ESPN furthered its commitment to making sports betting part of its mainstream programming Monday, reaching agreements on separate multi-year deals with Caesars and DraftKings.
Each sportsbook gets an avenue of exclusivity within ESPN programming with the deal, and the two will be “co-exclusive link-out providers” across the Disney-owned company’s various digital platforms. Last month, ESPN expanded its sports betting coverage with a move to the LINQ Hotel + Experience on the Las Vegas Strip where its sports betting-themed show “The Daily Wager” originates. There are also plans to launch a digital show at the LINQ that will be available across multiple social media channels.
“Our new agreements with Caesars and DraftKings collectively represent the next significant milestone for ESPN to diversify our exposure and deepen our commitment in the sports betting space,” said Mike Morrison, vice president of Business Development & Innovation, ESPN, in a joint statement among the parties.
“We began growing the experience through content, followed by odds utilizing William Hill’s sports betting data and a new state-of-the-art studio facility in Las Vegas through our deal with Caesars, and now with the addition of DraftKings, we are bringing together the sports media leader with two of the top brands and best products in the segment.”
William Hill exclusive odds provider for ESPN
Multi-Year Deal between Caesars Entertainment and ESPN
to Feature William Hill’s Sports Betting Apps and Sports Book OddsFull Press Release ⬇️
— William Hill US (@WilliamHillUS) September 14, 2020
The agreement with Caesars means William Hill will be ESPN’s exclusive odds provider across multiple platforms, and Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill will be an official sponsor of ESPN Fantasy products. The deal provides link integrations from ESPN’s digital platforms to sportsbooks via the British-based sportsbook in states with legalized sports wagering.
“ESPN is one of the pre-eminent brands in sports. Tens of millions of fans will now have a direct link to our sports betting apps and odds,” said Ulrik Bengtsson, Group Chief Executive Officer of William Hill. “Giving ESPN users this access will accelerate our leadership, as we continue to expand in the U.S.”
Since Caesars and Eldorado Properties completed their $17.3 billion merger last month, William Hill has opened 12 sportsbooks across Nevada, Iowa, and New Jersey. Pending regulatory approval, the remaining Caesars sportsbooks will be rebranded, and the mobile sportsbook app — Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill — will be available in those three states and Indiana. If all approvals are given, William Hill will be operating at 170 locations across 13 states.
“As our exclusive sports betting operator, William Hill has added immediate value to Caesars Entertainment’s portfolio of properties nationally,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment, Inc. “Our new agreement with ESPN, as the largest provider in sports content, completes what is sure to be a momentous partnership in gaming and sports wagering.”
DraftKings becomes exclusive DFS provider for ESPN
Today, @DraftKings and @ESPN entered into a content integration agreement that names DraftKings as a ‘Co-Exclusive Sportsbook Link-Out Provider’ and an ‘Exclusive Daily Fantasy Sports Provider’ of the media giant. For more details on the deal: https://t.co/jryQX0aqM6 pic.twitter.com/UOcynv2afk
— DraftKings News (@DraftKingsNews) September 14, 2020
Though DraftKings is no stranger to sports betting, its agreement with ESPN focuses more on the Daily Fantasy Sports side of the business. DraftKings will be the exclusive DFS provider for the network to provide both content and offerings across ESPN’s digital platforms, most notably DFS segments that air on existing and future studio shows.
“ESPN helped revolutionize the 24/7 sports news cycle and continues to be the go-to source for many fans today on the latest and largest sports stories,” said Jason Robins, DraftKings co-founder, chairman and CEO. “We look forward to this collaboration to exclusively showcase DraftKings’ daily fantasy content and offerings while also advancing further visibility and mainstream adoption of our regulated sports betting products.”
Similar to the William Hill deal, DraftKings’ links will be geo-targeted in states with legalized sports wagering and appear across ESPN’s website, mobile website, and ESPN fantasy app.
