Ever since the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, deeming it unconstitutional in May 2018, sportsbook operators have looked to join forces with content providers. On Tuesday, WynnBet entered the fray as it unveiled more details on its relationship with Blue Wire, a rapidly growing sports podcasting platform.
Specifically, WynnBet provided an update on the Blue Wire podcasting studio under construction on the casino floor of Wynn Las Vegas. The 1,700-square-foot studio, a stone's throw from one of the most opulent sportsbooks anywhere, will be operational by mid-August. Robert Amerine, WynnBet's senior vice president of strategic partnerships, said that opening will culminate an effort that began in early 2021.
"As WynnBet was making our initial foray into the sports betting space, looking around, it became evident that there was a convergence of sports betting and sports media going on for some time," Amerine told Covers. "We want to connect with our customers through high-quality content."
Likewise, Blue Wire — founded in 2018 and quickly becoming a popular player in the sports media space, now with more than 150 podcasts — was looking to venture into the quickly expanding U.S. sports betting niche.
"For us, we're sitting at the intersection of two rising tides: sports betting and podcasting," Blue Wire CEO Kevin Jones said. "Blue Wire is serving as the media arm of WynnBet. We're moving at warp speed because of the two markets we're in. Our customers aren't [necessarily] sports bettors yet, so we're eager to bring our audience to the table, continue to grow our audience and make good content."
Star talent
Blue Wire concurrently announced Tuesday that Chris Long — former NFL defensive end and now host of the popular podcast Green Light With Chris Long, and also the son of Hall of Famer Howie Long — will bring his show to Blue Wire, and it will occasionally be recorded in the new Wynn Las Vegas studio. Further, Hall of Fame wideout Cris Carter will host a new podcast, WR1, under the Blue Wire banner, with WynnBet the title sponsor of both podcasts.
With a podcast studio right near a brick-and-mortar sportsbook and a partnership with WynnBet, Jones said there's no question sports betting content will expand in Blue Wire podcasts. But he's confident the talk beyond the betting realm will intrigue sports bettors, too.
"Where we align, we're making gambling content, of course. But Long's content, interviews and such, is just great content in general," Jones said. "You can still reach gamblers with good content. Creating highly engaging content with WynnBet — podcasts and social media and video — can help connect customers to the betting platform."
That's exactly the funnel WynnBet expects from this partnership, helping the sportsbook with its primary drivers of business: customer acquisition and customer retention.
"We believe there's value for our customers in associating our brand with great sports content. Wynn Resorts is about developing relationships with customers that go beyond transactional. We'll be in a position to connect with our customers on a deeper level," Amerine said. "Great content helps build great brands, and ultimately that's what WynnBet and Blue Wire are trying to achieve. This may lead to culture or lifestyle or other podcasts that appeal to sports fans.
"That said, there's no denying that sports media and sports betting go hand-in-hand."
