Online betting operator PointsBet has agreed a multi-year deal with National Hockey League (NHL) franchise the Detroit Red Wings, its second deal with a Michigan-based team in the space of a week.
The deal will see the Sport & Social sports bar at the Red Wings’ Little Caesars Arena renamed the PointsBet Sports Bar. PointsBet signage will also appear around the outside of the rink and PointsBet ads will appear on the Red Wings’ digital platforms and radio network.
“We are thrilled to extend our relationship with the Ilitch organization and announce this partnership with the Detroit Red Wings, a very proud and storied NHL franchise with an extremely passionate fanbase,” Johnny Aitken, chief executive of PointsBet USA, said.
The PointsBet Sports Bar will include televisions and screens showing live betting odds, as well as a series of special gaming promotions.
“Our fans will enjoy the lively atmosphere of the PointsBet Sports Bar and the energy this partnership will bring to the game-day experience in and around Little Caesars Arena,” Chris Granger, group president for sports and entertainment at Red Wings owner Ilitch Holdings. “We are proud to deepen our relationship with PointsBet and we look forward to creating dynamic experiences for our fans.”
PointBet will also receive integrations with The Word on Woodward, an online mailbag show covering both the Red Wings and Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Detroit Tigers, available from both teams’ websites and social pages. The operator agreed a partnership with the Tigers in July 2020, the first partnership between a sportsbook and an MLB team.
“We now have the unique opportunity to work closely across both the Red Wings and Tigers, and we look forward to leveraging our competitive advantage of owning our technology environment from end to end to implement engaging product innovation and personalized offerings to complement our app’s market-leading speed,” Aitken said.
“PointsBet offers the most betting options in the world on NHL and MLB games via our unique PointsBetting product, and we are excited to unveil a deep and differentiated betting option into the great state of Michigan.”
Last week, the operator agreed a partnership with the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Detroit Pistons, becoming an official partner of the team, with former Pistons player Rip Hamilton serving as a brand ambassador.
PointsBet, which has partnered the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians for market access, last month became one of 15 operators to secure a provisional license to launch online sports betting in Michigan.
No launch date has been set for the state’s betting and igaming markets, though this is expected to be discussed at a meeting of the State Gaming Control Board later today (12 January).