Interest in women’s sports has skyrocketed of late, and the WNBA has especially benefited from a spike in engagement.
The league will now benefit from partnerships with the two biggest sports betting companies, as DraftKings has announced an agreement to become an official sports betting and daily fantasy partner of the WNBA. FanDuel and the 'W' have had a similar partnership in place since 2022.
We are proud to officially announce our agreement with the @WNBA.
— Jason Robins (@JasonDRobins) July 18, 2024
More here: https://t.co/oGHqBvovlr pic.twitter.com/XJ4uPZ7bHW
DraftKings will receive rights to league and collective team IP, with access to various marketing opportunities around the AT&T WNBA All-Star Game and other tentpole league events. The Boston-based sportsbook operator will also utilize official WNBA data feeds to support the gameplay experience for fans, similar to how it has done so as an official sports betting partner of the NBA since 2021.
Lisa Leslie, one of the greatest WNBA players of all time and current DraftKings Talent Ambassador, applauded the partnership:
“Having worked alongside both DraftKings and the WNBA, I am thrilled to see these innovative brands come together and further enhance excitement and visibility around women’s sports. The WNBA is rapidly expanding its reach and DraftKings has an unmatched ability to further generate additional fan engagement. I am looking forward to seeing DraftKings elevate the WNBA’s fan experience in the midst of this record-breaking season.”
Playoff push
DraftKings will serve as the presenting partner for the “WNBA Postseason Push,” a new WNBA content platform featuring league highlights, social integrations, and odds updates focused on the latest WNBA standings throughout the final two weeks of the regular season in September.
The Caitlin Clark effect is a very real thing as the latest No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA is bringing bettors and fans to games in droves. More promotions and exposure of the league’s action on a prominent platform like DraftKings should continue moving that needle in the right direction, and company leadership is excited about the possibilities on both sides of the partnership.
“The WNBA has seen tremendous growth, which continues to be a bright spot in the sports world. We are proud to support the league in its efforts to continue expanding the game. It is a priority for us to deliver the most engaging WNBA content to DraftKings’ platforms and through our collaboration with the WNBA this season, we will be able to enhance the experience for millions of our customers and WNBA fans," said Matt Kalish, President of DraftKings North America.
Star power
While Caitlin Clark may be the main draw, the rest of the league is drawing some of its best numbers in years, even without her on the court.
According to Sports Media Watch, the WNBA has had 15 games draw at least one million viewers this season, already tied for the most in any season. Clark and her Indiana Fever were featured in the Top 10 highest-rated games, but Sunday’s game between the Phoenix Mercury and Connecticut Sun averaged 1.02 million viewers.
A May matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks even amassed 1.34 million viewers to mark the second game to top the million mark without Clark on the court.
The Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese is also drawing massive attention. The double-double machine helped ABC average 961,000 viewers in her team’s game against the New York Liberty on Saturday, which is the 18th game this season to average at least 900,000 viewers.
