Bryson DeChambeau has become the first active professional golfer to link up with DraftKings as part of a multi-year relationship in which he will represent the digital sports entertainment and gaming company via an integrated brand, content, marketing, and VIP centric collaboration.
Acting as the ‘face of DraftKings golf’, DeChambeau is currently ranked No. 6 in the Official World Golf Ranking and is coming off his first major championship at the US Open in September, 2020. Starting with the 2020 Masters, the DraftKings logo will be featured on DeChambeau’s signature golf cap.
Jason Robins, co-founder and CEO, DraftKings, commented: “Professional golf has been a key growth sport in both daily fantasy and sports betting, and our collaboration with Bryson DeChambeau is a notable new layer of mainstream brand exposure and fan experience.
“As one of golf’s most promising athletes and the current US Open champion, DraftKings is strategically aligning with winning athletes like Bryson who embody and embolden the competitive fire of our customers.”
According to DraftKings, golf remains the firm’s fourth-most-popular sport for daily fantasy while golf sportsbook handle has grown over 10 times year-over-year. Excluding NFL games, the 2019 Masters ranked among the top five highest-bet sporting events on DraftKings while 2020 has featured many of the company’s most popularly bet golf tournaments of all time.
Amidst this surge in golf betting, the athlete sponsorship also entails unique experiential elements to engage fans such as playing a round of golf with or receiving golf lessons from DeChambeau.
Commenting on his new ambassadorial role, the golfer said: “DraftKings has been at the forefront of innovation for how people experience golf, and the company continues to modernize the game through technology built by and for sports fans. The gaming industry has already helped golf reach broader audiences, and I am proud to work with DraftKings on boosting fan excitement and engagement in the game.”
With the 2020 Masters taking place in November for the first time in history and overlapping with the NFL during the final round on Sunday, DraftKings is offering a $100,000 free-to-play pool that captures the action of both sports. This is the first multi-sport pool that the firm has developed as it further adapts to the unique sports calendar of 2020.