Author Archives: Jerry Milani

About Jerry Milani

Jerry Milani is a freelance writer and public relations executive living in Bloomfield, N.J. He has worked in P.R. for more than 30 years in college and conference sports media relations, two agencies and for the International Fight League, a team-based mixed martial arts league, and variouis sports and entertainment properties. Milani is a proud graduate of Fordham University and when not attending a Yankees or Rams game can be reached at Jerry (at) JerryMilani (dot) com.

Iconic Sports Pop Culture Artist Costacos Unveils New Blockchain-based Digital Collectibles Company

Iconic, award-winning pop culture artist John Costacos, who established a genre of sports art with his famed sports personality poster creations, along with co-founder and CEO Justin Moorad and Digital Art Director Mike Campau, today unveiled a new blockchain-based digital collectibles company, the Costacos Collection.

The Costacos Collection is partnering with an initial lineup of legendary NFL, MLB, and NBA players and their charitable foundations, including Warren Moon, Troy Aikman, Pudge Rodriguez, Jim McMahon, Roger Clemens, Will Clark, and others to be announced in the coming weeks. The Costacos Collection – the predecessor of which sold over 30,000,000 posters from 1986-96 – utilizes the blockchain medium to help the world’s greatest athletes capture their most significant moments, tell their most meaningful stories, and create new digital experiences to connect with fan communities. In addition to re-imagining John’s revered poster art, the Costacos Collection is creating new digital art as NFTs, with the tokens serving as the ticket to the company’s upcoming Hall of Fame Metaverse.

The Topps Company will also be a partner of the Collection, drawing on content from its vast historical archives and working with Costacos to create new content with Topps’ current-athlete partners.

CostacosCollection.com will serve as the gateway to the company’s listings as well as post-sale experiences, which will include communities and experiences exclusive to NFT owners. The company plans to fill the gap where Big Tech’s social media has failed: enabling fans to connect with and support their heroes directly. Through community engagement features, museum-style social displays, games, raffles and giveaways, trading and staking based on live and AI-generated sporting events, and the bridging of the digital with physical items and events, the company is pursuing a vision not held back by any one particular partnership or association.

“We believe in the long-term power of the technology,” said CEO Justin Moorad. “With a chain-agnostic approach, we’re able to form partnerships across the ecosystem – from the highest-quality art minted securely on Ethereum, to games built on Solana, to opportunities for proprietary fungible tokens, the Costacos Collection is building technology that positions our athletes at the center of the evolving landscape.”

John Costacos’ posters included imagery, slogans, and nicknames that stuck with players for the rest of their careers, including his first poster, Kenny Easley’s “The Enforcer,” the Oakland A’s “Bash Brothers,” Charles Barkley’s “Get Off My Backboard,” Jerry Rice’s “Goldfingers,” Michael Jordan’s “Space, The Final Frontier,” Joe Montana’s “The Golden Great,” Jim McMahon’s “Mad Mac,” Walter Payton’s “Chicago Vice,” Rickey Henderson’s “Man of Steal,” Troy Aikman’s “Strong Arm of the Law,” and many others with athletes such as Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Ken Griffey Jr., Bo Jackson, John Elway, Dominique Wilkins, and Magic Johnson. In addition to working with legacy athletes, Costacos will create new digital artwork with a growing number of today’s future Hall of Famers, Rookies of the Year, and Heisman-level college athletes.

“As an athlete of color and an entrepreneur, and as someone with roots in Seattle personally and professionally, nothing exuded cool more than a Costacos poster,” said Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon. “The Costacos Collection will now be able to recapture that cool in digital art, which is going to be fun for all the veteran athletes from all sports who became part of his ‘must have collection’ as well as for a new generation who will be engaging with this unique artwork for the first time. It’s an honor to be part of this unveiling.”

“My relationship with every athlete came from listening to their creative process and thinking of what we, as fans, would want to see, and that process has never really changed over the years,” Costacos said. “The growth of digital technology gives us an exciting chance not just to offer pieces in digital form, but to take them and retell the story with the athlete’s input now 20 years later, along with all-new digital art pieces.”

“John Costacos and his artwork helped expand the reach of the most legendary athletes of a generation to fans who knew us for being in unique artwork sometimes more than what we did on the field,” said Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez. “Now being able to revisit that artwork as NFTs will open new doors for fans who can collect the pieces yet again. I know for the LatinX audience that craves connecting with its heroes, this will be a fun and unique experience that should open more opportunities for NFTs as well.”

Completion Of Unikrn Deal Underpins Entain’s Launch Into Esports Wagering In 2022

Entain, the leading global sports betting, gaming, and interactive entertainment operator, has completed its acquisition of the assets of Unikrn, a leader in esports betting and skill-based wagering. The deal paves the way for Entain to launch innovative new esports products for customers in 2022.

Entain has bought the technology, products, platform, and brand from Unikrn which, together with its 50-strong international team, will spearhead its launch on a global scale.  Justin Dellario, who recently joined Entain from Twitch as Managing Director of Esports, is leading the push into this new market as part of a greater drive into interactive entertainment. 

Unikrn is known for a suite of products and services, including U-Mode, which stands out in the market for enabling gamers to bet on their own ranked matches in some of the world’s most competitive video game titles, and Streamer Bet, their AI-powered real-time updating odds for betting on Twitch streams.

“Entain is all about creating exciting and innovative products for our customers. With Unikrn, we’ll now be able to offer competitive gamers and esports fans alike rewarding experiences surrounding the games and events they love,” Justin Dellario said.

Esports is now established as a mainstream sport, with over 450 million gamers aged 18-35.   Entain believes that many of these have strong potential to become new customers in other areas of its business, recently noting that video gamers are more than four times more likely to participate in sports-betting and iGaming than others in the same demographic.

Entain will extend its safer gaming initiatives and player protections to new customers across skills-based wagering in sports, and interactive entertainment products. Through its not-for-profit Entain Foundation, The Group has also forged partnerships with external organisations to provide education and support to players at potential risk of gaming disorder. These include the Counter-Strike Professional Players Association, which represents professional players across esports, Kindbridge and Rise Above the Disorder.

TeamWorks Media Launches La Vida Sports

TeamWorks Media, the parent company of La Vida Baseball, today announced the launch of La Vida Sports, a newly created business to connect brands, media companies and content creators with the LatinX community, the largest growing and most underserved demographic in the U.S. La Vida Sports is a natural progression of TeamWorks Media’s development and growth of La Vida Baseball which launched in 2017. More than $10 million of investment capital has been committed to develop La Vida Baseball and La Vida Sports.

“We have had a growing number of clients, from brands to media companies to leagues and teams, come to us and say ‘we’ve seen how your reaching the LatinX audience through baseball, but we’d like you to help us with our ability to connect with audience in other ways’ to the point where we know we are responding to an important business need,” said Jay Sharman, CEO of TeamWorks Media. “Our opportunity is to help solve this gap for clients to connect with English, Spanish and bilingual fans by leveraging our decades of experience producing engaging content and building media platforms to the vital and underserved Latinx audience. Very few have the track record or cultural understanding of the Latinx audience like our La Vida Sports team does and we are excited about this opportunity to empower millions of fans at the intersection of culture and sports.”

“We’ve demonstrated the concept of building an engaged audience and delivering culturally relevant content,” said Jesse Menendez, Managing Director of La Vida Baseball. “What we do within La Vida Baseball has always been transferable. We’re expert storytellers and each sport is brimming with incredible Latinx stories that demand to be told. We’ve supported others with their engagement within the Latinx space; so now to meet the demand for culturally rich content, we are proud to expand our scope with the launch of La Vida Sports.”

Menendez further added, “This move allows us to expand our mission beyond one sport. We truly believe in creating inroads into the Latinx community in a way that amplifies the incredible stories that exist. We’ve done this for current partners at Marquee Sports Network, NBC Sports Chicago, Minute Media and look forward to many more.”

La Vida Sports contains three business units, delivering both Spanish and English language solutions:

Consulting – Research clients’ existing approach to the LatinX marketplace, build new revenue-generating roadmaps, and implement new creative strategies and execution plans.

Content Studios – Expand existing resources to create, execute and manage turn-key Latinx-focused content solutions for media companies and brands, similar to La Vida Baseball’s recent projects with Turner Sports, MLB, NBC Sports, Topps, Goose Island and the Smithsonian.

Media Publishing – La Vida Baseball, the four-year old LatinX baseball and culture media company, provides daily, year-round content to US & Latin American baseball fans reaching 10 million per month. A trusted award-winning supplier, La Vida Baseball is currently producing primetime TV content for NBC Sports Chicago, Marquee Sports Network and will have new content partnerships to announce soon.

“La Vida Baseball has a stellar reputation in the industry for creating culturally relevant sports lifestyle content,” added Carlos Sanchez, EVP and GM, FOX Deportes. “The expansion to create a company dedicated to connecting with the rapidly growing US LatinX population in both English and Spanish through all sports makes a ton of sense given the momentum in the marketplace and brands’ increased awareness of this important audience.”

In recent months, TeamWorks Media has launched a partnership with NBC Sports Chicago for content around Ozzie Guillen and his sons, ‘Being Guillén,’ with other projects that include ‘Locker Room Talk’, a weekly show highlighting the achievements of women and Latinas in sports hosted by Julie Alexandria and Jennifer Mercedes, ‘Pólvora, Voz & Diamante’, a high-energy Spanish language show hosted by Jesse Castillo, a two-time Mexican League MVP, Polo Ascencio, the Cardinals Spanish language broadcaster, and Mexican rock star Pliego Villarreal, as well as a Latino Heritage Month show on Chicago Cubs Marquee Sports Network.

More programs and a now expanded portfolio outside of baseball will be coming in the fourth quarter and in 2022.

Electronic Gaming Federation To Launch Season Three With New Titles and Over 100 Teams

The Electronic Gaming Federation, the national governing body for formalized collegiate D-I esports and high school level leagues, today announced their most comprehensive lineup for both games and participating schools in the organizations three year history. The season three of EGF will have participation from over 100 teams representing 60 colleges and universities from across the country,  as well as full participation from both the MAAC and BIG EAST Conferences returning. EGF will run leagues for Rocket League, Overwatch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and FIFA 21 as well as adding CS:GO and Chess to their growing list of supported titles. Play begins on Friday October 8 with live streams being broadcast on twitch.tv/officialegf..

“Our goal with season three was to continue to bring uniformity, consistency and a continued raised quality of play to EGF events, and we see by the increased number of schools, increased games and expanded and inclusive format we can say mission accomplished,”  said Tyler Schrodt Founder of the Electronic Gaming Federation. “Most importantly this fall will set the tone for aggressive and calculated expansion into the winter and spring, with our goal of having the largest, most comprehensive Division I esports competition in place well ahead of our five year goal.”

In addition, the organization will also begin its expansive high school program, EGFH, with 600 teams concluding with a National Championship to be played in-person at ESPN Wide World of Sports complex in June. 

New schools for the fall include:  Iona College, Bowling Green State University, University of Montana, University of South Alabama, and Washington State University for this fall, with over 100 schools expected to compete in EGF events this coming spring as well.

NLL To Support National Day for Truth and Reconciliation With Season-Long Helmet Decal, Initiatives

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced its support of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a series of initiatives that begin today and will continue throughout the upcoming 2021-22 season. The season-long program will start with a specially designed decal to be worn on all player helmets, an in-depth story with Halifax Thunderbirds player Cody Jamieson about the impact of the residential schools on his life, and more to come through the 2021-22 season. This is the first in a series of Social Responsibility programs that the league and its teams will be part of in the coming year.

“Having the opportunity to spend several days in Six Nations, learning of the history of the residential schools and touring one of the schools when I first became Commissioner was an experience of a lifetime and one I will never forget. The NLL is humbled, very proud and honored to support all the efforts by our teams and players in this important recognition of a sacred day,” said Nick Sakiewicz, NLL Commissioner. “Indigenous culture is indelibly tied into the sport of lacrosse, and we are proud that so many across the league want to support these initiatives to remember, reflect, honor and most importantly influence positive change.”

This program is inspired by its teams and players, including Halifax owner/GM Curt Styres and equipment manager Dave Sowden, who have shared their design of a leftward-facing palm print and feathers to be used by all teams for the 2021-22 season in the form of a decal to acknowledge the ‘Every Child Matters’ movement.

“We thank the other NLL teams for their support and appreciate that they will also be adding the Every Child Matter decals to their helmets for this season,” said Curt Styres. “We see this as a time of healing and we want to be here to support any way that we can and encourage everyone to become educated on the history of residential schools, become aware, increase awareness and reach out in their communities to see what can be done to help.”

Designated by the Canadian government as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation beginning last year, on September 30, people across Canada wear orange and participate in Orange Shirt Day events to recognize and raise awareness about the history and legacies of the residential school system in Canada.

For the most up to date information and breaking news, sign up for the NLL newsletter at NLL.com. Also follow Deputy Commissioner Jessica Berman and Commissioner Sakiewicz on Twitter @JessicaBerman1 and @NLLcommish, respectively.

Image: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

BetMGM Announces Content Partnership with Bill Burr and All Things Comedy

BetMGM, a leading sports betting and iGaming company, announced today a content partnership with comedian Bill Burr and All Things Comedy, the leading comedy podcast network. BetMGM’s sportsbook data and promotional offers will be integrated into the All Things Comedy-produced podcasts, “Anything Better” hosted by Bill Burr and Paul Virzi, as well as into episodes of Burr’s “Monday Morning Podcast” and YouTube channel.

“You gotta have some juice on the game, otherwise what are we doing? Sitting outside eating hot dogs?” said Burr.

Burr is a top comedic voice, achieving success in TV and film as well as on stage. The comedian’s animated Netflix series F Is For Family joins Burr with actors Laura Dern, Justin Long and Sam Rockwell and is scheduled to premiere its fifth and final season in late 2021.

Burr starred opposite Pete Davidson and Marisa Tomei in the Judd Apatow film, The King of Staten Island, and stars as Mayfeld in The Mandalorian on Disney Plus. He also was just seen in a guest role on the hit FX on Hulu series, Reservation Dogs. In September 2019, he released his sixth hour-long comedy special, Bill Burr: Paper Tiger, which was nominated for a GRAMMY Award, was recorded at London’s Royal Albert Hall and streams on Netflix.

Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer, BetMGM, said, “Bill Burr has one of the funniest, most distinctive and outspoken voices in comedy. We look forward to seeing BetMGM content incorporated into his Podcast and broader social channels.”

The BetMGM app is available on both iOS and Android, as well as accessible via desktop. As BetMGM continues to expand to new areas, responsible gaming education remains a key focus. BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly. For more information on BetMGM, follow @BetMGM on Twitter.

Sports Betting Startups Selected For Las Vegas Pitch Competition

Five sports betting startups have been selected to present their business plans to industry executives and investors at the upcoming Global Gaming Expo (G2E) conference in Las Vegas.

A panel of judges representing Turner Sports, NASCAR, Sportradar, and Sharp Alpha Advisors will hear pitches and conduct brief Q&A sessions before awarding prizes.

Turner Sports’ VP of Emerging Media and Innovation Peter Scott will join Sharp Alpha’s Lloyd Danzig and Sportradar’s Neale Deeley in assessing the startups. NASCAR Managing Director of Sports Betting Joseph Solosky will also join the panel of expert judges.

Prizes to be awarded include a $25,000 cash investment and a year of access to Sportradar’s accelerator program. Turner Sports will offer one founder behind-the-scenes access to a marquee sporting event hosted by the media company. One startup will win a VIP trip to Phoenix Raceway for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship and the opportunity to demo their product for NASCAR executives in a luxury box at the event.

The competition will feature founders from the following companies:

  • HedgePay, a B2B solution that enables any online gaming platform’s users to automatically fund their accounts using spare change round-ups
  • SharpRank, a software-based ratings agency that verifies and evaluates the performance of professional sports bettors and handicappers
  • Tallysight, a publishing platform that helps sportsbooks, media teams, and content creators monetize their sports betting audience
  • Bettor Fantasy, a platform that enables fantasy sports players to bet on their league’s matchups and outcomes
  • Juice Reel, a bet-tracking app that automatically syncs to users’ sportsbook accounts

“The quality of the applicants and judges involved in this competition is a testament to the size of the opportunity in and adjacent to sports betting,” said Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner of Sharp Alpha Advisors and organizer of the event.

The competition will take place on Wednesday, October 6 at 3:00pm PT in the Innovation Lab at G2E, which is being held at the Venetian Expo Center in Las Vegas.

Conference attendees are welcome to spectate the pitch competition free of charge.

National Lacrosse League Announces Full 2021-22 Schedule

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today revealed its full 2021-22 game schedule, beginning with Face Off Weekend, December 3-4. Early highlights of the slate include the standalone first contest featuring the Vancouver Warriors at San Diego Seals on Friday, December 3; a 2019 NLL Finals Rematch between the Calgary Roughnecks and Buffalo Bandits in Buffalo on Saturday, December 4; the first game played in Fort Worth, Texas (Dec. 10) and the return of the NLL to Hamilton, Ontario (Dec. 4) and Albany, New York  (Dec. 18).

Each team will play nine home and nine away contests during the season. TSN will broadcast a regular season “Game of the Week” on linear television as well as distribute every regular season game on its digital platforms, the TSN app or TSN.ca. Other broadcast networks and schedules will be announced soon.

In addition to the Warriors-Seals lid-lifter, Calgary-Buffalo rematch, and renewals of many classic rivalries, contests of note that NLL fans will be circling on their calendars include:

  • Saturday, December 4, Albany FireWolves at Toronto Rock, first game at Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre since the Ontario Raiders in 1998 and first game for the relocated Albany franchise
  • Saturday, December 4, Panther City Lacrosse Club at Philadelphia Wings, inaugural contest for expansion Panther City
  • Saturday, December 4, Saskatchewan Rush at Halifax Thunderbirds, a re-match of their classic matchup from the 2019-20 season that ended in overtime with the Rush winning 16-15.
  • Friday, December 10, Vancouver Warriors at Panther City Lacrosse Club, first home game in Fort Worth and first ever NLL game in Texas
  • Saturday, December 11, Calgary Roughnecks at Saskatchewan Rush and Buffalo Bandits at Rochester Knighthawks, in the first of three matchups through the season between these division rivals
  • Friday, December 17, San Diego Seals at Calgary Roughnecks, return game for 13-year Roughneck and former MVP Dane Dobbie with his new team
  • Saturday, December 18, Rochester Knighthawks at Albany FireWolves, first game in Albany since the Albany Attack in 2003 for the relocated FireWolves franchise
  • Saturday, February 5, and Saturday, March 19, Georgia Swarm at Albany FireWolves, return to Albany with University at Albany standouts Miles Thompson and Lyle Thompson
  • Saturday, March 26, New York Riptide at Albany FireWolves, return of Callum Crawford to his former franchise where he led the team in scoring the past two seasons and a league best .727-win percentage in the 2019-20 season
  • Saturday, April 2, Buffalo Bandits at Colorado Mammoth, features the matchup of the number one and two ranked goaltenders (Matt Vinc and Dillon Ward) as voted by the NLLPA player poll
  • Week 22, the final week of the regular season from April 29-30, will see every team in action in conference matchups with many potential playoff seeding positions on the line

“It’s great to be back playing lacrosse and a lot of work has gone into putting together the competition schedule. We are all thrilled to welcome the League’s 14th expansion team, Panther City Lacrosse Club in their inaugural season and all the new and exciting players joining the League over the last two Entry Drafts. There are so many intriguing matchups, particularly early in the season and we can’t wait to get started,” said Nick Sakiewicz, NLL Commissioner. “We know that fans have been anxious to see when their favorite teams will be returning to action so we worked extra hard to make sure all our teams play on opening weekend and, we can’t wait to see NLL fans cheering on ‘Face Off Weekend’ beginning in a just over two months.” 

Fans can view the entire 2021-22 schedule at https://www.nll.com/schedule/full-schedule/.

La Vida Baseball, NBC Sports Chicago Form Partnership To Expand Reach of ‘Being Guillén’

TeamWorks Media, the parent company of La Vida Baseball, today announced a new strategic content partnership with NBC Sports Chicago with ‘Being Guillén,’ La Vida Baseball’s most popular show moving to the NBC Sports Chicago lineup this month. The show will continue airing on the cable home of the White Sox through the end of 2021.

“We are very pleased with the growing popularity around ‘Being Guillén’ and this new content sharing partnership with NBC Sports Chicago helps us expand the reach of all things Ozzie and family at such a critical time of year for the White Sox and baseball in Chicago,” said Jesse Menendez, Managing Director of La Vida Baseball. “We are sure Ozzie’s stories and opinions that he and his sons bring in will make for great buzz and interesting conversation as the MLB Postseason heats up in the coming weeks.”

Guillén, the self-proclaimed “most popular person in Chicago,” with two of his sons, Ozzie Jr. and Oney focus on today’s sports happenings, as well as revisiting Ozzie’s colorful past on and off the field, especially as a member and then manager of the White Sox. From his days playing pickup basketball against Michael Jordan to his time with the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship team, ‘Being Guillén,’ will now have an expanded audience with the reach of NBC Sports Chicago.

The partnership with NBC Sports Chicago is the latest in a series of content expansion moves La Vida Baseball has introduced in the past few months. Others include ‘Locker Room Talk’, a weekly show highlighting the achievements of women and Latinas in sports hosted by Julie Alexandria and Jennifer Mercedes, ‘Pólvora, Voz & Diamante’, a high-energy Spanish language show hosted by Jesse Castillo, a two-time Mexican League MVP, Polo Ascencio, the Cardinals Spanish language broadcaster, and Mexican rock star Pliego Villarreal, as well as a Latino Heritage Month show on Chicago Cubs Marquee Sports Network.

Washington Capitals Announce Caesars Entertainment as First-Ever Jersey Patch Partner

The Washington Capitals and Caesars Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) announced a multi-year partnership agreement today that places the Caesars Sportsbook logo on Capitals home and third jerseys worn for games played at Capital One Arena beginning with the 2022-23 NHL season. The landmark announcement marks the first team announced agreement in the NHL’s Jersey Advertising Program.

Caesars Sportsbook, the best-in-class sportsbook offering, will have its logo worn on the Capitals home and third jerseys, with the 3 x 3.5 inch patch positioned on the upper right chest area of the jersey. An industry first, the introduction of the Caesars Sportsbook patch follows the historic opening of the Caesars Sportsbook at Capital One Arena in May 2021.

In addition to the home jersey patch, Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) and Caesars Sportsbook expand their partnership with additional Casino, Gaming and Caesars Rewards programming elements. The agreement also includes the entitlement of a Caesars hospitality space and VIP seating at Capital One Arena.  

“Following the successful launch of Caesars Sportsbook adjacent to Capital One Arena last spring, we are thrilled to introduce Caesars Sportsbook as the Capitals’ inaugural home jersey advertising partner in a first-of-its-kind announced partnership in the NHL,” said MSE president of business operations and chief commercial officer Jim Van Stone. “Together as two industry leaders, we’ve built a robust partnership in the gaming and casino space, and our overall relationship reflects our shared commitment to providing sports fans with world-class, unique experiences. MSE, the Capitals and Caesars share a commitment and passion toward innovation in the sports and entertainment space, and the opportunity to incorporate Caesars onto Capitals home jerseys is a wonderful development and exciting new fan engagement opportunity for both organizations in the nation’s capital.”

The NHL’s Jersey Advertising Program begins with the 2022-23 NHL season and allows up to two jersey sponsors per team when separate sponsors appear on home and away jerseys. The Capitals will announce an away jersey sponsor at a later date.

“Being woven into the Washington Capitals jersey is an exciting chapter in our collective story,” said Chris Holdren, Co-President of Caesars Digital. “Like Monumental Sports & Entertainment, we love blazing trails and we are always looking for innovative opportunities that drive engagement and storytelling for fans. We are proud to extend our historic partnership with such a storied franchise after launching the sportsbook at Capital One Arena.”

MSE and Caesars Entertainment previously made history with the opening of Caesars Sportsbook at MSE’s Capital One Arena. Marking a major milestone in U.S. sports history, the sportsbook officially opened in May 2021, becoming the first ever sports betting venue to open within a U.S. professional sports facility. A first-of-its-kind, marquee destination for local, regional and global visitors, the two-story, 18,000 square-foot venue features 17 betting windows and 12 self-service betting kiosks, as well as Verizon 5G Wi-Fi capability so fans can place wagers on mobile devices. Click here to learn more.

The newly-launched and easy-to-navigate Caesars Sportsbook by William Hill app integrates mobile sports betting with Caesars Rewards, where every bet, win or lose, rewards the bettor with Tier Credits and Reward Credits that can be used to unlock unbeatable experiences within the Caesars portfolio of properties and partnerships. True to the legendary Caesars brand, the app provides an expansive array of wagering opportunities, including live in-game betting and flexible limits on the bets players want to make.

Entain Foundation Backs American Gaming Association Responsible Gaming Initiative

As part of Responsible Gaming Education Week 2021, global sports betting and gaming operator Entain is backing the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Have a Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ public service campaign through its not-for-profit organization, the Entain Foundation U.S.

Entain’s “Gamble Responsibly America” app will feature the campaign, which educates sports fans on responsible sports betting, while HaveAGamePlan.org will highlight the first-of-its-kind app. BetMGM, which is jointly owned by Entain and MGM Resorts International, are also backing the AGA Have A Game Plan campaign. 

“Our Responsible Gambling programs and AGA’s initiatives, including Have a Game Plan, are completely aligned,” said Martin Lycka, Entain Senior Vice President for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling and trustee of the Entain Foundation U.S. “The more we can repeat the message of responsible gambling across multiple channels—like the Gamble Responsibly America app and Have A Game Plan—the better our customers’ experience will be.”

“Working with the Entain Foundation to provide consumer education tools and resources benefits both customers and the long-term sustainability of the legal, regulated market,” said AGA Senior Vice President Casey Clark. “Enabling this market to continue its growth requires a collective, balanced approach to fan and bettor engagement. We are excited that Have a Game Plan continued to be adopted by a wide-array of businesses with an interest in getting sports betting right.”

The AGA launched Have A Game Plan in late 2019 and includes partners DraftKings, FanDuel, Monumental Sports and Entertainment, NASCAR, New York Jets, NHL, PGA TOUR, SeventySix Capital, Sightline Payments, Sinclair Broadcast Group, UFC, Vegas Golden Knights, and Washington Football Team.

Entain and EPIC Risk Management and RG24/7, which partner with the Entain Foundation U.S. on responsible gambling education and projects, launched the Gamble Responsibly app in the U.S. in June. The free app, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, features a series of educational resources and tools to anonymously help and support anyone facing potential issues with problem gambling. The unbranded app is an educational resource with no commercial benefit to Entain or BetMGM, the U.S. sports betting and gaming business it jointly owns with MGM Resorts International.   

“Gamble Responsibly America” offers assets and information to help people gamble responsibly and provide guidance for those struggling, or who would like to understand the behavioral patterns or symptoms associated with problem gambling. It is the first free app to do this and is available in both English and Spanish, to maximize its accessibility to all communities in America.

AGA’s Responsible Gaming Education Week, from Sept. 19-25, educates consumers on responsible game play and highlights responsibility’s central role to the industry.
Sports betting is currently legal and operational in 26 states and the District of Columbia providing 113 million Americans with access to sports betting in their home state.

Data Driven Sports/ShotTracker Announces Automated Content Products To Drive Engagement And Revenue

Data Driven Sports (DDSports), the parent company of ShotTracker,  today unveiled an exciting suite of new products to support digital publishers and broadcasters in engaging and monetizing college basketball fans this upcoming season. Leveraging the ShotTracker’s unique, real-time player and ball tracking data, combined with automated content and analytics platforms, DDSports now offers three innovative products designed to efficiently increase sponsorable content for its clients:

  • Automated Visualizations – customizable graphics with sponsor integrations designed for easy publishing to broadcast/OTT, digital, social and in-venue signage.
  • Insights Engine – AI-powered trends and streaks to drive game storylines and data-driven sales campaigns.
  • 3D Gamecast – animated ball and player graphics powered by real-time X-Y-Z location data, designed to allow out-of-market fans to watch their team live, and for all fans to relive exciting game moments. 

The three new products will be available for all men’s and women’s games across top NCAA Division 1 conferences where ShotTracker is installed, and will include unique, data-driven brand activation capabilities. “Our goal is to provide turnkey solutions to leading sports broadcasters and digital publishers to make the integration of ShotTracker data as streamlined and seamless as feasible,” said Davyeon Ross, DDSports/ShotTracker Co-Founder and President. “We commit to innovating and creating digital products that drive new revenue while also streamlining the content production process.”

Automated Visualizations

Leveraging the robust ShotTracker Data API, and through its partnership with IMPACT, a leading automated visualization platform, ShotTracker data will come to life in dynamic graphics designed for use across broadcast/OTT, digital, social and in-venue signage. Graphics that once took hours to produce will now be automatically generated. Broadcast customers will have access to a user portal that will allow for design, data points and sponsor customizations. Product benefits include more content, lower production costs and greater advertising revenue.

Insights Engine

Realizing the increasing need to grab fans’ attention and keep them engaged, ShotTracker has partnered with Inside Edge, a leader in sports analytics, to develop a cutting-edge platform to produce instant insights from ShotTracker’s robust data set. Broadcasters and digital publishers will now have real-time access to unique streaks and trends that once took hours to manually derive. This innovative platform will not only drive engaging storylines for announcers and writers, but will also support high-value sponsor activations.

3D Gamecast

Since many fans do not have access to live game broadcasts, and because game highlight rights are often complex and limited, ShotTracker has developed a real-time visual representation of every second of game action for all ShotTracker-enabled men’s and women’s games across top NCAA Division I conferences. Fans will have the option to watch an entire game or to select key game moments. With ShotTracker’s X-Y-Z data stream, game action comes to life in a more engaging visual representation than the traditional 2D products in the marketplace. Developers can use ShotTracker’s Gamecast SDK to customize design as well as advertiser integrations.

Gonzaga Selects Fast Rising Ready as Official Sports Drink

Ready® Nutrition (@ready_nutrition), one of the fastest growing sports nutrition companies in North America, with NBA Finals Champion and MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and three-time NFL Defensive MVP Aaron Donald as co-owners, today announced that Gonzaga University selected the brand as the Official Sports Drink of Bulldog Athletics.

Ready® Sport Drink will be the exclusive isotonic sports drinks for fueling and replenishing Gonzaga student-athletes with its scientific, all-natural formulation featuring three dominant electrolytes, energy from superfruits, and B-Vitamins for complete hydration.   

“We’re looking forward to this partnership with Ready® ” Incoming Gonzaga Director of Athletics Chris Standiford said. “It’s vital that we provide our student-athletes with the best sports nutrition options, and we know that Ready® will be the best choice for Gonzaga.”

Gonzaga is a member of the West Coast Conference, one of 8 conferences that have selected Ready® as their Official Sports Drink.  The Bulldogs’ national profile is highlighted by the success of its men’s and women’s basketball programs. The women have been crowned WCC champions and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in eight of the last 12 years.  The men’s program, under future Hall of Fame Coach Mark Few, has become a traditional national power.  The team has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 10 years, making numerous Sweet 16 and Elite 8 appearances and playing for the National Championship in 2021.

“We’re always looking to provide our guys with the best in everything,” said Coach Few.  “We used Ready® during the tournament last year and our players loved it. It was an easy decision for us to name Ready® our Official Sports Drink.”

In addition to its sports drink, Ready® will also make available it’s full portfolio of performance products including its popular protein water, protein bars and functional snacks.  

“We’re excited to welcome Gonzaga into the Ready® family and thrilled that another elite program and coach has selected our sports drink for their student athletes”, said Ready® Founder and CEO Pat Cavanaugh, himself a former student-athlete and University of Pittsburgh basketball team captain.  “Coach Few’s program has such a high standard of excellence and I know he wants the very best for his players and all Gonzaga student-athletes.  We’re committed to helping them reach their team and individual goals with our science-based performance products.”

NLL Pivots Entry Draft to Virtual Setting Streaming on TSN, NLL Facebook and YouTube Channels

The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced that the 2021 NLL Entry Draft will be held virtually on Saturday, August 28 and the induction ceremony of the NLL Hall of Fame Class of 2021 presented by GAIT Lacrosse has been postponed to a later date.

“After lengthy discussions we have decided it is in the best interests of our team and league staff, and most importantly our draftees, to hold our 2021 NLL Draft on Saturday, August 28 in a virtual live stream format. We have also chosen to postpone our formal NLL Hall of Fame induction, which was scheduled for the day prior, to a later date to be determined” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “While we have complete confidence in safety protocols that we were planning, the U.S. border for those driving from Canada remains closed. We were anticipating it would reopen in time for an in-person event, however with so many team staff located in Canada and the logistics of travelling back and forth across the border would have made staging such a large, first class event very difficult. Our plan is to host the NLL Hall of Fame ceremony in person, at a time when everyone of the inductees and their families can attend and, travel logistics are much easier. The NLL Hall of Fame is very important to the heritage of our league, it is crucial all will be able to attend and be properly honored surrounded by friends and family.”

The league will present comprehensive and expansive broadcast coverage of the 2021 Entry Draft. The first two rounds will be available for live streaming on TSN.ca and the TSN app in Canada along with the NLL’s YouTube channel and Facebook (@NLL). Live coverage begins at 7pm ET. Rounds three through six will be updated in real time on NLL.com and NLL social media accounts.

“We want to thank our board, our staff, and especially all those we have worked closely with at Pegula Sports and Entertainment over the last few months in helping us set up what would have been a memorable on site weekend, which now will be carried out from locations across North America” continued Sakiewicz. “We will release the NLL’s regular season schedule next month and we look forward to launching the 2021-22 season on December 3, 2021.”

All 14 active NLL franchises for the 2021-22 season will participate in the Entry Draft, with the Panther City Lacrosse Club making its inaugural selection, followed by the Georgia Swarm and Buffalo Bandits currently scheduled to make the next two selections, respectively.

The full first round NLL Entry Draft order, as of August 20, pending pre-Draft transactions, is as follows:

1. Panther City Lacrosse Club

2. Georgia (from New York)

3. Buffalo (from Rochester)

4. Vancouver

5. San Diego

6. Calgary

7. Saskatchewan (from Colorado)

8. Saskatchewan (from Philadelphia)

9. Georgia

10. Philadelphia (from Buffalo)

11. Panther City Lacrosse Club (from Toronto via Georgia)

12. Halifax

13. Buffalo (from Saskatchewan)

14. Buffalo (from Albany)

15. Calgary (from Panther City Lacrosse Club)

16. Albany (Compensatory)

The NLL Entry Draft was held virtually in 2020 following a two-year run at Philadelphia’s Xfinify Live! in 2018 and 2019.

FanDuel Group Announces Multi-Year Partnership with Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth

Jordan Spieth, three-time major champion, is joining the FanDuel Group team as part of an exclusive partnership with America’s #1 sportsbook.

This new partnership designates FanDuel, an official sports betting partner of the PGA TOUR, as the exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy provider for Jordan Spieth. As part of the relationship, Spieth will be featured in national television commercials and will be the face of FanDuel’s golf products. Spieth will work with FanDuel on content for social media and responsible gaming initiatives. FanDuel will also support the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation to continue its great work in the community.

“As the world of legal sports betting grows rapidly in the U.S, I’m incredibly excited about what’s happening in the space and the potential it has to bring new fans to the sport of golf,” said Jordan Spieth. “As the PGA Tour and others in the golf world have strongly embraced legalized sports gaming, I look forward to working with FanDuel to find unique ways to engage the fast-growing fanbase.”

Spieth’s golf career has been one of dominance from his days as a junior golfer to today, where he is one the most recognizable global stars. Very few golfers have entered the professional ranks with the poise and dominance of Jordan Spieth. He was the youngest player to win on the PGA TOUR in 82 years, when he won the John Deere Classic in 2013 at the age of 19.  At 21 years of age he won the 2015 Masters and the 2015 US Open and two years later he won the 2017 Open Championship.  2021 has been a great season for Jordan, who is currently 2nd on the Fed-Ex Cup rankings.  He has 9 Top-10 finishes this season, including earning his 12th PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open.   

“Golf is an incredibly popular sport on the FanDuel platform and we are always looking for new ways to engage the growing golf fanbase and community,” said Mike Raffensperger, Chief Marketing Officer of FanDuel Group. “As one of the most universally admired golfers at the top of his game, Jordan Spieth is a perfect fit for our first official golf partner and the face of golf at FanDuel.”

Spieth is the newest member of FanDuel’s deep roster of exclusive sports betting talent and influencers headlined by Pat McAfee. FanDuel has also formed exclusive sports betting partnerships with blue chip media companies like Pat McAfee Inc., Turner Sports and Bleacher Report. This is all in addition to FanDuel’s own sports betting and daily fantasy content offerings that includes numberFire, The Duel, an extensive podcast network with a total of seven podcasts and More Ways to Win on TVG. 

WTA Announces FanDuel As Its First Authorized Gaming Operator

Naomi Osaka (Flickr-Rob Prange)

The WTA and FanDuel today announced the designation of FanDuel as an Authorized Gaming Operator in North, South, and Central America. The new relationship brings America’s number one sportsbook and industry-leading daily fantasy sports products directly to WTA fans and marks the first time a women’s sport will have video highlights throughout FanDuel’s digital platforms and sportsbooks. WTA will grant FanDuel access to its trademarks and FanDuel will also use WTA Tour’s official scoring data from Stats Perform, the Official Data Supplier of the WTA throughout FanDuel’s platforms. This integration will allow tennis fans in the Americas to join the growing engagement opportunities surrounding fantasy sports and further professionalize the legalized gaming category for tennis.

“The WTA is pleased to welcome FanDuel as its first Authorized Gaming Operator,” stated WTA President, Micky Lawler. “FanDuel is a premier destination for sports fans online and this relationship provides the building blocks for growing our fan base. This milestone not only delivers on the growing appetite fans have for a more personalized sporting experience, but also paves the way for us to have a proactive role in managing the responsible gambling standards and practices we wish to foster. Our top priority is providing our fans with more opportunities to engage with the sport in a fun and safe way.”    

“We are incredibly proud of our commitment to supporting women in sports and are continuously looking for new ways to further raise awareness of female athletes, teams, and all women in sports,” said Amy Howe, President and Interim CEO, FanDuel Group. “Aligning with the WTA — the global leader in women’s professional sports – is consistent with our overall mission to elevate the profile for talented women in sports. We are delighted to partner with such a prestigious organization.”

Driven by the WTA’s sponsorship sales agency of record, CSM, the agreement with FanDuel represents the WTA’s latest innovation to strengthen the growth and exposure of women’s tennis. Following the announcement of Stats Perform’s data integration last November, FanDuel will showcase the next evolution of data-driven touchpoints and trusted betting products for WTA fans. 

“Our platforms are now a destination for WTA content and highlights, which significantly enriches the sports betting experience, while continuing to expand our media and content capabilities,” continued Howe.

As part of the new strategic collaboration, FanDuel will work closely with the WTA to promote safe and responsible gaming. Demonstrating its commitment to promote responsible gaming and the availability of prevention, treatment & recovery resources, the WTA has joined the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG). The WTA looks forward to working with NCPG on its Safer Sports Betting Initiative.

cover image: Naomi Osaka-(Flickr/Rob Prange)

FanDuel Unveils Renderings for New Footprint Center Sportsbook in Arizona

FanDuel, the premier online gaming company in the United States, today unveiled the renderings for its new, luxury sportsbook in the Footprint Center, home to the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Rattlers, in Phoenix, AZ.

Earlier this year, FanDuel was named as the Suns’ Official Sportsbook and Daily Fantasy Sports Partner, and the FanDuel Sportsbook at Footprint Center will be one of the first sportsbooks in an NBA arena in the entire country.

Stretching over 7,400 square feet, including an outdoor terrace, the FanDuel Sportsbook at Footprint Center will be fans’ one-stop-shop to enjoy Suns games and other sporting events around the world while placing wagers on the action. The sportsbook will feature five betting windows, and one VIP window, 40 HD televisions, a 35-foot video wall, an MVP Room and 26 self-service betting kiosks. The FanDuel Sportsbook will be open daily for patrons to place wagers on a wide variety of events throughout the year.

VKTRY Insoles Bounce Their Way To Gold Medal Success In Tokyo

The summer-long growth of elite athletes and rising stars using VKTRY GEAR, the fast growing, industry leader in Performance Insoles for heightened performance and injury protection, literally reached a gold standard this past week, when Olympians Jordan Larson and Haleigh Washington led Team USA to its first-ever indoor volleyball gold medal, defeating Brazil to take the historic title. Larson and Washington were two of several members of Team USA to wear VKTRY, and their title further enhanced the growing popularity of the innovative insoles.

The win extends the company’s Olympic tradition. As VKTRY Insoles were originally invented for the US Olympic Bobsled Team to improve athletic explosiveness. In 2010, these carbon fiber insoles helped Team USA win gold in the 4-man bobsled – first time in 62 years.

“We congratulate Jordan, Haleigh and the whole team on their success and are proud to have played a small part in their performance, health and wellness,” said VKTRY CEO Steve Wasik. “We have some of the best athletes in the NFL, MLB, NBA and now on the world stage using our VKs to maximize performance and minimize injuries.”

“I’ve been really impressed with how VKTRY Insoles have helped me increase my vertical, even at my age,” said Larson, Team USA Captain. “I felt the difference immediately when I put these insoles into my shoes – Wow!”

“I’ve struggled with good foot support for my entire athletic career,” added Washington. “VKTRY has made a difference in my comfort, my explosiveness, and how my feet feel when I play!”

Larson is one of the most decorated athletes in the sport of volleyball. An All-American at The University of Nebraska she is now a three-time Olympic medalist. Larson won gold with the national team at the 2014 World Championship, the Rimini Volleyball Nations League, and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, silver at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. VKTRY has been a key part of her success in career longevity and injury recovery. Washington, a three time All-American at Penn State, and key member of the 2014 NCAA Championship team, won gold as a middle blocker in her first Olympics.

The volleyball success is the latest in a series of continued growth for the company. In June, the company announced that Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady joined the company as both a brand ambassador and a member of their growing athlete advisory team. Then in July, The Foot & Ankle Research and Innovation Laboratory at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital completed a 12-month long, IRB-approved, randomized control trial of VKTRY Performance Insoles used in the treatment of 1st Metatarsophalangeal (MTP) arthritis, commonly known as “Turf Toe.” The study showed that VKTRY carbon fiber insoles proved to be a statistically significant better solution for patients than the traditional treatment. Patients reported a demonstrable improvement in comfort and pain management with the VKTRY Insoles.

Additional announcements are expected in the next few weeks.

Made from aerospace-grade carbon fiber, VKTRY Insoles store and return energy to the athlete. They also provide a “spring-like” effect to improve shock absorption and reduce the load and stress on the athlete’s body. In independent performance testing, athletes wearing VKs increased their broad jump by an average of +4.0”, their vert by +1.6” and improved their 40 times by 0.12 seconds.

Because all athletes are not alike, VKs are customized based on the size of the athlete and the sport or activity. VKTRY Insoles are available in five different levels of flexibility to optimize performance, protection and comfort. Athletes at more than 300 professional and college teams wear VKTRY Insoles for training and competition. A recent study of 263 NCAA athletes showed 41% less foot injuries and 22% less lower leg injuries when athletes use VKs. More and more people are discovering the benefits of energy return, improved stability and the shock absorption that VKs provide.

During the 2020 NFL season, a record number of over 200 NFL players, from 29 of 32 clubs, wore VKTRY’S carbon fiber insoles, a 300% increase from 2019. Some of the brightest young stars and respected veterans in the NFL, including Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb, LV Raiders RB Josh Jacobs, Washington RB Antonio Gibson, Buffalo Bills RB Devin Singletary, SF 49ers WR “Deebo” Samuel, Seattle Seahawks WR DK Metcalf, NY Jets Williams, Buffalo Bills CB Josh Norman, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans WR Anthony Miller, LA Chargers OT Brian Bulaga, Denver Broncos TE Noah Fant, New York Giants TE Evan Engram, Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, Pittsburgh Steelers LB Devin Bush and many more have embraced the benefits of VKTRY Insoles.

Disc Golf Event Pulls In Record Cash, Charitable Donations

The Discraft Ledgestone Insurance Open, a Disc Golf Pro Tour Elite Series Event, added a record amount of added cash to the tournament purse and significant donations to several charities. $75,000 of added cash was added to the purse, which is the largest amount in tournament history and $200,000 was be donated to charities.

“This year, we are ecstatic to announce a Ledgestone record amount of added cash for the DGPT side of the event. Thanks to the generous support of Discraft and GRIP Equipment, we have been able to significantly increase our added cash amount compared to last year,” said Tournament Director Nate Heinold. The $75,000 added cash brings the total tournament purse to just under $120,000 with first place in the MPO division receiving $10,000 and the winner of the FPO division receiving $4,000.

The tournament also has a history of charitable contributions, and in 2021, the Discraft Ledgestone Insurance Open made the largest donation in disc golf history of $200,000. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Easter Seals, the Paul McBeth Foundation, the Southside Mission of Peoria, and EDGE will be the recipients of the donation. St Jude Children’s Research Hospital participated in Sunday’s Disc Golf Pro Tour Ceremonial Throw for Charity.

“The magnitude and impact of the Discraft Ledgestone Insurance Open is hard to overstate. What Nate and his team has accomplished year after year is incredible, and the 2021 edition truly set a new highwater mark for charitable giving in the entire sport of disc golf,” said DGPT Director Jeff Spring. “The Tour is immensely proud to have this event as one of our cornerstones.”

Entain Joins 50 Global Leaders on Sustainability

Entain, the global sports betting and gaming entertainment group, has joined the line-up in this year’s 50 Global Leaders sustainability initiative, showcased on Bloomberg’s global media platform, marking its progress on responsible gaming and ESG.

The 50 Global Leaders Campaign shown on Bloomberg’s global platform, highlights work on ESG and sustainability made by leading international companies and specifically highlights the advances made by Entain over the past year in these areas, as well as across other responsibility initiatives.

Last year, Entain launched a Sustainability Charter, and pledged to invest £100 million over five years in the Entain Foundation, to fund responsible gaming initiatives and support people and communities around the world where it operates.

Entain is fully committed to player protection, and is developing a pioneering, personal protection system for players using its technology called ARC (Advanced Responsibility and Care), which will build individual risk profiles for each customer and, if they show signs of being at risk, intervene without them being aware to keep their play safe.

Through its Foundation, Entain has taken a lead in supporting community and grass roots sport through initiatives such as Pitching In and a partnership with SportsAid in the UK, respectively providing funding to help local football clubs and support aspiring young athletes. Internationally the Group supports similar initiatives, such as bwincares in Greece.

Entain is ranked #1 in the All-in Diversity Charter’s All-Index list, the industry benchmark for diversity and inclusion, and is developing initiatives around the world to support under-represented groups, and notably young women, seeking careers in technology. The Group has provided support through the pandemic, with a global Employee Assistance Programme linked to the wellbeing platform, Unmind, and relief, through the Foundation, for victims of COVID-19 in India.

Also over the past year, Entain achieved its greenhouse gas emissions reduction target one year early, reducing emissions by over 15% per employee since 2018, and has committed to become net-zero by 2035. This includes setting a Science-based Target, which we have formally committed to via the Science-based Targets Initiative. The Group is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, the S&P Sustainability Yearbook 2021, and FTSE4Good.