DraftKings, NFL Expand Their DFS Partnership to Canada

With three days to go until the Super Bowl in Tampa, DraftKings and the NFL have decided to head north.

DraftKings and the NFL on Thursday announced an agreement to expand their current daily fantasy sports and content partnership to Canada. The previous deal between DraftKings and the NFL was limited to the U.S.

“The relationship we share with the NFL is important for DraftKings online sportsbook to provide customers a great experience,” Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings, said in a news release. “This expanded agreement gives us a unique opportunity in the Canadian market, and we look forward to working with the team at the NFL Canada as we continue to shape the modern fan experience.”

It’s just the latest move in DFS the last two weeks, and it also comes at a time when Canada is looking to expand its gaming efforts through legislation.

The Charlotte Hornets last week announced a multi-year agreement with DraftKings as its exclusive official daily fantasy sports partner. Michael Jordan, sports icon and owner of the Hornets, became a special adviser to DraftKings’ board of directors in September.

Bally's Corp. announced on Jan. 25 that it was buying daily fantasy sports company Monkey Knife Fight.

Monkey Knife Fight is described as the third-largest daily fantasy company, trailing runaway industry leaders DraftKings and FanDuel DFS.

On the same day as the Bally’s deal was announced, casino giant Caesars Entertainment Inc. made what it called a “strategic investment” in daily fantasy platform SuperDraft. SuperDraft is based in New Hampshire and launched in spring 2019. It offers free and/or paid-entry DFS contests in 35 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

DraftKings, NFL Have History

In September 2019, the NFL and DraftKings entered into a partnership that made DraftKings the exclusive sponsor of daily fantasy sports, as well as provided the company access to NFL branding and other marketing opportunities. This provides DraftKings with an advantage over other NFL betting sites.

“The popularity of daily fantasy in Canada continues to rise, providing a great point of connectivity for our fans to engage with the NFL,” Gavin Kemp, NFL Canada’s director of corporate partnerships, said in the release. “As the Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the NFL in Canada, this partnership with DraftKings will enhance the Canadian fan’s experience with unique and innovative gaming experiences.”

According to the release, DraftKings powers sports and gaming entertainment for 50-plus operators in 17 countries. The DFS product is available in eight countries and the company is the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, MLB, NASCAR and the PGA Tour.