DraftKings is getting “social” and plans to open sports bars. A new partnership with Sports & Social, a restaurant and state-of-the art space to watch sports, is fueling the creation of Sports & Social/DraftKings sports bars. The first ones are expected to open in Nashville and Detroit pending regulatory approval.
However, the new pairing of Sports & Social/DraftKings won’t apply to Pennsylvania. FanDuel beat them to it and already rules the realm. Live! Casino Pittsburgh, a mini-casino in Westmoreland has a Sports & Social Steel City and a FanDuel Sportsbook. The $700 million Live! Casino Philadelphia features a Sports & Social and a FanDuel Sportsbook.
According to reps from parent company Cordish and Live! Casino, Sports & Social is exclusive with FanDuel in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
DraftKings follows growing trend of bars and sportsbooks
A sportsbook teaming with a sports bar is a perfect pair like buffalo wings and a cold beer.
DraftKings joins a growing trend of sportsbooks that are adding betting to the menu at restaurants.
With locations in Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey, Chickie’s and Pete’s plans to bring sports betting kiosks to some restaurants. Plans for their South Philadelphia restaurant were shot down. However, Oak’s Race & Sportsbook which closed in July 2020 and is operated by Parx Casino and Racing was recently approved for a smaller operation inside a planned Chickie’s & Pete’s sports bar and restaurant in the Grove Shopping Center in East Whiteland Township.
Joe Wilson, the COO of Parx, said :
“We’d like to open several of these. This is what we see as the future, Nobody wants to walk into an empty bar. It’s the same way with an OTB.”
BetMGM joined with Buffalo Wild Wings to serve up sports betting products to customers located inside the restaurant. The “sports betting experience” is being called the first of its kind and rolled out in six states including New Jersey on March 10. They plan to bring it to Buffalo Wild Wings in Pennsylvania but the geolocation technology for the enhanced odds feature is not yet live in PA.
Barstool’s sports bar plans
When Penn National Gaming reported their financial results in Sept. 2020 they announced plans for bringing Barstool to the bar. Penn National acquired a 36% stake in Barstool in Jan. 2020. The first Barstool Sportsbook on the East Coast is scheduled to open to the public on Aug. 14 at Hollywood Casino York.
During an Oct. 2020 earnings call Penn National Gaming CEO Jay Snowden said:
“We are working with Barstool to launch standalone Barstool-branded entertainment destinations in key markets. We’re still working through with the folks at Barstool on what exactly these will be. But you can definitely think about it as some sports bar, certainly like a virtual sportsbook. There will likely be a nightlife component as well. I’m certainly viewing it more as an opportunity for getting the brand out there even more than it is today and as another efficient way to acquire new customers in key markets.”
Sports & Social and DraftKings details
DraftKings and Sports & Social are aiming to “create a revolutionary new gaming space for customers” according to the July 29 press release. ICRAVE, an award winning international and development firm, will be in charge of designing the restaurant and entertainment venues.
Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings, calls Sports & Social the next step in social gaming.
“Today, so much of sports betting is focused on the mobile-technology aspect, however the in-person experience is an integral layer that we look forward to advancing alongside Sports & Social’s premier dining and entertainment offerings. By aligning with one of the fastest-growing entertainment concepts in the country, we now have the opportunity to bring our world-class products to life by offering engaging, interactive and fan-first destinations to skin-in-the-game customers.”
DraftKings currently takes wagers in 14 states either on its sports betting app or at retail sportsbooks depending on location regulations.
Sports & Social offers dining, entertainment and a state-of-the-art audio visual experience to watch sports. Live! Dining and Entertainment, a division of the Cordish Companies created the Sports & Social concept. Live! Dining & Entertainment ranks as one of the largest and most successful developers and operators of restaurants and entertainment concepts in the country.
Reed Cordish, Principal of The Cordish Companies commented:
“DraftKings is an industry leader in sports betting and entertainment, and we are incredibly excited to work with them to bring this new experience to life. We are always looking to create new and innovative experiences for our guests and this collaboration will allow us an exciting opportunity to do so, bringing an incredible premier sports-watching experience with sports betting all under one roof.”
Live! Casino Philadelphia ready for first Eagles season
Things are about to get a lot more “social,” especially on Sundays at Sports & Social at Live! Casino Philadelphia.
Live! Casino Philadelphia opened in Feb. 2020 so this will be the first Philadelphia Eagles season for the new casino. Live! Casino Philadelphia is located in the South Philadelphia sports complex near XFinity Live! and walking distance to Lincoln Financial Field. Catching the NFL action at Live! Casino Philadelphia comes with the option to place a wager at the FanDuel Sportsbook, watch the action at Sports & Social, and play slots and table games on the casino floor.
Also, parking is free for certain Live! rewards card members on game days. The following applied to Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers games. In a recent promotional mailer from Live! it noted that the parking rates would also be the same for the Eagles two preseason games in August.
Parking at Live! Casino Philadelphia on game days
- $25 self parking. Event parking rate goes into effect four hours prior to scheduled game time at Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field, or the Wells Fargo Center. Call 1-833-472-5483 for live parking updates.
- Free parking for Gold Card members and above
- Classic Card members can get reimbursed in free slot play for parking fees
For parking reimbursement, the same day parking receipt and the parking reimbursement ticket must be presented to a team member at the Live! Rewards Promotions Desk.
Lead photo of Sports & Social at Live! Casino Philadelphia by Katie Kohler.
