Keith Wachtel, chief business officer and executive vice president, NHL, is a scheduled panelist at the first ICE VOX North America in Boston May 14-15.
He is expected to herald the future of sports sponsorships with gaming brands. He spoke recently ahead of VOX when he declared, “The NHL has added three major sponsors in the shape of William Hill, FanDuel and MGM Resorts since the repeal of PASPA, and continues to drive its aim of providing an innovative and sustainable betting landscape going forward.”
He added, “While it’s too early to determine fan betting behavior, since the launch of the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18, the handle on the sport of hockey is up over 100 per cent, which is a good indication of more opportunities to come.”
The NHL has gotten out front of other major leagues in working to transition to sports betting. It has worked directly with the industry, with a focus on commercialization and fan engagement.
He added, “We’re focused on being at the forefront of innovation and developing technology – including our puck and player tracking product – which provide more data and tremendous insights to the game.”
This has been eased by the fact that the NHL has a franchise in Las Vegas. “We welcome professional opportunities to connect directly with industry leaders and participate in thought leadership in this rapidly changing environment,” he said.
