Hard Rock Digital Partners Up With the NHL's Florida Panthers

Hard Rock Digital, one of our best sports betting sites and the only legal Flordia sports betting app has announced an official sports betting partnership with the NHL's Florida Panthers. It's the first such pro team/sports betting provider partnership in the Florida market.

Hard Rock Digital's brand, Hard Rock Bet, has launched an expansion and exposure campaign in the Florida sports betting space to build its user base. Teaming up with one of the state's more successful pro sports teams is a good start for a company struggling with brand awareness.

“We’re excited to join Panthers territory and partner with the club to bring hockey fans closer to the action,” said Hard Rock Digital Managing Director of Corporate Strategy Nick Menas. “With thousands of bets available on sports from around the world and live streaming of NHL games nightly on the Hard Rock Bet app, we’re thrilled to entertain hockey fans like no one else can.”

What the deal includes

The Panthers/Hard Rock Bet multi-year partnership will resemble other official sports betting deals forged around the country. It officially kicked off on April 9 during a Panthers home game against the Ottawa Senators. 

The deal will include typical signage, digital branding, and exposure opportunities for the Hard Rock Bet brand at the home of the Florida Panthers, the Amerant Bank Arena. 

Fans of the Panthers will also have on-site activation opportunities in and around the arena. An enhanced online and on-site activations push has been promised for next season.

Hard Rock Bet will become a large part of Florida Panthers hockey media going forward. The Hard Rock Digital product will have a visual and auditory presence with all Panthers' media outlets, including television, radio, and online entities. 

The partnership figures to help both the Panthers, Hard Rock Bet and hockey fans going forward. 

“We are thrilled to enter into an exciting new partnership with Hard Rock Bet,” said Florida Panthers Chief Revenue Officer Shawn Thornton. “Through this partnership, we will increase fan engagement and excitement around the game of hockey in South Florida and beyond by adding an entirely new element to the game.”

Hard Rock has growth in its sights

Hard Rock Digital has struggled so far to gain a huge market share in the booming U.S. legal sports betting industry. Having a virtual monopoly in Florida is good for the company, but expansion has been rough on the brand.

Last month's purchase of a portion of global betting giant 888's U.S. assets could act as a good kickstart for the company's growth plans. 888 currently has a presence in Colorado, Michigan, New Jersey, and Virginia, albeit a small one, and had already planned to exit the U.S. market by 2025, opening the door for Hard Rock Bet to acquire its assets and market access into some big-time U.S. legal sports betting jurisdictions.