By Jennifer Newell
The first few weeks of 2014 brought news of several major poker-related sponsorship deals, the magnitude of which could change the game.
The deal announced first this year was the World Poker Tour's partnership with Monster, Inc. The headphones giant became the official headphones to be used at WPT Main Events around the world, from now through 2016.
Players at each World Poker Tour stop will be able to test out the headphones, and those making the final table of each Main Event will receive complimentary headphones. Monster will also sponsor segments of the WPT on television, such as the "Monster Hand of the Day." There will be advertising campaigns to go with this partnership.
The launch and press release created a whirlwind of media attention, including a booth at the popular CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. Tournament Director Matt Savage was on hand to host visits from the likes of NBA star Shaquille O'Neal, DJ Nick Cannon, and R&B singer Ne-Yo, as they stopped for photos and to play a few hands of poker.
WPT Commentator and longtime professional poker player Mike Sexton was excited about the deal, having spent some time at the CES booth. He even tried the headphones for himself.
Sexton gave us the inside scoop on some extra benefits for players on the tour. "All past WPT champions will receive complimentary Monster headphones,” he said. “Everyone who reaches a WPT final table will, too, but the winner will receive special, customized Monster headphones to commemorate his/her win. And everyone who enters a WPT Alpha8 tournament will receive complimentary headphones."
Sexton sees the Monster deal, so to speak, as opening doors for the game. "Those in the know think it will only enhance future sponsorship deals for the poker industry,” he said. “This particular sponsorship deal is a great fit for Monster and the WPT. This type of exposure will hopefully lead to similar future multi-year mainstream sponsorship deals for the WPT -- something all players and people within the industry should greatly appreciate."
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Just days after the WPT revealed its big news, bwin.party, owners of PartyPoker, took the spotlight for its own announcement. The global gaming giant signed a deal for its New Jersey online gaming site with the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team, New Jersey Devils NHL team, and their shared Prudential Center home in New Jersey.
The historic deal was the largest signed by an Internet gaming company in the United States, and the largest partnership of its kind between major professional sports teams and the gaming industry in America. Triple-company CEO Scott O'Neil told Bloomberg that they were looking for "groundbreaking opportunities with companies willing to take changes," and PartyPoker fit the bill.
PartyPoker already launched a giveaway of tickets to various events at the Prudential Center, including NHL and NBA games and concerts for the likes of Jay Z and George Strait. The agreement also includes advertising for PartyPoker in the Prudential Center arena and on television, as well as via social media and other avenues.
Sexton, a longtime PartyPoker brand ambassador, didn't mince words about the deal. "Simply put, I think it's fantastic,” he said. “It's the first online gaming sponsorship in US sports history, and it's a multi-year deal. Bwin.party has a long history of being associated with sports, such as Manchester United and Real Madrid, FIBA basketball, MotoGP, et cetera. Obviously, this will create branding awareness for PartyPoker and adds tremendous credibility to online gaming here in the US."
He also feels that it sets a precedent for the online poker industry as it grows in the US. "I believe this deal between bwin.party and the 76ers and NJ Devils will help immensely in getting online gaming approved and legalized in other states,” Sexton said. “For major sports franchises to say, 'We're happy to have online gaming as a sponsorship partner' is a big thing for the credibility of the online gaming industry. So, in my humble opinion, every poker player in America should be thrilled with bwin.party making this deal. And without a doubt, as online gaming continues to expand into other states, you will see numerous other sports franchises making online sponsorship deals in the future."