The Islanders and Barclays Center today formally announced their three-year, mid-seven figure partnership with daily fantasy sports operator Draft Ops, which includes the entitlement of an ice-level premium seating area and an activation space on the main concourse level. The Draft Ops Ice Club will extend from the glass through the first five rows on the rink’s west side. The Draft Ops Fantasy Lounge will expose fans to the Draft Ops platform on touchscreen displays and HDTVs. The brand will also receive TV-visible signage, in-arena LED signage, an ad-clad Zamboni and the backdrop for both team and facility press availability. Statistics both in the arena and online will be branded the Draft Ops Islanders Stats Platform.
The Islanders partnership is Draft Ops’ first team-level deal in a category dominated by rivals DraftKings and FanDuel, both of which have rapidly bolstered their sponsorship portfolios. Draft Ops in January partnered with MMA promotion Bellator and also has a deal with “The Rich Eisen Show.” Barclays Center Exec VP/Global Partnerships Mike Zavodsky said, "We’ve always prided ourselves on trying to find the differentiator brands that want to activate with us and use us as a centerpiece to their portfolio." Barclays Center Senior VP/Global Partnerships Andrew Schwartz added that while Draft Ops is considering other team-level deals down the road, Barclays Center offers a solid sponsorship foundation that includes physical activation space in the country’s largest market.
The deal does not extend to the arena's NBA tenant, the Nets, who recently reached a separate deal with FanDuel. When the arena is configured for Nets games, the club seating area is simply part of the lower bowl, and Draft Ops will not have any in-bowl signage. The Fantasy Lounge, however, is a permanent activation area that will operate during all events, including Nets games.
