Monkey Knife Fight Give Equity Stake to NFL Players
In what can only be described as a landmark deal, the third biggest and fastest growing DFS provider in the North America, Monkey Knife Fight has agreed on a first-of-its-kind, strategic, multiyear, multifaceted partnership with the NFL Players Association. Facilitated by OneTeam Partners, a firm designed to leverage the stardom of the league's biggest stars, the deal, in which financial details haven't been announced, has been called "significant" by MKF chief executive Bill Asher.
“With this deal we have taken another large step to solidifying the role of players being collectively involved in businesses that partner with their sport," DeMaurice Smith, NFLPA executive director and board member of OneTeam Partners, said in the news release. “Monkey Knife Fight is an innovative daily fantasy provider that already has partnerships with some NFL teams and we are thrilled with the opportunity to build onto that platform for fans across sports."
What It All Means
The NFL Players Association gains an immediate equity stake in the growing DFS providers' North American pro sports presence. It is seen as a long-overdue nod to the players that make Fantasy Sports platforms so successful in the current pro-sports betting landscape.
The deal includes a long-term licensing agreement, joint marketing commitment and gives the players a tangible and significant say in a broad assortment of MKF's activities. Monkey Knife Fight becomes the first official licensee of the NFLPA in daily fantasy sports.
“Monkey Knife Fight is the development of where we have always viewed players in this business,” said NFLPA's DeMaurice Smith. “We believe that players drive this business, and now we know that players can be part owners in this business.”
Monkey Knife Fight, along with the privilege of partnering with the NFLPA gains access to the Association's marks and athlete likenesses as well as an all-important commitment to marketing efforts and help in the creation and distribution of Monkey Knife Fight videos and tutorials.
The deal also paves the way for Monkey Knife Fight to start realizing their goal of moving from a DFS-only platform to one tailored to the broad spectrum of legal sports betting opportunities in today's North American market.
Building on Monkey Knife Fight NFL Relationship
Monkey Knife Fight had established itself within the ranks of the NFL prior to their deal with the NFL Players Association. Already, the Company has official DFS sponsorship deals in place with the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as teams in other pro sports franchises in North America.
How It Benefits Players
NFL players are finally getting a stake in an industry that is all about them. The Association becomes an integral part of an industry driven by its members.
“This is the perfect timing for this partnership. Professional athletes have historically been underleveraged by DFS companies despite athletes being the predicate for these games' existence,” Ahmad Nassar, CEO of OneTeam Partners, said in the release. “In Monkey Knife Fight, we've found a partner that is unique in what it offers to fans and also understands the immense influence and value that athletes can deliver, especially as a challenger brand competing with industry incumbents."
Kirk Cousins of the Minnesota Vikings is on record saying that: "We're thrilled to enter a partnership in an industry that exists and is based on what we do on the field. We're looking forward to bringing an authentic player element to the fan experience”.
Monkey Knife Fight CEO Bill Asher said: “Fantasy sports was never about the teams, it was never about their team owners, but when fantasy sports were growing, who got the lion’s share of the money out of that? It was the owners; it wasn’t the players. It is time now for players to be owners in fantasy sports.”
Changing the Landscape?
The NFLPA/Monkey Knife Fight partnership could very well act as a blueprint for future partnership deals and could open up a whole new stream of revenue for NFL players. “Fantasy sports was built on the backs of players and there are several companies in fantasy sports that are worth $10 to $15 billion,” said Monkey Knife Fight Founder and CEO, Bill Asher.
“How much of that ended up in the players’ pockets? Through this partnership the players will now be able to reap the rewards that come with equity ownership in Monkey Knife Fight and I could not be more thrilled to be a part of this."
