NFL secures new partnership
The National Football League (NFL) has announced a radical new partnership with sportsbook DraftKings.
It will now offer daily fantasy sports and allow DraftKings to use NFL logos, official statistics, and game highlights across all of its platforms. The collaboration is the first of its kind for the NFL, which has yet to designate a sports betting partner in its entirety.
The NFL has said that it might be open to the possibility of a full deal in the future. However, it has not made clear whether this daily fantasy sports deal may give DraftKings the advantage.
Defining moment
After stating that this partnership marks a defining moment in the industry, DraftKings CEP Jason Robinson said:
We are thrilled to become the first daily fantasy sports partner to enter into a formal relationship with the NFL.”
He credited a “common vision” with the NFL league around the future of fan engagement.
Renie Anderson, executive vice president of NFL partnerships, confirmed that they may look to make a further deal at some point but that the league had to first look to protect the consumer and integrity of the game.
Commenting on the success of daily fantasy football, Anderson said: “Daily fantasy football has been a tremendous vehicle for fans of all types to deepen their engagement with the NFL.”
Fantasy sports
DraftKings will now join Caesars Palace as an official NFL sponsor after the casino giant joined forces with the league earlier this year.
The deal with Caesars Palace includes sponsorship at key NFL events like the annual Super Bowl. However, this new fantasy league partnership with the NFL looks to be completely different. The NFL hopes to cultivate a wider community base by engaging with fans on a daily basis through fantasy sports.
Fans can bet on the performance of individual players each day, instead of betting on what team will win. The premise is regulated differently to betting on the outcome of games, although it is still thought of as gambling.
The deal
This new partnership will now give the NFL access to the 11 million global players registered under DraftKings.
In return, the partnership will give the daily fantasy sports leader “exclusive sponsorship of the daily fantasy sports category with access to NFL branding and more” across DraftKings’ platforms.