Although FanDuel is a ubiquitous presence in American sports life, it wasn’t always that way. But one of FanDuel’s earliest major hires is now departing the company in Lisa Kerney.
Kerney was a rising star at ESPN in the mid-2010s as one of the network’s most prominent SportsCenter anchors. But in 2018, she made the jump to FanDuel in part to be able to spend more time with her family.
Since then, FanDuel has risen to the point where they are now a significant presence not just in sports betting, but in content creation. But after seven years with the platform, Kerney is now moving on.
On Friday, she announced on social media that she will be returning to television to serve as a college basketball host for Versant and USA Sports.
Some news to share… but first an important THANK YOU 💙
Over the past 7 years, FanDuel has given me opportunities beyond what I could have even dreamed when I started in this business. When I left ESPN in 2018, FanDuel was just gaining momentum…and it was exactly what I… pic.twitter.com/ZJxJzW3zky
— Lisa Kerney (@LisaKerney) December 5, 2025
Kerney’s statement reads, “Thank you FanDuel for believing in me, for saying yes, for giving me a seat at the table, for supporting my wildest dreams, and giving me the opportunity to do what I love. Simply, THANK YOU. As I say goodbye to FanDuel, I’m thrilled to share I’ve signed on as studio host covering college basketball! As a former collegiate point guard, this next chapter is a dream come true. Thank you NBC Sports, Versant Media, USA Network, #usasports for opening this door and bringing me into the family. LET’S GO!!!!”
Versant will formally separate from NBC Universal on January 2, 2026. However, the process has already begun as NBC has relaunched NBC Sports Network, Versant’s sports wing is branded as USA Sports, and sports rights like the Olympics continue to be divvied up between the companies.
Both companies are also now going out on their own with Versant inking a separate media deal with the Pac-12 for both football and basketball last month. NBC Sports has contracts with the Big Ten, Big East, and Big 12.
And according to a USA Sports spokesperson, Lisa Kerney will be fully with Versant as part of their college basketball coverage as they make their move out from the NBC Sports umbrella.
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