U.S. online sports betting market leader FanDuel is now an official sports betting partner of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).
The deal, announced on Friday, not only makes FanDuel a sportsbook partner but also establishes the operator as the exclusive in-app streaming partner of the pro women’s hockey league in the U.S. FanDuel will stream up to 90 regular-season and playoff games live on the FanDuel Sportsbook app.
FanDuel said in a release that as the streams will be hosted in-app, fans will be able to watch games and and wager at the same time, with offerings including player props, novelty markets and same-game parlays all in one place. Fans will also “see FanDuel as an integral part of PWHL games,” said the Flutter-owned brand, suggesting the operator will get significant visibility from the league.
“FanDuel is proud to partner with the PWHL and support the league’s incredible athletes,” said Dale Hooper, general manager of FanDuel Canada. “This partnership is about creating a new era of fan engagement — one that brings hockey closer to fans while helping grow the visibility of women’s professional sports.
The PWHL launched on Jan. 1 of this year with teams in six markets: Boston, Minnesota, Montréal, New York, Ottawa and Toronto. In its first year, it broke multiple attendance records and holds the worldwide all-time record for a women’s hockey game.
FanDuel already has staked its claim as a leading sportsbook partner of major women’s sports in the U.S., working closely with the WNBA.
FanDuel comes to accord with MLB players
The news of the PWHL deal came the day after the commercial affiliate of the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) named FanDuel as a non-exclusive product and marketing licensing partner in a deal that spans the U.S. and Canada.
FanDuel will continue utilizing MLB player rights on its platform and will now also integrate player intellectual property into its wider sportsbook platform and marketing, allowing for more player-focused features.
Just over a week ago, the union agreed to drop FanDuel from a lawsuit in which it had named the operator alongside Underdog Fantasy, accusing both operators of “intentional and unauthorized” use of names, images and likenesses. The case was moved to U.S. District Court in Manhattan in October but on Nov. 19, the two parties filed a notice of voluntary dismissal.
