Launching April 1st, show will air Thursdays, Fridays, and Mondays from 5:00 p.m. ET – 7:00 p.m. ET and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. – Noon ET with full episodes available on-demand following broadcasts
Washington, D.C. – Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) today announced the launch of “By the Book,” a national sports betting broadcast show and podcast produced in the Washington, D.C. market. The new show is a groundbreaking program propelled by the overwhelming market interest in sports betting across the country – specifically in the local market since becoming legalized in the District of Columbia and Virginia, with legislation pending approval in Maryland.
All shows will be available on MSE’s Monumental Sports Network, its over-the-top (OTT) and direct-to-consumer platform. The first show will be simulcast on Monumental Sports Network’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Subsequent shows will also be livestreamed during the first 30 minutes of the two-hour show on the Network’s Twitter channel, with full shows available live on the Network’s website platform and mobile app. All shows will be above the paywall and free for all viewers. To view the show:
Website: www.monumentalsportsnetwork.com/bythebook
Facebook: business.facebook.com/MonSportsNet
Twitter: twitter.com/MonSportsNet
Fans got a first look through the introductory podcasts which published last week: “By the Book: A Sports Betting Podcast.” All podcast episodes will be available on Soundcloud, iTunes, TuneIn, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Stitcher, and Spotify.
“Monumental Sports & Entertainment has remained committed to bringing fans new experiences to enhance their enjoyment of the sports they love, the teams they follow, and athletes they admire – and this show will be designed to deliver sports knowledge and insights that are engaging for both the recreational sports bettor and casual fans,” said Grant Hastings, Vice President, Network Operations, Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
MSE is one of the first movers in the sports betting space, inking the first-ever U.S. deal between a sports enterprise and a sports book operator, William Hill U.S., for a 365-day-a-year sportsbook operation connected to a US sports arena. William Hill launched a temporary sports book in July 2020 within the lobby of Capital One Arena – the first ever in-arena sports book operation in North America. Within eight months of opening its doors, William Hill has already captured 75% of the sports betting market in the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area and grown the adoption of its mobile-betting capabilities by engaging MSE’s fanbase. MSE is the ownership group of the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics and Capital One Arena and William Hill is the official sportsbook partner of the teams and venue.
“Monumental Sports & Entertainment has consistently been at the forefront in calling on greater transparency, oversight, regulation, and legislation of the sports betting industry to maintain the integrity of all sports. And the market has responded with record-breaking numbers of fans placing legal bets – and so we launch ‘By the Book’ to provide insight and lively dialogue catering to first-time bettors and long-time gamers alike,” said Zach Leonsis, SVP of Strategic Initiatives, Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
Airing for the first time tonight, Thursday, April 1, 2021, from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET, the two-hour live show will broadcast at those times on Thursdays, Fridays, and Mondays and from 10:00 a.m. – noon ET on Saturdays and Sundays on Monumental Sports Network – with announcements on broader distributions deals expected shortly. The show will be produced out of Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. – making its permanent home in a state-of-the-art broadcast studio within the William Hill sportsbook retail location in the coming weeks.
The show will be anchored by longtime local sportscaster, Michael Jenkins, and co-hosted by celebrated Washington Mystics and Capital City Go-Go play-by-play announcer Meghan McPeak and renowned basketball analyst and sports reporter Monica McNutt. The live show as well as the podcast will feature expert guests daily to breakdown what is happening in the sports betting world and shed light on the data behind the odds. The show is geared towards a broad cross-section of fans – from avid sports bettors to those just learning the terminology – who will gain insights on picks and will be armed with data from the hosts and experts.
“I am so honored to join this effort by Monumental Sports & Entertainment and the Monumental Sports Network to break down all aspects of sports betting and providing unique takes on the daily odds and match ups from across the sports world,” said show host Michael Jenkins, “Fans want to know who to pick, and we are going to do our best to help them out – and we really think they will have a great time in the process through our informative format and fun conversation.”
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About Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Monumental Sports & Entertainment is America’s leading sports and entertainment family. Our people, players, teams, and events bring excitement and joy to millions. We invest and innovate to consistently raise the game so we can deliver extraordinary experiences that will inspire and unite our community, our fans, and our people. To learn more, please visit www.monumentalsports.com.
