Prudential Center And New Jersey Devils Unveil Caesers Club, Continuing To Capitalize On Sports Betting Boom

The legal sports betting boom has been well-documented over the course of the last many months, with billions of dollars being poured into the industry in states where it has been deemed permissible. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), the parent company of the National Hockey League’s New Jersey Devils and National Basketball Association’s Philadelphia 76ers, among other properties, has taken full advantage of New Jersey’s aggressive push to legalize sports betting, which came following May’s Supreme Court ruling.

In October, casino giant Caesars Entertainment announced multi-year partnerships with both teams, which included a 5,000 square foot restaurant and bar, open to Devils’ premium seat holders at Prudential Center. On January 31, it will officially open in a ribbon cutting ceremony in Newark, New Jersey prior to the sold out Devils vs. New York Rangers game.

“Caesars is a world-wide leader in entertainment, we are ecstatic that Caesars Club at Prudential Center can be an extension of that brand, and we can share the Caesars experience with our New Jersey Devils fans,” Adam Davis, HBSE’s Chief Revenue Officer, told The Sports Biz. “Caesars Club will bring the excitement of Las Vegas and Atlantic City to Devils fans in New Jersey, where Caesars Entertainment has been a staple of Atlantic City in New Jersey for a long as we can remember; Caesars Club will now be an extension of their backyard.”

Within the newly branded lounge, located on the main concourse, Caesars will promote its two physical sportsbooks in Atlantic City and its betting app. Other assets of the partnership include LED signage exposure, branding on premium tickets and wristbands, and an on-ice promotion in which a fan has the chance to win an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas.

“New Jersey is a key part of our sports strategy, given that New Jersey is the first progressive state to move forward with pervasive mobile sports wagering. Partnering with a sports team like the New Jersey Devils with a great following, in the heart of the state, really helps us get our brand out there and position our brand to fans directly to help push forward our sports betting strategy,” Michael Marino, Caesars Entertainment’s Senior Vice President of Marketing & Chief Experience Officer, told The Sports Biz. “We’ve seen firsthand in Las Vegas how passionate hockey fans are – we know the New Jersey Devils have a rabid fan base, and it’s a fan base that we’ve had quite a bit of fun engaging with – we’ve done an on-ice contest with Caesars Jackpot where fans have already won trips to Atlantic City and soon Las Vegas.”

At Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Caesars will focus on driving fans to Harrah’s Philadelphia through various digital and in-game contests. The partnership will also feature in-game and online promotions to win all-expense paid trips to Las Vegas.

Aside from Caesars, the Devils partnered with William Hill and FanDuel earlier this season, opening up a William Hill branded lounge with staffers inside to assist fans with bets. The two agreements include promotion through other channels, such as live odds on the scoreboard and branding across social channels. Strategically, all three arrangements are non-exclusive, allowing the organization to capitalize on various partners as this new category of sponsorship opens up to the sports industry and best-practices continued to be explored.

Despite the change in federal law less than one year ago, HBSE is one organization that has emerged at the forefront of this new landscape. As more states continue to legalize and relax sports betting laws, it will continue to be a fascinating space to follow.