Australian gambling and media company Tabcorp has agreed to be the "exclusive official wagering partner" of the NFL in the country, marking the "first global wagering partner the NFL has appointed." The multiyear deal will see Tabcorp and its Sky Channel bring NFL Network and six hours of RedZone programming to Australia "across its commercial network of more than 4,400 pubs, clubs and TAB agencies." Sky Channel also will air one game locally every Monday morning -- the weekly "SNF" game -- during the season. The deal allows Tabcorp "to create unique NFL content and experiences for Australian fans across its digital platforms and venues." The NFL and Tabcorp also will work to promote the league's free "Pick'em" football game (THE AUSTRALIAN, 9/19).
The NFL plans to "continue to test international jurisdictions with mature, regulated bookmaking industries while preparing to eventually get more directly involved in the evolving U.S. sports betting landscape." NFL Exec VP and Chief Strategy & Growth Officer Chris Halpin: "Australia was one of the markets we focused on. There will be others that we'll be announcing throughout the season" (ESPN.com, 9/20).
Meanwhile, the NFL is busy gathering data -- and ideally new fans -- overseas with new free-to-play prediction games in the U.K. and Germany, as well as Australia. Halpin indicated the NFL hopes to learn what sticks with fans in countries whose fans may be NFL neophytes, but are familiar with legal betting. In Germany, the NFL is promoting the pick ‘em game with Proseiben, its media partner for Sunday games, while in the U.K., the NFL runs the pick 'em game under its own brand. The big prize in Germany is a trip to a London Series game in '20, and the U.K. grand prize is a trip to the Pro Bowl. Weekly winners get a free Game Pass Int'l subscription (Ben Fischer, THE DAILY).
