SPONSORSHIP & PROMOTION
Dunkin’ and the National Hockey League locked in a new multi-year agreement that will keep Dunkin’ the official U.S. coffee, donut and breakfast sandwich of the NHL. Dunkin’ will remain a significant presence across the NHL’s broadcast and digital platforms in the U.S., and will continue to be featured at NHL jewel events -- such as the NHL Winter Classic®, NHL® All-Star Weekend and NHL Stadium Series. Dunkin’ also maintains a multi-million dollar partnership with NBC Sports for custom in-game features and dasherboard visibility, as well as advertising across broadcast, digital and social media channels throughout the NHL season.
Canada’s TSN, which is playing host to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, unlocked an extensive, multi-platform partnership with Visa for the network’s coverage of the tournament. The partnership includes the production of custom content airing throughout the tournament, as well as digital and social media executions featuring Canadian Women’s National Team captain and Team Visa athlete Christine Sinclair.
DIGITAL, DATA & STREAMING
DraftKings is taking on the Women’s World Cup with daily fantasy games throughout the competition, which also makes women’s soccer the 13th DFS category for DraftKings. Meanwhile, New Jersey and Mississippi soccer fans will also be able to legally bet on the Women’s World Cup for the first time via DraftKings Sportsbook, with mobile only available in New Jersey. “All eyes will be on the matches in France, and we are excited to offer soccer fans a more engaging way to enjoy the action,” said Matt Kalish, Chief Revenue Officer at DraftKings. “The passion of our fans informs our innovation and product roadmap, so for such a special event that only comes along every four years, we wanted to ensure our full complement of offerings would be at their fingertips.”
ESPORTS
Competitive gaming platform FACEIT and Riot Games are teaming up to launch the ‘Scouting Grounds Circuit,’ opening the door for League of Legends players to enter the pro scene. With a total prize pool of $60,000, the first season of the official qualifying circuit for LCS Scouting Grounds will take part during the months of July, August, and September and will see the top teams from the North American League of Legends scene compete in a multi-stage tournament. The two highest ranked teams will qualify for Riot Games’ LCS Scouting Grounds event in November, one step closer to competing in the prestigious League of Legends Championship Series (LCS).
Esports Championship Series organizer FACEIT is also launching a new show via Caffeine that will serve as an exclusive overtime show during the ECS Season 7 Finals and titled ECS After Dark. The show will be hosted by Freya Spiers and Pala Gilroy Sen.
Golden Tee, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, will see ESPN carry the Golden Tee World Championship, showcased as a 30-minute program that will run later this summer. “The World Championship is the perfect culmination of Golden Tee’s 30th anniversary,” said Don Pesceone, IT’s VP of Amusements. “We pride ourselves as one of the original esports, and our collaboration with ESPN speaks volumes to the longevity and competitive nature of our game that has been the driving force for decades.” The event takes place in Las Vegas from June 21-23.
INDUSTRY & ROSTER MOVES
BIG3 and 90 Plus Group, led by China Chairman Richard Chiang, announced a partnership that will bring the 3-on-3 basketball league to China in late 2019. “Since our debut season, BIG3 has quickly developed into the premier 3x3 league in the world,” said league founder Ice Cube. “Our game travels well, with globally recognized players competing at the highest level. We’re eager to make an impact in China and expand the excitement around the game.”
QuintEvents, a global, travel/event/experience provider, announced the acquisition of Grand Prix Events, a UK-based specialist in Formula 1 related corporate hospitality, luxury travel and experiences. “Having Grand Prix Events join our team will be a huge boost to our F1® Experiences business in both the UK and throughout Europe,” said Keith Bruce, International President of QuintEvents. “The Grand Prix Events team has a first-class reputation in the industry and has done a superb job growing their F1® related business. Grand Prix Events, coupled with Exclusive GP, will now give QuintEvents a much larger footprint to help us develop and service our clients who are looking for exceptional sporting events and related experiences”.
THE MAIN EVENT
Warriors/Raptors on ABC at 9p.