| | | | | | | | | | | Axios Sports | | By Kendall Baker ·Apr 14, 2021 | | 👋 Good morning! Let's sports. Today's word count: 1,601 words (6 minutes). | | | | | | 1 big thing: 💵 The sports betting media frenzy |  Data: Investing.com, Yahoo Finance; Chart: Axios Visuals The sports betting content frenzy is heating up, as operators continue looking for ways to own content — a far more efficient long-term vehicle for acquiring customers than traditional paid marketing. Driving the news: Two weeks after acquiring sports betting network VSiN (Vegas Stats & Information Network) for ~$100 million, DraftKings has hired its first-ever chief media officer, Axios' Sara Fischer reports. - DraftKings has also talked about a potential deal with Action Network, the subscription sports betting publisher that lets users track their bets, two sources tell Axios.
- I'm hearing a deal for Action Network could exceed $300 million — and that DraftKings isn't the only suitor.
Flashback: Last year, Penn National Gaming bought a 36% stake in Barstool Sports for $163 million in the hopes that Barstool's brand, audience and content expertise would give them a leg up. - Investors bought in, with Penn's stock up 628% over the past year, compared to 316% for DraftKings, 195% for MGM and 121% for Flutter (owner of FanDuel).
In related news ... ESPN will debut its first sports betting-focused NBA broadcast tonight (Nets vs. 76ers, 7pm ET). ESPN will carry the traditional telecast, while ESPN2 and ESPN+ will have an alternate presentation driven by sports betting content. |     | | | | | | 2. 🏏 All eyes on the Indian Premier League |  | | | Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios | | | | The Indian Premier League's 2021 season got underway this week, and the sprint to the championship is officially on, Axios' Jeff Tracy writes. Why it matters: The size of the IPL's fanbase is staggering. For reference, more than twice as many people watched the 2020 season opener (200 million) as this year's Super Bowl (96 million). - Viewership reached a record high last season, with a 23% increase to 400 billion minutes watched. And that's just TV.
- Roughly 30% of Disney+'s 100 million subscribers are from Disney+ Hotstar, which is India's exclusive IPL streaming option.
Consider this: LeBron James has 82.2 million Instagram followers. Virat Kohli, the captain of the Indian national team and the IPL's all-time leading scorer, has 108 million. Virat Kohli. Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images How it works: While traditional test cricket matches can last up to five days, the IPL plays Twenty20 cricket, which limits matches to roughly three hours. - The regular season comprises 56 total matches, with each team playing every other team twice (home and away). The top four teams make the playoffs.
- Of note: India is experiencing its worst COVID-19 surge since September, so matches will be played without fans for the second straight season.
Teams: - Mumbai Indians (five titles, including 2020)
- Chennai Super Kings (three)
- Kolkata Knight Riders (two)
- Rajasthan Royals (one)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (one)
- Delhi Capitals
- Royal Challengers Bangalore
- Punjab Kings
Go deeper: IPL season preview (Sky Sports) | | | | | | | | 3. 🏀 Nuggets' odds hit hard by Murray injury |  Data: The Ringer; Table: Axios Visuals The Nuggets' legitimate title aspirations took a hit Tuesday when it was revealed that star point guard Jamal Murray tore his ACL. By the numbers: With Murray out for the season, the Nuggets' playoff odds declined big time, per The Ringer: - 59% to 41% to win a round
- 21% to 10% to make the conference finals
- 9% to 3% to make the Finals
- 4% to 1% to win the title
The big picture: "Pick a big-name NBA star, and he's probably been injured this season: LeBron, Giannis, LaMelo, A.D., K.D. and, now, Jamal Murray," writes NYT's Marc Stein. - "As a huge fan of playoff suspense ... I would normally celebrate how wide open this championship chase looks."
- "When so much of the uncertainty is tied to injury, it doesn't feel right at all."
| | | | | | | | A message from Axios | | Your new morning habit | | |  | | | | Start your morning with Axios Today. Hear the latest scoops from the White House and Congress, analysis on the economy and insights into trends shaping your world. - In 10 minutes, you'll catch up on today's news that matters.
Listen for free. | | | | | | 4. 🏒 NHL snapshot: One month left | | The NHL trade deadline has passed, and there's just over a month left in the 56-game regular season (ends May 16). Here's where things stand. Andrei Vasilevskiy is having an unreal season. Photo: Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images Central- Hurricanes (58 points)
- Lightning (58)
- Panthers (58)
- Predators (49)
- Blackhawks (45)
- Stars (42)
- Blue Jackets (39)
- Red Wings (36)
Notes: - Division MVP: Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is lapping the competition. His lead over second place in goals saved above average (22.09 to 14.50) is larger than second place's lead over 14th place (7.09).
- On the rise: Since debuting in 1993, the Panthers have advanced past the first round just once (1996). This year's team has the talent for a deep playoff run, and just made a number of lauded deadline moves.
Capital One Arena will finally open to Capitals fans on April 21. Photo: Patrick Smith/Getty Images East- Capitals (60)
- Islanders (58)
- Penguins (56)
- Bruins (50)
- Rangers (46)
- Flyers (44)
- Devils (34)
- Sabres (27)
Notes: - Division MVP: Bruins center Brad Marchand (48 points, t-8th) keeps finding the net, and his 20.2% shooting percentage is by far the best mark of anyone with as many shots on goal (94).
- Yikes: The Sabres entered the season riding a nine-year postseason drought, one shy of the all-time record. They responded by ... tying the record for the longest losing streak ever (18 games).
The Canucks will finally return to the ice on Friday. Photo: Rich Lam/Getty Images North- Maple Leafs (60)
- Jets (53)
- Oilers (52)
- Canadiens (45)
- Flames (39)
- Canucks (35)
- Senators (32)
Notes: - Division MVP: Oilers center Connor McDavid has eight more points (69) than anyone else in the NHL, making him the favorite to win his second Hart Trophy in what's been perhaps his best season yet.
- Canucks update: Vancouver returns to the ice on Friday after a three-week, outbreak-induced pause. All told, they had 21 players and four staffers test positive since their last game on March 24.
Cal Makar and the Avalanche beat the Golden Knights, 3-2, at Lake Tahoe in a game that holds great significance in the standings. Photo: Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images West- Avalanche (62)
- Golden Knights (58)
- Wild (51)
- Blues (44)
- Coyotes (43)
- Sharks (40)
- Kings (38)
- Ducks (33)
Notes: - Division MVP: The gap between Avs stars Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen is thin enough to warrant co-MVPs. With nearly identical stats, it boils down to preference: assists (MacKinnon) or goals (Rantanen)?
- Chasing history: Patrick Marleau, the Sharks' 41-year-old center, is just three games shy of Gordie Howe (1,767) for the most games played in NHL history. Get ready to take a bow, sir.
| | | | | | | | 5. 🌍 Photos 'round the world | | Photo: Brad Smith/ISI Photos/Getty Images LE HAVRE, France — Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan scored and the USWNT beat France, 2-0, to extend its unbeaten streak to 39 games. Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images MONTE CARLO, Monaco — Nine of the world's top 10 players are in the field at the Monte Carlo Masters, with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal both in action today. Sadly, no fans will be there to enjoy the stellar views. Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images AUCKLAND, New Zealand — New Zealand Olympians pose on a giant skateboard during a "100 days until Tokyo" media event. | | | | | | | | 6. ⚡️ Lightning round |  | | | Photo: Alexander Scheuber/UEFA via Getty Images | | | | ⚽️ Champions League: PSG knocked off reigning champ Bayern Munich to clinch a semifinal spot, while Chelsea knocked off Porto. ... The final two spots will be decided at 3pm ET today: Liverpool (down 3-1) vs. Real Madrid; Dortmund (down 2-1) vs. Man City. 💉 NFL vaccines: Any team employee who refuses a COVID-19 vaccination without "bona fide medical or religious ground" will be barred from working directly with players, per a league memo. 🏀 WNBA schedule released: The league's 12 teams will play 32 regular-season games, with a break from July 12–Aug. 14 for the Olympics. ⚾️ Night of 11 aces: Tuesday night saw 11 legitimate preseason Cy Young candidates all take the mound. Their results varied. 📚 Best thing I read ... Googly eyes, Sasquatch suits and a runaway booger: Welcome to the Mascot Hall of Fame (Jake Malooley, ESPN) "When we are down, when we're at our lowest point and getting close to hopelessness ... mascots give us a reason to smile, to laugh, to believe." Giphy | | | | | | | | 7. 🎤 Meet the panelist: Angela Ruggiero |  | | | Photo: Traci Edwards/PGA of America via Getty Images | | | | Axios Sports has partnered with The Aspen Institute on a "Future of Sports" series. Our next virtual event is this Friday from 12–1pm ET. Topic: Women Reimagining Pro Sports. Angela Ruggiero, a Hall of Famer and four-time Olympic medalist in women's ice hockey, is one of our three panelists on Friday, Jeff writes. Ruggiero's career, spanning 16 years (1996–2011), started off with a bang when she won an Olympic medal (Nagano '98) as a high school senior. - At Harvard ('04), she led the Crimson to one national title and two runners-up, earning All-America honors all four years. As a senior, she won the Patty Kazmaier Award (top player), and remains the only defender to do so.
- She played professionally for the Boston Blades (CWHL) and Minnesota Whitecaps (WWHL).
- Fun fact: In 2005, she became the first woman to play a position other than goalie — and score a point — for a North American men's pro team, suiting up alongside her brother on the CHL's Tulsa Oilers.
Since retiring, Ruggiero has stayed involved with the Olympics, serving an eight-year term with the IOC (2010–18) as a member of their Athletes' Commission. - She also served on the board of directors for the USOC, and was instrumental in securing Los Angeles' bid to host the 2028 Games.
- Most recently, she co-founded the Sports Innovation Lab, a market research firm focused on helping brands create better fan experiences.
✍️ Wanna come to Friday's event? Register here. | | | | | | | | 8. 📆 April 14, 1969: Montreal's debut |  | | | Jarry Park. Photo: Sporting News via Getty Images | | | | 52 years ago today, the Montreal Expos played their first home game, beating the Cardinals, 8-7, in the first regular-season MLB game played outside the U.S. The ballpark: The team's biggest hurdle was finding a suitable stadium. They landed on the tiny, 3,000-seat Jarry Park, which added seating to accommodate 30,000 fans. The backdrop: Montreal's pro baseball roots date as far back as 1890, but the team that really stuck around was the Eastern League's Montreal Royals, founded in 1897. - In 1928, the Brooklyn Dodgers bought the team to be their Triple-A affiliate, and in 1946 — a year before making history with the big league club — Jackie Robinson led the Royals to the Junior World Series title.
- After the Royals moved in 1960, Montreal got to work on bringing an MLB team to the city, successfully earning one of the four expansion bids in 1969.
Fun fact: They called themselves the Expos in honor of the city's Expo 67 World's Fair, but one of the other names considered was the Nationals ... which they became 36 years later upon moving to D.C. Expos history ... - Record: 2,755-2,943 (.484), with 14 winning seasons in 36 years and one playoff appearance (1981 NLCS loss to the Dodgers)
- Top five players: 1. Gary Carter, 2. Andre Dawson, 3. Tim Raines, 4. Vladimir Guerrero, 5. Steve Rogers
Go deeper: Revisiting the Expos' arrival (Ballpark Digest) | | | | | | | | 9. ⚾️ Cy Young trivia | | Pedro Martínez in 1994. Photo: Don Smith/MLB Photos via Getty Images Former Expo Pedro Martínez is one of six pitchers in MLB history with exactly three Cy Young Awards. - Question: Who are the other five?
- Hint: Two are still active.
Answer at the bottom. | | | | | | | | 10. 🎂 Happy appiversary |  | | | | The Axios app turns one year old today! - Download it here to get alerts, access podcasts, and create your own custom feed from over 25 channels.
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