PokerStars Becomes Official Sponsor of the Detroit Red Wings

Poker fans will be excited to find out that the Detroit Red Wings and online poker room PokerStars have signed a multiyear partnership agreement that makes PokerStars an official sponsor of the team. The announcement came back on December 2nd from PokerStars. 

The new partnership is the first time PokerStars has teamed up with a US professional sports team, making history for the brand. 

PokerStars US Managing Director, Severin Rasset commented on the new partnership, saying, “We are extremely proud and excited to build a long-term relationship with such an iconic NHL team as the Red Wings. Through this partnership, we look forward to delivering epic experiences for our PokerStars community, expanding on what we can offer our Michigan based players, as well as those across the rest of the US.” 

The Red Wings are undoubtedly Michigan’s most successful and popular professional sports team. With 11 Stanley Cup wins since the team’s inception, they sit third overall for Stanley Cup wins, behind the Montreal Canadiens (24 wins!) and Toronto Maple Leafs (13 wins). 

It’s safe to say that PokerStars opted to sponsor one of the best US professional sports teams. While this multiyear partnership is the first of its kind for PokerStars, they aren’t new to sports sponsorships or the Red Wings. For followers on Twitter, you’ve likely seen the Red Wings post “Intermission Stats” and “Final Stats” updates presented by PokerStars. PokerStars has also partnered with brands like Red Bull to feature PokerStars branding on Red Bull’s RB18 car and the race suits of drivers Max Verstrappen and Sergio Perez. 

“Following the rapid growth of online poker in the US and a highly engaged PokerStars community in Michigan, this partnership will offer Red Wings fans and poker players a powerful combination of entertainment through leading poker experiences,” said PokerStars during the press release on December 2nd.

New Partnership Details

The new partnership with PokerStars and the Red Wings will result in an array of custom promotions, in-arena signage, digital media (Internet/Mobile/Social), TV visible signage, and other PokerStars sponsored content featured for the next few years. Online poker fans will also notice Red Wings branded promotions and content in the PokerStars app, with additional Red Wings-themed prizes, like free tickets, merchandise, and memorabilia. The new partnership will give both brands a visibility boost, but it’s likely PokerStars gaining the most exposure. In Detroit, aka Hockeytown, USA, you’re more likely to meet fans of the Red Wings than any other pro team. 

Chris McGowan, President, and CEO of Ilitch Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of Little Caesars believes “this is a partnership that our fans, especially poker players, will really enjoy. It’s great to see PokerStars’ branding on the ice level at Little Caesars Arena, and we’re very appreciative of their support.”

As part of its agreement, PokerStars is also vowing to market responsible gaming messages as a key part of the partnership with the Red Wings. While PokerStars already promotes such messages as part of its license with the state of Michigan, it’s evident PokerStars is making it a priority. 

PokerStars First Red Wings Themed Promotion

PokerStars started their new partnership with an exciting offer for players. During a MI Sunday Special Poker Tournament on December 8th, PokerStars offered both the first-place and second-place winners two tickets each to the next Red Wings game along with a $45k GTD. PokerStars will likely feature more Red Wings-themed prizes this season so stay tuned and follow along on Twitter. 

Mac Daniel is a Michigan native and freelance writer for PlayOnlineCasino and PlayOnlineSportsBetting. He has experience writing about a wide variety of topics, including healthcare, tourism, non-profit organizations, and most recently casino and sportsbetting news. To check out more of his work, visit: playonlinemichigan.com