NFL signs Caesars as first casino sponsor
The National Football League (NFL), the US' top American football competition, has signed up Caesars Entertainment as its first official casino sponsor.
The multi-year agreement will focus on Caesars utilising its casino properties and other entertainment resources to provide unique experiences for NFL fans.
Caesars gains exclusive rights to use official NFL trademarks both in the US and UK to promote its casino venues and develop customer enagement strategies around major NFL events such as the league’s showpiece Super Bowl, and the NFL Draft.
In addition, Caesars will host elements of the 2020 Draft – an annual event where players are assigned to teams across the league – at its Caesars Palace venue in Las Vegas, Nevada. Facilities owned by other companies in the city will also stage sections of the Draft next year.
“Combining the league’s 180m fans with our 55m Total Rewards loyalty program members will expose millions of people to the exclusive and exciting year-round opportunities at our properties,” Caesars Entertainment president and CEO, Mark Frissora, said.
Renie Anderson, senior vice-president of partnerships, sponsorship and consumer products at the NFL, added: “Combining the NFL with Caesars’ expertise in world class entertainment will provide our fans unique experiences both here in the United States and abroad.”
Since the repeal of PASPA last year, which enabled states across the US to begin individually legalising sports betting, the NFL has forged closer links with the gambling industry.
Eight of the league’s 32 teams have agreements in place with Caesars, including the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Oakland Raiders, and Philadelphia Eagles. Such deals are for the casino category only and do not cover sports betting, daily fantasy or hotels and resorts.
A joint report from the American Gaming Association and Nielsen Sports that was published in September claimed that the NFL could boost its annual revenue by $2.3bn (£1.82bn/€2.02bn) per year through widely available, legal, regulated sports betting.
Caesars has also secured a number of deals as it looks to take advantage of this growing market, the latest being with tribal operator the Oneida Indian Nation in New York. The agreement relies on sports betting regulations being passed by legislators in the state, and ratification by the National Indian Gaming Commission.
Image: Keith Allison