INSIGHT NORTH AMERICA
Marketing Strategies US Sports Leagues
For years leagues in the US uniformly fought to stop the spread of sports gambling. In
2011, when New Jersey amended its constitution to allow for sports betting, all of the major leagues filed suit against then Governor Chris Christie. Taking a far more pragmatic approach now that sports betting has been legalised, all four major leagues have all signed multi-million dollar deals with gaming companies.
Today, sports betting companies are using sporting icons and celebrities in brash sometimes light-hearted multi million dollar campaigns in numerous TV spots – something which would have been unthinkable a few years ago.
According to estimates from the research company, iSpot. TV, up until September last year, DraftKings’ spending on national television advertising increased by as much 98 per cent compared with the same period the previous year. Meanwhile FanDuel’s spending has more than doubled.
P36 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Comedian Martin Lawrence has starred in 10 advertisements for DraftKings which also appeared on YouTube, the NFL Network and other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Te new national ad campaign titled "Te Feels" features Lawrence’s internal debate with actors each depicting certain emotions as to how to bet with the slogan: "Life's more fun with skin in the game."
Meanwhile, Wynn Resorts has employed the services of Ben Affleck and actor Melvin Gregg.
In August 2021, Wynn Resorts announced that it would spend more than $100m this football season marketing its new sports betting app. Te ads, directed by Affleck himself, show his own journey to the sportsbook at Wynn Las Vegas where he meets up with Shaquille O'Neal. Striking a more serious tone, Jamie Foxx appears on ads for BetMGM standing amongst the Fountains of Bellagio in Las Vegas, to promote “Te King of Sportsbook.”
In 2021, Caesars Entertainment unveiled Caesars Sportsbook,
featuring comedian JB Smoove (known amongst other roles for his regular appearance on Larry David's “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as a modern day Caesar and Holly Berry starring as a very unimpressed Cleopatra. Te campaign is aimed partly at moving association with the name away from the William Hill brand into the Caesars brand which is far better known in the US.
Sports celebrities are also playing a huge role in getting the message across. BetMGM has hired former NBA superstar Kevin Garnett while
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