Amid one of the busiest periods on the sports calendar, ESPN reportedly appeared on the verge of striking a partnership with DraftKings in early-October.
Nearly two months later, after an unexpected leadership change at the Walt Disney Company, the sports broadcasting giant is no closer to announcing a deal with a prominent sportsbook. Speaking at a Manhattan conference on Wednesday, Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN and sports content chairman, confirmed that a potential deal with a sportsbook operator is “not imminent.”
Pitaro delivered the comments on Wednesday morning before heading to a Disney board meeting. The meeting is the first for the parent company of ESPN since Disney CEO Bob Iger rejoined the company this month. Iger returned to his old post in late-November in conjunction with the departure of Bob Chapek.