A “first-of-its-kind”
US-based sportsbook operator DraftKings has signed a new partnership with DISH Network. The deal will see DraftKings integrate its sportsbook app onto the TV provider’s Hopper platform.
In a statement on its website published Wednesday, DraftKings described the deal as a “first-of-its-kind integration.” The company also shared the news on its Twitter page:
Under the terms of the agreement, DraftKings’ sports betting and daily fantasy apps will be available to any DISH TV customer with a Hopper family receiver. This will enable viewers to browse odds and initiate bets or daily fantasy contests directly through their TV set. They can then complete those transactions on the DraftKings mobile app if their state permits sports wagering.
viewers to browse odds and initiate bets or daily fantasy contests directly through their TV set
Paul Liberman, president of product and technology and co-founder of DraftKings, said the deal will provide a “unique opportunity” for sports fans, while allowing the company to reach fanbases “in a completely new way.” Brian Neylon, group president of DISH TV, described the integrated platform as “a one-stop entertainment hub.” In the future, the integration will include DISH Network’s SLING TV and Boost Mobile services.
Creating a household name
DISH TV is not the only media company to have partnered with DraftKings over the past year. As DraftKings looks to grow its market share in freshly regulated states, it has signed multiple media agreements to increase its exposure to US sports fans.
In September last year, the operator sealed a deal with sports media broadcaster ESPN. Under the remit of the partnership, ESPN’s digital channels now link to DraftKings’ sportsbook. The sportsbook company is also the broadcaster’s exclusive daily fantasy sports content provider. At the time, DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins described the broadcaster’s reach as “unparalleled”.
This media exposure continued into 2021 after the group unveiled an exclusive Super Bowl LV prop bets show in partnership with sports media company Bleacher Report. Streamed live on the Bleacher Report app, it featured NFL experts and celebrity guests discussing the most talked-about bets for the game. The show stemmed from a multi-year agreement between DraftKings and Bleacher Report owner Turner Sports, signed in October last year.
DraftKings grows its empire
Many gambling operators struggled throughout 2020 with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. However, DraftKings capitalized on the US’s burgeoning sports betting and iGaming markets to fuel its growth.
For the full year, revenue grew by 49% to $643.5m
In its most recent trading update, the sportsbook operator posted revenue of $322.2m for the fourth quarter of 2020. That’s a rise of 98% in comparison with the same period in 2019, factoring in figures from Diamond Eagle Acquisition Corp and SBTech. DraftKings partly attributed the growth to its increase in user activity as a result of 2020 marketing spend. For the full year, revenue grew by 49% to $643.5m.
DraftKings has adjusted its expectations for 2021 as a result of this growth, increasing its revenue outlook. Previously, the company’s most optimistic estimation predicted $850m in revenue for 2021, but this has since been adjusted to between $900m and $1bn.
So far this year, DraftKings’ sportsbook has already launched in multiple states, including Virginia and Michigan.