Under the recent deal, SimWin has partnered with Sports Illustrated, a renowned authority in the sports and culture realm, to further explore tech-innovation in the metaverse sports space. As the official presenting partner, Sports Illustrated will have various branding opportunities and integrations across SimWin’s platform.
SimWin Sports CEO, David J Ortiz, expressed his excitement about the partnership, stating that it will allow SimWin to enhance its presentation and broadcasts and optimize engagement with the passionate and loyal fan base that Sports Illustrated has cultivated over the years.
In SimWin’s metaverse proposition, virtual athletes play on teams owned by well-known sports and entertainment figures. Former NBA greats Magic Johnson and Tracy McGrady, as well as former NFL stars Jerry Rice and Marshall Faulk, are some of the prominent individuals already active on the platform.
In 2019, American brand management conglomerate Authentic Brands Group acquired the SI trademark for $110 million. Dan Dienst, the executive vice-chairman of tactical opportunities at Authentic, explained that the partnership with SimWin is a natural progression for Sports Illustrated, which has always been at the intersection of sports and culture.
As part of their expansion into the metaverse, Authentic is excited to become proud owners of teams in SimWin’s virtual sports leagues. They believe that this collaboration will further strengthen their presence in the sports, media, and web3 verticals.
In June 2021, SI announced its partnership with London-based gaming business 888 to power its gaming platform, Sports Illustrated Sportsbook. In this collaboration, Authentic provided the exclusive license to the SI brand and trademarks for online sports betting and igaming. Some advertising and editorial integrations on specific SI-branded digital assets were also included in the agreement.
To lead the SI sportsbook, 888 appointed media veteran Howard Mittman as president of its US operations in April 2022. Currently, the 888-powered sportsbook is live in three states: Colorado, Michigan, and Virginia.
