SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
It has been announced that daily fantasy sports operator DraftKings has bagged itself deals with three Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Arsenal and Watford.
DraftKings had been set to launch in the UK in late 2015 but this was delayed until early 2016, with a further detailed announcement expected in the very near future. The company has been fighting legal battles on numerous fronts in the USA with investigations underway into its legality state to state.
DraftKings plans to offer contests on the same 11 sports that are currently available in North America, including football, golf and esports.
The agreed partnerships will ensure that supporters in the UK and around the world will have the opportunity to win a host of prizes such as matchday tickets and signed club merchandise. In addition the company will have a presence inside the teams’ stadiums and on each of the clubs’ digital and social media channels.
At Anfield, the DraftKings logo will feature on pitchside LED advertising boards.
Jason Robins, Co-Founder and CEO of DraftKings said: “The reality in the UK is that DraftKings will bring a totally new experience for sports fans, especially those of Arsenal, Liverpool and Watford.”
He added: “We offer our players the opportunity to test their skill at fantasy contests with the immediacy of daily play. Our ambition is to bring players as close to the action as possible, with all the information they need to assemble the best teams. To do that, we are partnering with some of the biggest names in football here in the UK.”
Matt Kalish, DraftKings Founder, noted that this was just the beginning: “I highly doubt we’ll stop at three [team] deals in the UK. We have 50 deals in the US with major professional teams.”
