DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) has become the exclusive official daily fantasy sports 7BALL partner of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Detroit Pistons, as well as an official sports betting and iGaming partner of the team.
Announced Monday, the new deal gives the Boston-based sports betting company access to Pistons logos and trademarks and includes DraftKings-branded courtside LED signage as well as in-game basket pad branding.
Experiential prizes:
Additionally, fans of the team that is a member of the league‘s Eastern Conference Central Division will also have the opportunity to compete for various prizes, including a Pistons away game trip, a ‘Court of Dreams’ group event in Midtown Detroit at Little Caesars Arena, along with a ‘Piston for the Day’ VIP experience, which among other perks, gives individuals the opportunity t0 sit courtside at a home game during the regular season.
In its official press release, DraftKings’ Chief Business Officer Ezra Kuchar commented…
“As our first professional team activation in the state of Michigan, we are thrilled to join forces with the Detroit Pistons ahead of our pending market introduction.
“This deal deepens our relationship with a prominent local team to facilitate more immersive fan experiences, both for Michiganders familiar with regulated gaming products as well as newcomers to the space.”
Michigan presence:
The deal with the Pistons comes as DraftKings prepares for its launch in Michigan of online gaming and mobile sports betting, upon securing licensure and necessary regulatory approvals.
Chief Business Officer for the Detroit Pistons, Mike Zavodsky said…
“We appreciate the partnership-minded and collaborative approach that DraftKings brings to the table.
“We look forward to utilizing our platform to help DraftKings grow their presence and connectivity to Pistons fans and to the greater Metro Detroit communities.”
Tyson fight:
The daily fantasy sports contest and sports betting operator also served as the official sports betting partner of the much-hyped exhibition match between former undisputed heavyweight world champion, Mike Tyson, and former four-division world champion, Roy Jones Jr., that took place at the Staples Center on November 28, 2020.
The two legendary boxers, both in their 50s now, fought 8 two-minute rounds to an unofficial draw. However, numbers from the fight from computerized punches scoring system CompuBox showed that Tyson outdid Jones in all but the sixth round, with Tyson landing 67 of 193 (35 percent) total punches versus 37 of 236 (16 percent) for Jones. Rematch, anyone?
