PointsBet Sportsbook inked another deal with a Detroit sports team today with the NHL’s Red Wings. But it’s what’s inside the deal that gives PointsBet another first in the Great Lakes State.
The Australian sports betting company was the first to partner with a Detroit professional sports team. In July, it signed a deal with the Detroit Tigers, which was also the first partnership for any MLB team with a sportsbook.
Last week, PointsBet also struck the first deal with an iconic Michigan athlete, inking Richard “Rip” Hamilton of the Pistons to a brand ambassador position.
Tuesday’s announcement about the Detroit Red Wings comes with another first.
The book will brand a Little Caesars Arena watering hole at the home of the Wings. A new PointsBet Sports Bar will replace the current Detroit Sport & Social Club.
Details about the planned PointsBet Sports Bar
Michigan online sports betting is likely just days away and so is the NHL season. The Red Wings open 2021 Thursday at home against Carolina.
The young Wings are expected to be awful again, but still enjoy a loyal following in “Hockeytown.”
Red Wings fans, whenever they return to games, are known to frequent establishments around the arena before and after games. That means PointsBet will be getting some bang for their buck in brand advertisement with the new PointsBet Sports Bar.
The Pistons, who PointsBet signed with last week, also play at LCA. That ensures even more exposure.
The rebrand of the bar, which will take place in 2021, includes a full-service food and beverage menu, HD TVs, live betting odds, special guests, unique programming, VIP access, and gaming promotions.
PointsBet deal latest for Detroit Red Wings
Just like the Tigers, the Red Wings are owned by the Ilitch family. But unlike the Tigers, the hockey club already made a multi-year deal with BetMGM for an on-ice logo at Little Caesars Arena. That deal includes in-venue signage, fan promotions, and a sponsored presence on the Red Wings’ digital platforms.
For the PointsBet deal, the Red Wings are giving signage inside the blue lines and LED signage throughout the arena. The brand will be showcased on numerous digital and radio platforms as well.
The sports bar deal is a new one for Detroit, though, and one that the Ilitch family hopes will create a “dynamic experience for our fans,” said Chris Granger, group president for sports and entertainment of Ilitch Holdings Inc., in a release.
“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.”
The biggest rivals of the Red Wings, the Colorado Avalanche, already have a similar deal in place with PointsBet.
Other firsts for PointsBet in Michigan
PointsBet also will launch its first online casino platform here in Michigan soon. The company also was the first to link up with Evolution Gaming to provide live dealer games on its casino app.
The platform’s partnership for access here is also a first. The Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians pact is PointsBet’s first with a tribe.
The Red Wings deal is just another part of PointsBet’s plans to spread the word in the state.
“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,” said Johnny Aitken, CEO of PointsBet USA.