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Fantasy sports operator DraftKings announced Thursday that it has closed a $153 million round of funding with Revolution Growth, the venture capital firm co-founded by Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals.The round of funding was oversubscribed and includes new investors in the daily fantasy giant, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said in a statement. The valuation for the funding was not revealed, and the paperwork to complete the deal will be filed in the coming days.Revolution Growth is a tremendous new partner for DraftKings, with an entrepreneurial outlook and spirit of innovation that meshes perfectly with the culture of our company, Robins said in the statement. They also have deep expertise in sports, technology, and policy.SportsBusiness Journal first reported DraftKings deal with Revolution Growth.Its unclear how big a stake Revolution Growths investment has purchased in the privately held company. Industry research firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimated the Revolution Growth funding was likely based on a valuation of around $1 billion.DraftKings valuation was estimated last year at almost $2 billion after a $300 million fundraising round in July 2015 but has since fallen considerably. In February, Fox, in a quarterly report, told investors it had marked down the value of its $160 million investment in DraftKings by about 60 percent.Online fantasy sports are just one of the many ways technology has disrupted the sports industry in recent years, Revolution Growth partner Steve Murray, who will join the DraftKings board of directors, said in a release. Building a business is never easy, especially one that is leading the creation of a new marketplace, but Revolution has the expertise to help entrepreneurs execute on their ideas, especially where sports and policy intersect.Last week, Outside the Lines reported on the daily fantasy industrys struggles since DraftKings and FanDuel blanketed airwaves a year ago with a $750 million advertising and marketing blitz.In the story, which also appears in the current edition of ESPN The Magazine, reporter Don Van Natta Jr. detailed how the companies remain unprofitable, with valuations cut by more than half, according to some estimates. ESPN also reported that both companies owed millions to lobbyists, lawyers and others and that DraftKings has tried to renegotiate contracts with vendors and reduce affiliates bonuses.The signing of a daily fantasy bill in New York last month eased some potential investors minds about the future of the young industry, ESPN reported.The reality is neither company was in a position to continue to operate without New York, said Jeremy Kudon, a lobbyist for the companies. They both needed for this to happen. When I had spoken to investors, everyone agreed on its importance. It was less a financial thing and almost a psychological thing. Theyd say, We wont believe this industry will survive unless New York happens. Hows that for pressure?A longtime lobbyist close to both companies told ESPN this week that a DraftKings-FanDuel merger is still likely.New York Mets Gear . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Mets Jerseys China .5 seconds to play in the game, Kevin Love never stopped believing that they would come out of there with a win. https://www.cheapmetsjerseys.us/ . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. Stitched Mets Jerseys . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. Cheap Mets Jerseys . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday.A liberating year abroad on a diet of no footy has Jobe Watson primed for a return to AFL in 2017.Essendon captain Watson escaped the AFL bubble during his suspension this year, leaving Melbourne to expand his horizons.In New York, Watson went to dancing spin classes, frothed almond milk at a hole-in-the-wall cafe, and held deep and meaningful chats as he sought to figure it all out.I had to get away and think about what I wanted to do with life, Watson told reporters on Friday.I had lived in this football world since I was 17.What weve been through, so much of it is about speculation - what might happen or what is going to happen.If you spend your life living in that world of speculation you miss the moments.I removed myself from it and lived in moments. It was liberating.Watson said his open-minded outlook led him down a rabbit hole.If someone asked me to do something Id say yes, whatever it was, he said.It took me out of my comfort zone.That included group fitness classes of dancing on his exercise bike, talking about politics, comic books, all sorts of things and getting to know another city.Holidays to Europe - including a long stay in Croatia with some of his Bombers teammates - helped too.The ennd result was a clear head, and the ability to make a decision on his own terms.ddddddddddddWatson said his father, club great Tim Watson, wasnt a huge part of his decision-making but his childhood friend and housemate in New York - former teammate Scott Gumbletons girlfriend - was.My housemate was someone I was able to open up to and someone I could trust completely and be really honest with and to be able to talk through how I was feeling, he said.I learned a lot about myself through that and through that process, how liberating it is to be able to speak openly and honestly with someone, how good it is for your mental health.Watson said the final piece of the jigsaw was a chat with Bombers boss John Worsfold this week.Coming away from the meeting with the really inspiring coach, who Watson is yet to play for, the midfielder declared himself ready to commit.But he cant promise how hell play.The first time I touched a footy was when I got back here so I dont know how Im going to go but I feel good, he said.When youre feeing good in your mind then your body acts accordingly. 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