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. Sale Custom College Jerseys .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. Custom College Jerseys Outlet . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Custom UCLA Bruins Jerseys . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. http://www.customjerseyscollege.com/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.(Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays are about to enter the Alex Rodriguez circus. New York enters this twin-bill on the heels of an emotional win in Boston on Sunday that saw the Yankees score four times in the sixth inning in a 9-6 win. Brett Gardeners three-run triple highlighted the big frame, while Rodriguez homered and finished 3-for-4, as the Yanks won for the sixth time in their last eight games. Earlier in the contest Rodriguez had been hit by Ryan Dempster (6-9), resulting in both benches clearing briefly and New York manager Joe Girardi being ejected from the game after both teams received warnings. "Whether you like me or hate me, whats wrong is wrong. That was unprofessional and silly," Rodriguez said. "Today kind of brought us together." New York finds itself eight games back of the Red Sox in the division and is 6 1/2 back of the wild card. Getting the call for the Yanks in game one will be right-hander Ivan Nova, who is 6-4 with a 2.99 ERA. Nova picked up the win against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Wednesday, as he allowed three runs and 10 hits in 7 1/3 innings. He also struck out six without walking a batter. Nova has been magnificent over his past seven starts, posting a 1.89 ERA with 50 strikeouts to 12 walks over 52 1/3 innings. Phil Hughes will go for the Yanks in the second game after a solid outing his last time out. The right-hander, who has pitched to a 6.03 ERA at Yankee Stadium, is just 2-10 with a 5.23 ERA over his past 16 starts overall. Hughes lost to the Angels on Thursday, but pitched well, giving up three runs and six hits in six innings. Still, he fell to 4-12 on the year to go along with a 4.97 ERA. "It was obviously better; it was hard tto pitch much worse than I had been," Hughes said. Custom College Jerseys Store. . "It felt like the results werent exactly what I wanted, but I felt like I threw the ball OK. But at the end of the day, its a loss, which is not what we set out to accomplish today." Toronto, meanwhile, lost two of three over the weekend to Tampa Bay and has dropped five of its last eight. The Jays are in the midst of 10-game road trip and are 26-35 away from home this season. Theyll hand the ball to righty Esmil Rogers in the first game on Tuesday. Rogers did not get a decision on Wednesday in an emergency start against Boston, but was terrific, allowing just a run and five hits in six innings of his teams 4-3 win. He is 3-7 on the year with a 4.91 ERA and is winless in his last 10 appearances. Getting the ball in the second game for Toronto will be lefty Mark Buehrle, who has won his last four decisions. Buehrle beat the Red Sox on Thursday, limiting them to a run and 10 hits in seven innings to push his record to 9-7, while lowering his ERA to 4.29. The Blue Jays have won each of Buehrles last five starts and he is 4-0 over that span with a 2.36 ERA. "Im just trying to get on a roll right now," Buehrle said. "I dont care if were out of the playoffs, or in the playoffs, if were in the thick of it. I go out there and try to win every start. No matter what the situation is, Im going out there trying to compete and trying to win." New York, though, has given him fits over his career. Buehrle has already lost twice to the Yankees this season and is just 1-10 lifetime against them with a 6.28 ERA in 15 starts. The Yankees have beaten the Blue Jays in eight of nine matchups this season, including all six in the Bronx. ' ' '