DraftKings has carved out a massive chunk of the regulated US sports betting market by constantly innovating and breaking new ground. The savvy operator has led the way in crafting sponsorship deals with professional sports teams and venues, and is now looking to break into the hospitality business with a chain of sports betting-themed sports bars.
Details on the proposed sports bar chain are relatively thin, but the sports betting experts are partnering with a hospitality outfit called Sports and Social on the deal. Sports and Social is an arm of Live! Dining & Entertainment, which is itself a division of The Cordish Companies. Live! already serves as many as 55 million customers a year at locations across the country, including several casinos.
DraftKings is betting on the fact that since most US sports betting is done via mobile app, they can cater to players who want to wager on sporting events, while enjoying a night (or day) out at the bar. It’s an innovative idea that lends itself to endless cross promotion across platforms.
Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings tipped his hand as to DraftKings’ sports bar/sports betting strategy in a recent press release saying, “Today, so much of sports betting is focused on the mobile-technology aspect, however the in-person experience is an integral layer that we look forward to advancing alongside Sports & Social’s premier dining and entertainment offerings. By aligning with one of the fastest-growing entertainment concepts in the country, we now have the opportunity to bring our world-class products to life by offering engaging, interactive and fan-first destinations to skin-in-the-game customers.”
The first DraftKings sports bars will be built in Nashville and Detroit, though both locations are still pending local approval.