Launched almost two years ago, Pro League Network boasts a unique model in the sports betting industry: the company has taken small and obscure competitions and grown them into a network of betable sports, providing inventory for sportsbooks during off-peak times in the wagering calendar. Accompanying the wider acceptance of alternative sports, PLN has gained over 18 state jurisdictional approvals in the US for its properties, which are also offered in multiple countries internationally.
To help operators fill under-optimized times, the American company has focused its efforts on purchasing or launching alternative sports leagues with a “watch-and-wager” format. This includes properties such as viral competitions World Putting League and the SlapFIGHT Championship, but also niche and obscure sports such as CarJitsu – a close combat match that takes place inside a car.
In an exclusive interview with Yogonet, co-founders Bill Yucatonis and Mike Salvaris discuss what sets PLN’s proposition apart and the growing popularity of alternative sports, in addition to sharing insights on partnerships, plans and what to expect from the company in 2024.
Can you provide us a summary of how PLN’s story unfolded, and where the company is at now?
We started Pro League Network almost two years ago. Our backgrounds are in horse racing and gaming and as we looked at the evolution of sports betting, we saw a huge gap in the betting calendar during off-peak times for the sportsbooks. We set out to address that gap by creating a portfolio of niche and alternative sports leagues built in a watch-and-wager format that can provide inventory for sportsbooks during under-optimized times.
Our goal was to bring all the elements to produce these sports under one roof. We choose the sports to bring into our portfolio, manage the production and broadcasts, and create relationships with sportsbooks so fans can bet on them. We essentially sit at the intersection of media, sports betting and the rapidly expanding alternative sports market.
Since we own the leagues, control their broadcasting rights and control the regulation of the sports, we can maximize the value of what people see and create a unique watch-and-wager experience. Sports like the World Putting League, SlapFIGHT Championship, Carjitsu Championship, Pro Carrom Tour, Gorilla Games, etc. are sports that had existing markets and fanbases, but now we own and operate them at a high level.
PLN acquired SlapFight Championship in 2023, expanding the company’s portfolio and allowing it to leverage the organization’s Branson, Missouri studio. What opportunities does this purchase open to PLN?
First and foremost, SlapFIGHT Championship is a betable sport that is easy to understand, viral in nature and compelling to watch. Secondly, the just unveiled PLN Studios in Branson, Mo. (that used to be SlapFIGHT’s studio), means we now have a dedicated space to test concepts and develop sports and shows that we haven’t been able to previously.
We are also excited to bring JT Tilley on from SlapFIGHT as our new Creative Director. He has a proven track record of making captivating content and we’re looking forward to working with him to create more engaging content and sports.
One of the major deals PLN has signed was with DraftKings, with the sports betting giant offering betting on the SlapFight Championship. How significant was this partnership for PLN, and how does it exemplify the potential of leveraging PLN’s proposition? What other deals would you highlight?
We’ve worked with DraftKings to offer odds on our sports since SlapFIGHT Championship was approved and offered in December 2022. We’ve also worked with many of the other prominent sportsbooks and fantasy platforms from Betfred to Bet365, Betway, Action247 and more.
Our value prop to all operators – which we know is resonating – is that we provide well-produced, fun and betable content during “off-peak” times in the betting calendar. Sportsbooks can use our content to attract bettors back to the platform, where they may bet on our sports as well as upcoming NFL, NBA and other games.
We have over 18 state jurisdictional approvals for our sports, and they are also offered in multiple countries internationally. As we produce more events, we’re consistently adding more sportsbook partners and approved states.
PLN’s involvement in these sports encompasses not only monitoring them for wagering but also other aspects such as production, distribution, and curating social media content. How is this holistic approach carried out, and what are the advantages of doing it all in-house?
We own the IP of our leagues, which gives us freedom and flexibility to program and produce them as we see fit. Our ownership allows us to optimize for what we know will work well on broadcasts and to be creative with media partnerships.
Owning the leagues also allows us to ensure success for a sport before we bring it to market. Even before we launch a sport, our process begins by collecting data on the sport and its audience, running simulations and tests to ensure they each have a viable market.
Lastly, integrity is a top priority for us, and it is easier to oversee when everything is in-house. We work with U.S. integrity to evaluate all of our leagues. We have a small and mighty team and works very closely together and moves quickly.
The upcoming launch of our new streetball league, Str33t, is a great example of everything we can do with a sport when we own the IP. Str33t is a partnership between PLN and Kevin Garnett’s Big Ticket Sports. The game will be a fast-paced and betable form of 3×3 pro street basketball. It is important for us that we pay homage to existing streetball style and play, but also put a fresh spin on it with enhanced digital production and betting. Because we own the league, we are able to mold the league to exactly how we want it to be consumed.
Which of the sports PLN offers is gaining momentum right now?
One of our properties that has really grown since its launch is the World Putting League. WPL is now approved for betting in 10 states, plus several countries including Canada, UK and Australia on various sportsbooks including DraftKings, Bet365, Betway, BetFred, fantasy operator Fliff and action247 in Tennessee. For each event, thousands of viewers tune in to our stream.
Back in August, we produced a one-off event, The Tennessee Shine Invitational, which was a winner-take-all, four-person tournament held during the day when there were no major sports to fill the air time. Not only was the event betable, but we offered creators creative liberty with the stream, so they could take and add their own commentary to it. Channels like the Hammer Betting Network took the stream and put their own spin on it.
Is the obscurity of some of these disciplines (and the potential lack of knowledge of their rules) a barrier for bettors accustomed to traditional sports, or does the novelty element play in their favor?
The novelty element plays a role because it gets people’s attention, but we purposely are producing sports that have a low barrier to entry to understand and the wagers offered don’t require any specific knowledge about the sport. We’re designing our sports to be easily grasped by a casual wagering audience and create formats for sports that are approachable for sports fans.
One of our newest sports we’re launching this winter is Pro Carrom Tour. Carrom is a tabletop game that is popular in South Asia. Most closely related to billiards, participants use their fingers to fling small discs into corner pockets. We know there is a large existing audience of players and spectators who already know the game well and are excited to be able to bet on it.
We are also hoping that our broadcasts bring the sport to a new audience – and our production plans include simple bets and explanations for the game so this new audience can enjoy betting on the game as well.
