The University of Colorado and PointsBet sportsbook made history recently when they became the first US university to pair up with an official sports betting operator. The deal, which included a revenue stream for CU and tons of exposure for PointsBet also included a nod to affiliate marketing, according to a report from Sports Illustrated.
Under the terms of the historic deal, the University of Colorado will be given its own promo code for harvesting new players. For every player that signs up using the CU code, the university will pocket $30 cash. (There’s no word on whether university officials will be cashing in on player losses, though that seems unlikely.)
CU will likely be pushing the promo code pretty hard, as its five-year deal with PointsBet is only bringing in approximately $1.6 million. That does not, however, include $75,000 a year that goes, “directly to supporting the development of CU student athletes and PointsBet recruitment.” How that money is to be spent is a bit of a mystery, but they are sailing through completely uncharted territory here.
On their end, PointsBet will be eligible to receive up to $25,000 worth of complimentary VIP tickets and merchandise that can be used in promotions. It seems likely that some of those tickets will be going to VIP players via VIP programs, though that is entirely up to PointsBet.
So will affiliate marketing become a mainstay of sponsorship deals between US universities and regulated sportsbooks? There’s no doubt that every operator in the industry is keeping an eye on what happens in Boulder, Colorado.