- FanDuel has partnered with the Women’s Tennis Association.
- The move makes FanDuel the first Authorized Gaming Operator of the WTA.
- The WTA is looking to drive fan interest, and FanDuel sees an opportunity as well.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - FanDuel has reached a partnership with the Women’s Tennis Association. The partnership designates FanDuel as an Authorized Gaming Operator across the Americas, from North America to Central America and South America.
This partnership means different things to both of the parties involved, and each of them also brings something to the table.
WTA: More Ways For Fans To Engage With The Sport
For The WTA, the focus is on giving fans further avenues to care about WTA tennis, and to modernize those ways in line with moves other sports leagues have made.
“The WTA is pleased to welcome FanDuel as its first Authorized Gaming Operator,” said Mickey Lawler, president of the WTA, in a statement on the WTA’s website. “FanDuel is a premier destination for sports fans online and this relationship provides the building blocks for growing our fan base. This milestone not only delivers on the growing appetite fans have for a more personalized sporting experience, but also paves the way for us to have a proactive role in managing the responsible gambling standards and practices we wish to foster. Our top priority is providing our fans with more opportunities to engage with the sport in a fun and safe way.”
The focus on engaging fans outside of the games themselves - a more personalized sporting experience, as Lawler put it - could allow the WTA to work towards its goals of greater prominence for women’s tennis.
Put simply, online gambling could be a method of attracting fans, or keeping them interested in WTA tennis.
FanDuel: Enriching Their Sports Betting Experience
FanDuel’s statement, issued on the WTA’s website by Amy Howe, president of FanDuel, starts out with a claim that the deal allows them to increase the focus on women’s sports.
“We are incredibly proud of our commitment to supporting women in sports and are continuously looking for new ways to further raise awareness of female athletes, teams, and all women in sports,” said Howe. “Aligning with the WTA -- the global leader in women’s professional sports – is consistent with our overall mission to elevate the profile for talented women in sports. We are delighted to partner with such a prestigious organization.”
However, the statement then went on to discuss the benefits to FanDuel directly, namely the diversification of its sports betting experience - the more options there are to bet on, the better it is for sports bettors.
“Our platforms are now a destination for WTA content and highlights, which significantly enriches the sports betting experience, while continuing to expand our media and content capabilities," said Howe.