DraftKings Announces Plans for Upscale Sports Bars in Detroit

DraftKings is set to expand its presence in Michigan.

The gaming brand announced on Thursday its plans to create upscale DraftKings-branded sports bars in Detroit as well as Nashville. DraftKings entered into an agreement with Sports and Social to create unique sports-themed bars. According to the news release, DraftKings is aiming to bring, “high-energy, first-class dining and entertainment venues with DraftKings’ top-rated and industry-leading sports gaming platforms” to Michigan.

DraftKings MI Sportsbook and DraftKings MI Casino are currently live in the state.

The DraftKings sports bars will be designed by ICRAVE, an award-winning strategy, design, and development firm focusing on filling a niche by providing an upscale, premier sports and entertainment experience.

“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,” Ezra Kucharz, chief business officer at DraftKings, said in the release. “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 is currently active in 14 states with online and retail sportsbooks. It has 10 retail locations across the country in addition to the mobile betting option it offers in states. DraftKings' mobile app went live when MI sports betting and MI online casino platforms launched on Jan. 22. Bay Mills Resort and Casino partnered with DraftKings to grant the gaming company market access to the state.

Sports and Social is an upscale gaming parlor and social lounge featuring specialized audio and visual displays, made-from-scratch menu items, curated cocktails and other entertainment options. Sports and Social is a concept by Livel Dining and Entertainment, a division of the Cordish Companies. Livel serves 55 million visitors a year to its award-winning dining, entertainment, music, casino, hotel and sports-anchored destinations and venues worldwide.

“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,” Reed Cordish, principal of The Cordish Cos., said in the release. “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 sport watching experience with sports betting all under one roof.”

DraftKings Continues to Expand Brand

DraftKings’ latest announcement to build sports bars in Detroit and Nashville is the most recent expansion for the company. Earlier this month, DraftKings announced it was going to enter the digital marketplace with its own NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

The company said it would release the DraftKings Marketplace, which it described as “digital collectibles ecosystem designed for mainstream accessibility that offers curated NFT drops and supports secondary market transactions.”

At the marketplace, DraftKings customers can buy, sell and trade digital collectibles from sports, entertainment and culture by using their DraftKings account. The collectible will generally feature popular personalities or tableaus.

The DraftKings Marketplace will also be the exclusive distributor of content from the NFT platform, Autograph. The platform leverages official licensing of well-known athletes and celebrities to provide an expansive inventory of digital collectibles.

“The NFT boom has reinvented the collectibles industry and driven excitement to early-adopting audiences worldwide — including the DraftKings community,” Matt Kalish, DraftKings co-founder and president, said in a media release. “DraftKings Marketplace will sit at the center of this technological and cultural phenomenon, providing our immense existing customer base with an easily accessible experience that rivals all legacy marketplaces. This initial vision in collaboration with Autograph, and its coveted collection of official digital collectibles, is a vital first step as we enter the emergent NFT market.”