Women’s sport presents a growing opportunity for both revenue and brand exposure, a trend which is being increasingly recognised by various firms. The latest to do so is DraftKings, the second largest online sportsbook in the US.
The Boston-based bookmaker has struck a deal with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the most widely viewed professional women’s sports league in the US. DraftKings has become the official sports betting partner of the WNBA, gaining some marketing benefits in the process.
This will include the use of WNBA data feeds to support its “gameplay experience” for fans, as well as rights to league and collective team intellectual property alongside other marketing, activation and hospitality opportunities.
Colie Edison, WNBA Chief Growth Officer, added: “The WNBA is growing and expanding across the board, and partnering with industry leaders like DraftKings enables us to offer WNBA fans additional ways to engage with their favourite teams and players, responsibly and with integrity.
“This opportunity for DraftKings to lean in with us to support women’s sports will welcome more fans to the WNBA. We’re looking forward to working alongside DraftKings to further enhance innovation and equity in women’s sports.”
As mentioned above, DraftKings is the second largest sportsbook in the US in terms of market share. The company sits behind FanDuel in the nationwide league table, although it has managed to beat its main rival in some states.
Like FanDuel, the company’s growth in the US comes off the back of its presence in daily fantasy sports. Extensive sports marketing has also played a role in this growth, however, with the firm notably partnering with the National Basketball Association back in 2021.
The firms’ expansion of its basketball activity with the WNBA deal serves various marketing and branding purposes. Further terms will see DraftKings gain media exposure across digital and linear media platforms, including serving as presenting partner of the ‘WNBA Postseason Push” content platform.
In the US, women’s basketball is the go-to women’s sport for companies to seek commercial and marketing partnerships with. The extensive engagement the sport has built up can be seen in data, with three of the five most searched women’s sports franchises last year being WNBA teams.
Matt Kalish, President of DraftKings North America, said: “The WNBA has seen tremendous growth, which continues to be a bright spot in the sports world. We are proud to support the league in its efforts to continue expanding the game.
“It is a priority for us to deliver the most engaging WNBA content to DraftKings’ platforms and through our collaboration with the WNBA this season, we will be able to enhance the experience for millions of our customers and WNBA fans.”
