NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] and DraftKings Inc. [Nasdaq: DKNG] announced today a multi-year strategic relationship, making DraftKings the official odds supplier for iHeartMedia’s broadcast, digital, podcast and social platforms. Additionally, as part of the agreement DraftKings is now able to co-create and distribute long-form content with iHeartMedia and will receive preferred access to iHeartMedia’s full roster of diverse personalities. Furthermore, DraftKings and iHeartMedia will collaborate around a wide range of possible content development opportunities, including the distribution of shows and segments across the media giant’s radio and digital properties and integrations within iHeartMedia’s live sports broadcasts. DraftKings and iHeartMedia will also collaborate on a number of possible experiential opportunities for listeners and fans including providing cross platform interactive games.
“Even though we are number one in audio sports programming, we continue to build new sports content and DraftKings is an ideal partner as we expand and innovate,” said Greg Ashlock, CEO of iHeartMedia’s Multiplatform Group. “DraftKings is a premier sports technology and entertainment company that provides millions of customers with the best in real-money gaming products along with exceptional safety and security through various responsible gaming measures. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership everywhere sports betting is permissible.”
DraftKings has the opportunity to leverage iHeartMedia’s SmartAudio suite of data-driven advertising products. The data integration would enable fact-based audience planning and targeting optimizations across iHeartMedia’s broadcast and digital platform, including its more than 270 million monthly consumers on its broadcast platform alone providing DraftKings with national exposure and at the same time reaching local audiences with a tailored approach.
“Customer engagement remains a primary focus for DraftKings, and this latest agreement with iHeartMedia amplifies our reach immensely to a dedicated audience that spans more than 160 markets across the country with the largest audio company in the U.S.,” said Matt Kalish, co-founder and President, DraftKings North America. “Analytically tapping into iHeart’s coveted listenership while powering authentic betting content is a landmark moment for both organizations and precursor to new possibilities in media innovation.”
iHeartMedia hosts the largest sports audio network in the U.S., with products across broadcast, streaming, digital, podcast and experiential. iHeartMedia is the number one podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac with more than 280 million monthly downloads, with the iHeartPodcast Sports Network alone featuring more than 50 million downloads a month, making it the largest for sports podcast listening.
About iHeartMedia, Inc.
iHeartMedia, Inc. [Nasdaq: IHRT] is the leading audio media company in America, reaching over 250 million people each month. It is number one in both broadcast and digital streaming radio as well as podcasting and audio ad tech and includes three business segments: The iHeartMedia Multiplatform Group; the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group; and the Audio and Media Services Group. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.
About DraftKings
DraftKings Inc. is a digital sports entertainment and gaming company created to fuel the competitive spirit of sports fans with products that range across daily fantasy, regulated gaming and digital media. Headquartered in Boston, and launched in 2012 by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman, DraftKings is the only U.S.-based vertically integrated sports betting operator. DraftKings is a multi-channel provider of sports betting and gaming technologies, powering sports and gaming entertainment for operators in 17 countries. DraftKings’ Sportsbook is live with mobile and/or retail betting operations in the United States pursuant to regulations in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. DraftKings’ daily fantasy sports product is available in 7 countries internationally with 15 distinct sports categories. DraftKings is the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, PGA TOUR and UFC as well as an authorized gaming operator of the NBA, an official sports betting partner of the NFL, MLB and NHL an official betting operator of PGA TOUR and the official betting operator of UFC. Launched in August 2021, DraftKings Marketplace is a digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary-market transactions. DraftKings also owns Vegas Sports Information Network, Inc. (VSiN), a multi-platform broadcast and content company.
DraftKings Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside DraftKings’ control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see DraftKings’ Securities and Exchange Commission filings. DraftKings does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
