DraftKings Expands Exclusive Partnership with Major League Baseball
Further Enhances Gaming Experiences for Sports Fans
BOSTON (August 6, 2020) – DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) and Major League Baseball today announced a multi-year extension to remain the Official and Exclusive Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) Partner of the League. The extension includes an expanded partnership providing for an increase in DraftKings’ content rights, product integration, prizing and continued use of MLB images and video within DraftKings’ DFS games. The extension of the partnership between Major League Baseball and DraftKings reinforces both entities’ dedication to enhancing the overall gaming experience for sports fans.
“MLB was our first official league partnership dating back to 2012,” said Ezra Kucharz, DraftKings’ chief business officer. “We share a mutual passion and commitment to innovation and fan engagement and are excited to continue our partnership through data and technology to advance our product and broaden engagement opportunities for baseball fans.”
Fans who engage with the dozens of MLB offerings from DraftKings will see the expanded partnership enables new and exclusive content surrounding each game throughout the regular season and postseason games, including innovative product integrations on MLB platforms that will provide new methods of engagement for fantasy and baseball fans alike. DraftKings will also have the rights to utilize the iconic official MLB silhouetted batter and all MLB Club logos within promotional marketing as well as in its DFS products. Additionally, DraftKings will now work in tandem with MLB for increased integration at All-Star Week activities and the MLB Postseason. This includes VIP experiences for fans such as on-field viewing of batting practices throughout the MLB season as well as trips to the World Series.
The continuation of this partnership follows last year’s announcement of DraftKings becoming an MLB Authorized Gaming Operator for sports wagering.
“Fan engagement has been central to our partnership with DraftKings since we began working together almost a decade ago,” said Kenny Gersh, MLB Executive Vice President, Gaming & New Business Ventures. “Together we have continually tried to enhance baseball fans’ experiences with innovative gaming and entertainment options and we look forward to keep developing and building on those unique elements.”
DraftKings’ DFS and Sportsbook apps are available on both iOS and Android.
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About DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. (Nasdaq: DKNG) is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirits of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media. Headquartered in Boston, and launched in 2012 by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman, DraftKings is the only U.S.-based vertically integrated sports betting operator. DraftKings is a multi-channel provider of sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for 50+ operators across more than 15 regulated U.S. and global markets, including Arkansas and Oregon in the U.S. DraftKings’ Sportsbook offers mobile and retail betting for major U.S. and international sports and operates in the United States pursuant to regulations in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. DraftKings’ daily fantasy sports product is available in 8 countries internationally with 15 distinct sports categories. DraftKings is the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, MLB and the PGA TOUR as well as an authorized gaming operator of the NBA and MLB and an official betting operator of the PGA TOUR.
About Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30-member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Major League Baseball is the best-attended sport in North America, and since 2004, MLB has enjoyed its best-attended seasons in the history of the game. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Network and MLB digital platforms, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside DraftKings’ control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see DraftKings’ Securities and Exchange Commission filings. DraftKings does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
DraftKings Media Contact:
media@draftkings.com
@DraftKingsNews
Major League Baseball Contact:
David Hochman, 212-931-7652, David.Hochman@MLB.com, @MLB_PR