The National Hockey League (NHL) has agreed to new multi-year partnership deals with FanDuel and BetMGM, expanding their existing deals with the two operators, making them the first-ever North American sports betting partners of the league.
FanDuel and BetMGM can now use official NHL branding and category designations to appeal to fans and sports betting customers in legal jurisdictions across Canada and the US.
The operators will continue to receive custom content across NHL-controlled media channels and will be integrated into the league’s marquee events across North America, including camera-visible signage, on-site activation opportunities, and premium hospitality solutions.
Keith Wachtel, Chief Business Officer and Senior Executive Vice President of the NHL, commented: “Canada’s new sports betting landscape presents a tremendous opportunity to further fan engagement and continue our progressive approach with the sports gaming industry.
“BetMGM and FanDuel were our first sports betting partners in the US, and we’re thrilled to expand our partnerships with both of these leaders in the sportsbook and mobile betting marketplace as we begin our transformative entry into this space in Canada and engage our avid Canadian fan base.”
FanDuel’s NHL partnership extension will concentrate on improving engagement with its daily fantasy offerings in the US and sports betting offerings in the US and Ontario by leveraging the league’s most prominent camera visible assets across its regular season tentpole events and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The operator will also further utilize a portfolio of turnkey, event hospitality assets for customer engagement purposes.
“We are delighted to expand our partnership with the NHL to include all of North America as our business grows into Canada with the launch of the Ontario market,” added Amy Howe, CEO of FanDuel Group.
“This partnership has allowed the NHL and FanDuel to collaborate and become true innovators in sports betting with initiatives like the NHL Network’s first-ever Odds Ticker and custom NHL sports betting content for social media.”
BetMGM’s NHL deal extension will see it further its custom content, media, and email marketing program efforts in Canada off the back of its US success. The operator will also utilize the league to deliver premium experiences exclusive to Canadian customers.
Adam Greenblatt, BetMGM CEO, stated: “Our existing partnership with the NHL accelerated our ability to reach hockey fans and has allowed us to deliver an enhanced hockey wagering product.
“Expanding our partnership with the NHL throughout North America, aligned with our recent launch in Ontario, puts us in a great position for long-term success in Canada. We’re excited to further our relationship with the NHL including incorporating some of its all-time greats from Wayne Gretzky to Connor McDavid into our brand marketing.”
Earlier this month, FanDuel and BetMGM launched their respective sportsbooks in the Canadian province of Ontario.
