Fanatics becomes an official NFL sportsbook partner

The NFL has added Fanatics to its circle of official sportsbook partners, striking a deal in which the retailer will pay the league an undisclosed sum to attach its brand to league properties, per Sports Business Journal. The agreement is expected to be announced before the regular season kicks off. Previously, FanDuel, DraftKings and Caesars held the "exclusive" sportsbook label — a term the league stretched to the point of meaninglessness when it once claimed seven "exclusive" partners. Negotiations with FanDuel and DraftKings are still ongoing and have stalled over the rising price of official streaming data from Genius Sports; without a Genius deal, the established books can't finalize a broader NFL partnership. Fanatics, which evidently paid what Genius was asking, steps into a role once occupied by Caesars as it eyes a long-term push into the betting market.