NBA names DraftKings and FanDuel as co-official sports betting partners

The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced Thursday an expanded multi-year relationship with DraftKings and FanDuel, which have now become its co-official sports betting partners of the league. 

Under the terms of these agreements, which run for multi-year periods, grant both companies the right to integrate NBA assets, including data and league marks, throughout their betting and daily fantasy sports platforms. 

Both firms will carry game highlights as part of these alliances which have also been broadened out to include Canada, where the two operators plan to launch in the coming months after the Canadian government voted to legalize single-game sports betting in August. 

Both FanDuel and DraftKings will become sponsors of the NBABet Stream show, the league’s betting-focused telecast distributed via NBA League Pass and the NBA TV app. 

The @NBA and @DraftKings have entered into an expanded multiyear collaboration, which will debut new integrations during the league’s 75th anniversary season including exclusive sponsorship of NBABet Stream. Further details are available here: https://t.co/HFHLEXY5Gr pic.twitter.com/5KjsesO5jC

— DraftKings News (@DraftKingsNews) November 4, 2021

As stated by the sportsbook, during this weekly alternative betting-focused broadcast, DraftKings odds, lines, props and other forms of gaming-centric content will become integrated into the live-game experience, and underscore the company’s continued evolution in the media and content spaces.

In an official press release, Senior Vice President, Head of Gaming & New Business Ventures for the NBA, Scott Kaufman-Ross, spoke about these two companies and said: “DraftKings and FanDuel are market leaders who have been incredible partners in engaging with the millions of NBA fans who enjoy fantasy and betting. [They] sit at the centre of the continued convergence between media and sports betting and, together, we are excited to bring these unique content experiences to our fans. DraftKings has demonstrated a clear commitment to strategically investing at the intersection of betting and content”, he added. 

Ezra Kucharz, Chief Business Officer at DraftKings, commented: “The NBA season only just tipped off, and yet we have already seen the immediate impact of the sport among our customer base with significant reengagement along with healthy new betting activity across all of our states. All of this signals the rising demand for NBA basketball in its 75th anniversary season among sports bettors and daily fantasy players, and we are pleased to continuously collaborate with the league on new fan-centric platforms like our NBABet Stream integration.”

Per the deal, DraftKings will also have the right to activate on-site at tentpole NBA events including the NBA All-Star Game, Rising Stars, NBA All-Star Saturday Night and NBA Draft presented by State Farm. 

NEWS: We’re expanding our partnership with the @NBA, including making @FDSportsbook an official sports betting partner of the NBA and establishing a landmark partnership with @TheNBPA

Read more details: https://t.co/c3lterRcc1#NBA75 | #FanDuel pic.twitter.com/R1D6j6Pyyk

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) November 4, 2021

In addition, FanDuel also announced a landmark multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), giving the company rights to feature active NBA player imagery in its creative and within highlights distributed across FanDuel’s branded platforms, apps, social media, and broadcast channels.

Amy Howe, President and CEO of FanDuel, said: “FanDuel’s partnership with the NBA has been a cornerstone of our success for many years, and together we have revolutionized what is possible in a partnership between a professional sports league and a sports gaming operator. As we move into the next phase of our relationship to include the NBPA, we are excited to once again reimagine how we engage basketball fans.”

FanDuel was previously the official DFS partner and an authorized gaming operator of the NBA. As part of the expanded partnership, beginning with the NBA’s 75^th Anniversary season, the company will create and feature content that includes game highlights across its various platforms. 

Kaufman-Ross commented: “Throughout our seven-year partnership, we have consistently worked with FanDuel to innovate together around the fan experience. This expanded relationship marks the latest chapter of our story, and we look forward to leveraging these new initiatives to continue to engage fans in new ways.”