Fanatics is not the only sports betting operator in the sports merchandise game.
On Wednesday, DraftKings and the NBA announced a new collaboration for the fresh NBA season. The two have partnered to debut an original line of co-branded apparel including hats, t-shirts, and hoodies.
The collaboration combines imagery from teams with DraftKings’s distinct crown logo. The collection officially drops on Nov. 2 and merchandise will range from $30-$75.
This is the first time a sports betting partner has worked with the NBA on any sort of merchandise.
“Through our longstanding relationship with the NBA, we were able to tap into the passion that millions of DraftKings customers have for the NBA by creating a custom, co-branded clothing collection that fans everywhere can enjoy,” said Matt Kalish, Co-Founder and President, DraftKings North America. “There is a strong affinity toward DraftKings’ signature crown logo and combining that with one-of-a-kind designs that feature NBA teams, allows us to further connect with the lifestyle of our customers in a whole new way.”
Promotional material for the merchandise noted that age and eligibility restrictions apply to the collection. SBC Americas tested the checkout process for pre-ordering merchandise and noted it was not age-gated. There is a pop-up for those entering the DraftKings Shop to verify whether or not they are at least 21 by clicking “Yes” or “No”.
Fanatics has leaned into its merchandising background as it has rolled out its sportsbook this fall. The company offered a promotion where new users could bet $50 and receive a voucher for $150 in Fanatics Store merchandise. This merchandise was purely regular team merchandise and did not include any Fanatics Sportsbook co-branding.
DraftKings continues to expand its footprint beyond purely betting and gaming. The company launched an NFT ecosystem, DraftKings Marketplace, in 2021.
