Durant, Nabers, and FanDuel’s Genetski join Kay Adams on stage to discuss the evolving relationship between athletes and fans.
Boardroom Talks Live Presented by FanDuel took center stage at an exclusive members-only club in downtown New York on Tuesday, when sports superstars and cultural leaders took in an exclusive panel on the eve of this year’s NBA Draft. Up & Adams host Kay Adams moderated an intimate and engaging conversation with two-time NBA champion and Boardroom co-founder Kevin Durant, FanDuel President Christian Genetski, and New York Giants Pro Bowler Malik Nabers on the fast-paced growth of the sports betting business and the evolving relationship between athletes and fans.
Millions of fans across the U.S. utilize FanDuel every day to watch games more intently and enliven discussions they may have with their friends, coworkers, and folks they encounter everywhere from bars to barbershops. These conversations that used to occur in the shadows before legalization in 2018, Genetski said, are now taking place on mainstream podcasts, network pregame shows, and even during the games themselves.
Durant is no stranger to interacting with both his fans and his critics. Over the last few years, the new Houston Rocket has engaged with fans on X who let him know their thoughts after a certain missed shot, free throw, or rebound.
“Sports betting has made us [as athletes] more accessible and made that relationship more intimate between the player and the fan,” Durant said. “People watch us and invest their money, time, emotions, and energy into what we’re doing. So there’s going to be days where they love you and hate you. It’s just all a part of the journey. And that holds us accountable, with players wanting to be on top of our game every day. When you have somebody always putting money on you, you always want to do well. So it’s a cool dynamic.”
Nabers echoed Durant’s observation, though he doesn’t believe he’s earned the right to clap back at fans online the way KD does.
“I just wish I could do it like he did,” Nabers said. “I have moments, too. I want to text a fan, but I’m not where I’m at in my career, the way he is. It comes with tenure.”
Despite the occasional urge to respond, the star wide receiver’s feedback from fans, he said, has been largely positive. With the massive popularity of fantasy football and sports betting, Nabers frequently heard the praise directly from his fans during his successful rookie season with the Giants.
“Every time a fan plays fantasy, they always come up to me and say, I won a championship for them,” Nabers said.
With the NBA Draft taking place the next night, Durant, the second overall pick in the 2007 draft, and Nabers, the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, offered advice to the newest incoming rookie class.
“Now your life is really under a microscope,” Nabers said. “Everything you say and do can be used by your organization.”
Durant kept his advice simple, telling players to keep their heads down and focus on perfecting their craft. Because there are some fans who are going to be hateful and cross the line no matter what.
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This vocal minority of fans who harass players who may lose them a bet or a parlay have become more prominent in the news of late. A recent incident involved the sprinter Gabby Thomas, who called out a fan for their verbal abuse on social media. FanDuel was able to find that person’s account and ban them from using its platform.
As FanDuel President, part of Genetski’s professional legacy will include bringing legalized sports betting to the U.S. And what’s crucial to him is that betting is overall a net positive to the sports ecosystem. FanDuel has proactively created a robust infrastructure to help maintain the integrity of the business. For example, he continued, recent integrity scandals were quickly and transparently resolved thanks in large part to legal operators reporting illegal activity.
“Our responsibility as the leading legal operator is to be out front in these conversations, acknowledge problems where they exist, and work to address them,” Genetski said.
Durant is a lifelong Washington Commanders fan, having grown up in the DMV, so he jumped at the chance to join Adams for a weekly segment on her show last year during the NFL season, making picks for that week’s games.
“That was the best time of my life,” Durant said. “I’m a fan of the game, so other football fans can get an insight to my knowledge. I appreciated the welcome into the NFL community.”
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