DraftKings, the daily fantasy sports site, started offering news and statistics at its site to help its players.
But that news and information service has grown steadily and is now bringing new eyes to the site, and with that new players.
Playbook—the sports information website launched last year—has seen its staff grow from two people to 25 people in just six months. The site offers the type of fantasy advice usually found at ESPN.com or Rotoworld, but the site also offers sports news and analysis found on most sports news websites.
DraftKings co-founder Matthew Kalish recently told the Boston Globe, that the company hopes sports fans searching for news will find the Playbook site and then possibly join DraftKings. The company also hopes the information will hold players longer on the site, though most players already spend four to five hours a week at DraftKings.
Since a redesign in March, average page views per visit at the site have increased 52 percent and time on the site is up 152 percent, according to the company.
“Our players want and need this content anyway, so why shouldn’t they expect it from us?” Kalish told the newspaper.
DraftKings’ biggest competitor Fan Duel Inc., has also launched a fantasy-focused news and commentary site called FanDuel Insider.
Research cited by the Globe found that fantasy sports fans consume three times more sports news and information than non-fantasy players.
