IGB Affiliate – The media world was buzzing on January 9, 2014, when the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA (locally known as the Sixers) and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL became the first major US-based professional sports teams to sign a sponsorship deal with an online gambling company, PartyPoker. To learn more about the story behind this ground-breaking deal, and what it means for the future of online gambling in the United States, iGB Affiliate spoke exclusively to Scott O’Neil, CEO of the Devils and Sixers.
How will the PartyPoker brand be integrated into the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers teams, and within the Prudential Center?
There will be marquee signage. In Philadelphia there will be a big PartyPoker.com sign in front of both benches; you can imagine that every time we’re on TV, the money shot is the one of the bench. At Prudential Center, the PartyPoker logo will be on the boards and on the ice, so at both venues there will be some great exposure in perfect placement for TV. There is terrific signage throughout. There is electronic signage on the LED boards and there are signs after replays on both buildings’ scoreboards. It’s not just about signage. It’s great for brand recognition and connection. I think there is something magical about sports and there’s a huge amount of trust that goes between sports and the fans. For Sixers and Devils fans, a brand partnering with their team is an endorsement of that product. It’s safe, comfortable and trustworthy. The signage certainly helps with this. This deal is much more than brand recognition. We’re connecting with fans on the concourse and educating them about online gaming and the opportunities that PartyPoker is offering, and we’re also carrying out full social media integration. Then, we’re incorporating our legends, guys like Ken Daneyko who won three Stanley Cups with the Devils and is a fixture in the community and a TV personality. Allen Iverson I would say is the same on the Philadelphia side. He’s one of those guys that can light up a room. When you have such strong iconic legends in and around an agreement, I think it really helps the visual environment come to life. It’s great for us, PartyPoker are great partners; smart, aggressive and they want to be number one in this space. For us, we want to make sure that we’re with the right partners. From their end, in the state of New Jersey, there’s one team with ‘Jersey’ in their name, and that’s the Devils. The Prudential Center attracts two million people every year, and with endorsement from brands that eight million-plus people in Jersey trust, it makes sense for all of us.
