- Caesars Sportsbook has agreed to a multi-year deal with the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers as an ‘Official Sports Betting Partner’ of the team.
- In addition, Caesars Entertainment becomes the ‘Official Casino Partner’ of the Cavs.
- As part of the deal, Caesars will open a ‘best-in-class retail sportsbook’ inside the Cavs’ home venue, the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The state of Ohio is preparing for their launch of sports betting later this year and that means another round of promotional partnerships and marketing deals with teams in the state. Front and center, we find Caesars Entertainment which has announced a partnership deal with the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers. Under the terms of the multi-year arrangement, Caesars Sportsbook becomes an ‘Official Sports Betting Partner’ of the team while Caesars Entertainment becomes the ‘Official Casino Partner’. This will also mean that Caesars Sportsbook gains access to the use of official Cleveland Cavaliers logos and marks, broadcast and digital content across Cavs properties, as well as TV-visible in-game signage.
The most interesting part of the Caesars/Cavs partnership will be a ‘best-in-class retail sportsbook’ on the street level inside the Northwest Atrium area of the team’s home venue, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The expectation is that the sportsbook will open by the end of 2022 ‘pending regulatory approvals’. Here’s how the press release announcing the partnership described the sportsbook:
Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will have betting windows for cash wagering and combine custom VIP and hospitality experiences for Caesars Rewards members, along with on-site activations throughout the year. The approximately 10,355 square foot venue will feature a full-service bar and VIP lounge, an extensive menu, and wall-to-wall TV’s. The costs of these improvements will be paid for entirely by the Cavaliers and Caesars.
With construction starting soon, Caesars Sportsbook will be located on the street level inside the north atrium of the venue near the intersection of Huron Road and Ontario Street. The Sportsbook will be open year-round on both event and non-event days for both eligible fans with tickets to events and those without tickets who want to place wagers. Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is expected to be open by the end of 2022, subject to regulatory and other necessary approvals and further details and renderings will be announced at a later time.
Caesars Sportsbook opened the first-ever sportsbook at a North American professional sports venue in May of 2021 at Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. In the works is the Caesars Sportsbook at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona through a partnership with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
No one from the team was quoted in the press release. Chris Holdren, Co-President of Caesars Digital, weighed in for his company:
“We’re ready to welcome Ohio sports fans into the Caesars Sportsbook Empire, while also making history with our second sportsbook at an NBA arena. Building upon our already established roots with Scioto Downs in Columbus, we’re excited to announce our partnership with the Cavaliers at an exciting time in their franchise’s history. As we prepare to launch sports betting in Ohio later this year, this wide-ranging partnership enables us to connect with the Cavs’ passionate and highly engaged fanbase. Caesars Sportsbook at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse will be a first-class venue providing an exciting atmosphere for sports betting and more.”
Scioto Downs has been in operation since 1959, but in 2012 video lottery terminals were added to make it Ohio’s first ‘racino’. The casino is 117,000 square feet with over 2,200 VLTs. MTR Gaming Group purchased Scioto Downs in 2003. In 2014, MTR mereged with Eldorado Resorts and in 2020 the combined company merged with Caesars Entertainment.
