Trading blows
Like heavyweight boxers trading blows, the battle between DraftKings and FanDuel for sports betting advertising supremacy shows no sign of letting up. This week, it’s DraftKings scoring big points ahead of Thursday’s 2023 NFL season opener after it landed sponsorship rights for the NFL RedZone.
According to Sportico, DraftKings’ multi-year tenure that starts in 2023 will mark the first year in over a decade that there will be an exclusive RedZone product. Part of that reason is the league’s Sunday Ticket moving to YouTube TV from DirecTV. DraftKings’ rival FanDuel landed a deal last month that gives it exclusive branding rights for the weekly multi-game broadcast package.
one of, if not the most, competitive NFL seasons that the industry has ever seen”
The tooth-and-claw like clash between the two sportbook titans underlines what’s at stake as both brands seek to deepen their relationship with the country’s most popular sport. As the Wall Street Journal on Thursday cited FanDuel Chief Commercial Officer Mike Raffensperger as saying, 2023 will likely see “one of, if not the most, competitive NFL seasons that the industry has ever seen.”
Chasing FanDuel’s tail
Had Raffensperger known of DraftKings’s RedZone deal, he might have replaced “likely” with “certainly.” With the NFL restricting the number of sports betting adverts during games, becoming the RedZone’s presenting sponsor commands DraftKings greater brand awareness in the NFL. ?
While the Boston-based sportsbook is facing a herculean task keeping up with FanDuel, its RedZone deal shows it is nowhere near throwing in the towel. This despite the brutal swathe FanDuel cut through its rivals January 1 to August 15 to become the “most-seen” sportsbook brand on American TV, according to iSpot.tv. The US ad-tracking company last month revealed the Flutter-owned brand’s share of TV ad impressions increased around 40% to 49% year-on-year.
DraftKings was second, a staggering 28% behind FanDuel in the TV stakes.
FanDuel’s 49% doesn’t just give it the lead in the TV ad war. Competitor BetMGM was the third most-seen sportsbook brand (16%) with outgoing sportsbooks PointsBet fourth and FOX Bet fifth. DraftKings was second, a staggering 28% behind FanDuel in the TV stakes.
Bring it on
The 2023 battle for ad betting supremacy is shaping up to be epic. According to the Wall Street Journal, FanDuel has upped its signup bonus promo by $50 to match the $200 for a $5 bet offer DraftKings offered over the last NFL season and hasn’t changed. ?
In addition, with NFL Sunday Ticket prices starting at $349 for YouTube TV subscribers, new and existing FanDuel customers have something else to be excited about. FanDuel is offering $100 discounts on Sunday Ticket subscriptions for a $5 bet until September 18.
Newcomers Fanatics, meanwhile, is offering $150 in team merchandise credit for new customers betting a minimum $50, while the other rookie ESPN Bet is only coming to the table in November.