DraftKings inks Major League Soccer deal; is FantasyUp going FantasyDown?

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operator DraftKings has inked an exclusive partnership with Major League Soccer (MLS).

The deal will see DraftKings serve as the exclusive DFS destination for MLS in both the US and Canada. DraftKings says it will offer exclusive free and paid MLS games and will develop “new and innovative” games to further whet MLS fans’ whistles. DraftKings also intends to partner with a number of individual MLS teams, details of which will be released at a later date.

DraftKings CEO Jason Robins said soccer was “underrepresented in daily fantasy and we’re going to change that in a big way.” MLS president Gary Stevenson called DFS a “proven fan development tool” and said fans could expect to see “deep integration within our many digital platforms.”

The deal follows similar tie-ups DraftKings has made with Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the NASCAR driving organization and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.