox and possibly Sinclair will act as bet takers.
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ESPN is not ready to go down that road yet but....
The LA Times Tom Hoffarth writes:
But when Disney decides to double down, there needs to be a gasp of some sort, leaving people to wonder how something that for decades was considered to be such a divisive vice continues to be more normalized.
Former ESPN reporter Darren Rovell described this as “a watershed moment. I remember when they wouldn’t let us reference team names [only city names] whenever I referred to odds, concerned about how the leagues would react. Times have changed.”
Hoffarth notes that Rovell has since moved on to report for a sports betting media outlet, the Action Network, while another notable sports figure, Brett Musburger is helping to oversee his nephew's sports gambling cable venture.
He questions ESPN chief Jimmy Pitaro telling the Wall Street Journal that the foundation for sports betting was laid long ago.
“We are not going to be a [sports] book [or be] taking people’s money,” Pitaro did confirm.
Disney CEO Bob Iger supported that notion. Disney owns ESPN.
But ultimately, it becomes another sports media entity with a shortsighted willingness to risk trust and credibility.
This highly legal but ethically challenged polygamous marriage of money and media happens in a city where nuptial vows turn out to be as binding as the toilet paper they’re written on and stuck to the bottom of the Elvis impersonator’s boot.
They’re all caught in a trap. We need more suspicious minds.
“We’re going to serve those fans with information and analytics,” Connor Schell, an ESPN vice president of content, said. “We are not promoting betting in any way. But we know there are sports fans who are interested in that type of content.”
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PointBet Refunds Bets on Brutal "No Call" in Blues-Sharks Game
From the Associated Press:
Timo Meier used his right hand to knock a loose puck toward the front of the net. Gustav Nyquist then passed it over to Erik Karlsson, who beat Jordan Binnington for his second goal of the game.
“Quick play and I’m not going to comment on the officiating,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. “We found a way to win a game. I thought we had a great chance just before that, Timo Meier going in. It was a game of momentum swings and those quick plays happen all over the ice. Some get called, some get missed. We found a way to win.”
Binnington and the Blues complained immediately. They felt the play should have been blown dead when Nyquist got the puck, but it continued.
This non-call was so egregious that sportsbooks like PointsBet are refunding bets.
“After a clear hand pass turned into the overtime winner for the Sharks, the Kommittee felt that the best course of action was to help out those dejected Blues backers. All Blues Pregame Moneyline Bets are refunded in FULL! We have your back!”
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
