Caesars to Partner With the Fiesta Bowl

Sports betting is quickly becoming a part of the fabric of life in America. There is evidence everywhere as the competition for sports betting customers turns fierce.

With DraftKings and Fanduel occupying the top spots as the nation's leading sports betting operators, it was just a matter of time before other interests made a big push to claim that top spot. One of the companies that are currently doing that is Caesars International.

Caesars Inks Partnership Deal With Fiesta Bowl

The Fiesta Bowl serves as one of the sites for College Football's BCS Championship playoffs. As such, the game is a perfect target for a sports betting corporate sponsorship/partnership. Caesars International, one of America's leading sports betting operators, has inked a historic partnership deal with the Fiesta Bowl organization. This is the first partnership connection between a sports betting interest and any NCAA sports division. It likely won't be the last.

According to the terms of the deal, Caesars will be playing host and sponsor for fan lounges and pregame parties for both the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl. They will also take on the primary role of host for the annual Arizona Bank & Trust Fiesta Bowl Kickoff Luncheon.

In these roles, Caesars is expected to promote its sports betting brand while also advocating for responsible gambling. With the Fiesta Bowl located in Tempe, Arizona, it will be just a matter of time before retail sportsbooks will be popping up adjacent to the stadium. It only requires that the Fiesta Bowl organization apply for one of the two or three sports betting licenses that are still available in Arizona.

The Marketing of the Caesars Brand

Caesars has no intention of operating in the shadows of companies like DraftKings and Fanduel. This became evident in late July of 2021 when Caesars plopped down $3.8 billion to purchase William Hill, the granddaddy of sports betting in Europe. While Caesar's management will be looking to spin off William Hill's European assets, the target of the purchase was William Hill's presence in the U.S. sports betting market.

Remember, it was only last month that Caesars inked a corporate sponsorship deal for naming rights for the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. As the home of the Nokia Sugar Bowl (another BCS site) and the NFL's New Orleans Saints, The Superdome signing was a big play in a competitive U.S. sports betting market. It's worth noting that legalized sports betting should be going live in Louisiana before the start of the 2021 NFL regular season in September.

Clearly, there is more marketing work coming in the future. Caesars has already inked other deals with the National Hockey League (NHL) and DC United of Major League Soccer (MLS). It's just a matter of time before Caesars strikes deals with the NBA and MLB.

Meanwhile, the signing with the Fiesta Bowl should open the door for more deals between NCAA college sports divisions and the nation's top sports betting operators.