Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrance Williams (83)exits the field after defeating the Detroit Lions in a playoff game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, on Sunday, January 4, 2015. The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Detroit Lions 24-20 to advance in the playoffs. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)
The Dallas Cowboys and DraftKings, which calls itself the leading U.S.-based destination for daily fantasy sports, announced a long-term partnership on Wednesday.
A source said the contract with DraftKings runs through 2020.
As part of the deal, Arlington’s AT&T Stadium will feature a DraftKings-branded fantasy sports lounge. The deal also includes exposure to DraftKings through the Cowboys digital, television and radio networks.
The alliance will also empower DraftKings to offer users and fans unique, Cowboys-branded experiences, including tickets to games, VIP events, and autographed memorabilia.
Located at the field-level in AT&T Stadium, the fantasy sports lounge will give fans access to the opposing teams tunnel as they leave the field similar to the entry point and fan access the Cowboys sideline entrance offers. The lounge will also be open to select suite and club ticket members.
“DraftKings and the Cowboys share the same passion for football, sports and business, making this a natural partnership,” said Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President / Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Jerry Jones, Jr. in a statement. “The daily segment of fantasy sports is exploding, with more fans joining every day. DraftKings has established itself as the pre-eminent service in daily fantasy sports. Their commitment to providing its customers with the best experience possible is unrivaled, which should be a tremendous benefit to our fans as they experience all DraftKings has to offer at the new fantasy lounge.”
More than 56 million people in the United States and Canada play fantasy sports, according to DraftKings. Daily fantasy sports are a burgeoning component of this multi-billion dollar market.
“The Dallas Cowboys is one of the most well-known sports brands in the world, which makes this is an exciting partnership for DraftKings and for the entire daily fantasy sports community,” said Jeremy Elbaum, DraftKings vice president of Business Development . “The Cowboys have a very passionate fan base and we’re looking forward to helping make their game-day experiences more fun and engaging.”
DraftKings is the exclusive daily fantasy sports partner of Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, NASCAR, Major League Soccer, and Ultimate Fighting Championship.
NFL.com has its own fantasy football site in what has become a booming industry. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was not happy with the NFL in June after a National Fantasy Football Convention he was heading up in Las Vegas was canceled because of the league’s concerns about the location.
A month later the canceled event was the center of a lawsuit filed in Dallas County on Monday: The Fan Expo v. National Football League.
