It has become a growing trend for professional sports teams to partner with a sportsbook. It seems like after the first one happened, the flood gates were opened for other organizations and sportsbooks to make their move.
Multi-Year Deal for Three Teams
The next to join was the Denver sports teams. PointsBet partnered with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, who own the Pepsi Center in Denver. They agreed on a multi-year deal making PointsBet the exclusive partner of the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and the Colorado Mammoth.
“PointsBet is renowned within the gaming industry for product innovation and its unique PointsBetting products, as well as for having the fastest app in the marketplace,” KSE EVP & Chief Operating Officer Matt Hutchings said. “Sports fans are hungry for the added dimension that fantasy sports and gaming add to their experience. We know that Nuggets, Avs, and Mammoth fans will be excited to have the opportunity to engage more deeply with their favorite teams via PointsBet.”
The agreement includes retail & online sports betting, daily fantasy, online casino, and free-to-play games. They have also partnered with KSE’s media outlets that include the Rocky Mountain region, Altitude TV, and Altitude Sports Radio.
“It was instant from day one there were shared values between the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment team and PointsBet, with a clear focus for putting our fans and customers first,” said Johnny Atiken, CEO of PointsBet USA. “We’ve long stated that our goal is to become synonymous with Colorado sports betting, and this exclusive partnership with our hometown teams in the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Mammoth, plus premium entertainment spaces within their playing arena, is a momentous step in that process.”
The Denver Broncos were one of the first professional sports teams to partner with a sportsbook. They made a deal with FanDuel weeks ago as Colorado welcomes sports betting into the state.
Colorado Sports Betting
As all of this is happening in Colorado, sports betting only became legal months ago. They also had the unfortunate timing of not having any sports to bet on due to COVID-19.
But the numbers show that Colorado sports fans were eager to place bets, riding out the storm and finding new sports to wager on. Table tennis and Korean baseball were two of the games they had to turn to.
Now that sports have returned, Colorado is expecting their numbers to jump. This weekend should see a large handle with golf having its first major of the year.
Colorado is honestly waiting for football. That will be the number one sport that fans bet on in the state. Hopefully, the NFL and NCAA can figure out ways to continue playing in this harsh climate.
The state has been making significant strides in the sports betting space in only a couple of months. Expect their presence to grow with partnerships like these, and other professional teams will continue to follow their lead.
