You kind of knew it would be a wild flurry of partnerships happening quickly in the world of New York Sports Betting with mobile on the way.
And that is exactly the case following the Nov. 8 announcement by the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) of mobile sports betting providers and operators.
In fact, the very next day, Madison Square Garden announced a partnership with BetMGM.
Now, nine days later, another sports betting platform is entering the arena. Literally.
MSG announced a multi-year marketing partnership with Caesars Sportsbook New York on Thursday. The pact names Caesars an official sports betting partner of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers, Madison Square Garden Arena and MSG Networks.
DraftKings NY Deal was First
It is also the Garden’s third partnership with a sports betting entity as DraftKings NY was named an official and exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy sports partner of the Garden, Knicks and Rangers in January 2020.
Within the Garden, Caesars Sportsbook will have a branded, premium hospitality space that will be open for all Knicks and Rangers games, as well as additional select events. The space will undergo a full refurbishment leading into the 2022-23 seasons of the Knicks and Rangers.
Once completed, the space will be highlighted with Caesars Sportsbook branding and feature unique programming, including special guest appearances, giveaways, and enhanced activations, all available through Caesars Rewards.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Caesars Sportsbook – a renowned brand in the sports betting industry – to the MSG Sports and MSG Entertainment families,” Ron Skotarczak, Executive Vice President, Marketing Partnerships, MSG Entertainment, said in a news release. “Caesars Sportsbook is a key player in the growing world of sports betting – and we look forward to utilizing this partnership to further strengthen our brands’ connection with Caesars customers, while also providing the company with significant exposure across our unrivaled set of assets.”
Caesars also will get TV visible signage, in-arena LED messaging, GardenVision features in the Garden and activations on the court and ice during Knicks and Rangers games. Digital boards outside of Madison Square Garden and in the new Moynihan Train Hall also will feature Caesars Sportsbook branding.
The Caesars Sportsbook app is currently live in 20 states, 14 of which are mobile.
“Caesars Sportsbook is ready for expansion into New York,” Caesars Digital co-president Eric Hession said. “To partner with these legendary New York brands for compelling creative content and branding uniquely positions us to reach the avid sports fans in the region.”
Mobile Providers Moving Quickly
The Empire State’s providers and operators – which hope to be up-and-running by next month or January 2022 – are: DraftKings NY, BetMGM NY, Bally Bet, Fanduel New York Sportsbook, Rush Street Interactive (parent company of BetRivers), Caesars, WynnBET, Resorts World and PointsBet.
Much of the launch timeline of when providers and operators can go live in the state depends upon when servers can be placed in four commercial upstate casinos (Tioga Downs Casino in Nichols, Rivers Casino in Schenectady, Del Lago Casino in Waterloo and Resorts World Catskills in Monticello).
Mobile sports bets need to be routed though one of those four casino properties to operate. That process is currently being conducted with no official date for any of the operators/providers to launch.
