Pablo Torre, after leaving ESPN, created one of the hit sports shows of 2023 at Meadowlark Media in partnership with DraftKings Network. While his digital video show Pablo Torre Finds Out has been refreshing in its mix of interviews, investigative reporting, and goofiness, Torre is realistic about navigating the fact that he is in business with a sports betting company.
In an interview on Sports Media with Richard Deitsch released Monday, Torre discussed Meadowlark’s editorial freedom within its DraftKings partnership and how he makes peace with gambling funding his work.
“DraftKings has said zero words to me about any of the decisions that we’ve made,” Torre explained. Inside the Meadowlark deal, part of what Meadowlark has really negotiated, which I am incredibly, endlessly thankful for, is the fact that we have editorial independence but run on their network.”
Torre also noted that in 2024, there will only be so many companies able and willing to fund true sports journalism. If negotiating freedom within a betting company is his pathway to uncovering the truth in a huge industry that he is passionate about, he is OK with it.
“I don’t see (gambling) to be so special that it cannot fund journalism,” Torre said. “Insofar as these companies with money realize that content can be more than just … the Barstool-ization of everything, then I think we’re better off if the stuff that gets funded is trying to be thoughtful, is trying to have reporting, is trying to employ people who will speak honestly about, ‘here are the tradeoffs and here’s why I’m comfortable with it.'”
It’s unclear exactly what Torre meant by the “Barstool-izaton of everything.” But one would assume he’s referring to a reactionary tone and guerilla business style that is familiar across Barstool content. From the start, Barstool chased gambling as an ethos and a war chest. As Barstool became mainstream, its approach opened the door for other companies to integrate betting and reject traditional media.
Lastly, Torre explained that he doesn’t see gambling as significantly worse than other “vice” products that are socially acceptable to advertisers and sponsors for media companies. Those include alcohol, casinos and tobacco or marijuana products.
“Gambling is legal … if you make an adult decision to gamble, I don’t have any interest in telling you to do otherwise,” Torre said.
Not to pat Torre’s back too much, but it would be nice if more media personalities in bed with this new, relatively unrestricted industry at least explained their perspective on the arrangement.
[Sports Media with Richard Deitsch]
