Fanatics Betting and Gaming has unveiled plans to open a new retail sportsbook in Ohio through a partnership with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
Scheduled to open its doors at the end of August, Fanatics Sportsbook Columbus will be located adjacent to Nationwide Arena, the multi-purpose arena that serves as the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The newly designed sportsbook is more than 5,000 square feet and features four betting windows, 14 self-service betting kiosks, one giant LED Video Wall and 20 TV monitors.
“The Columbus Blue Jackets are constantly seeking new and exciting ways to engage with our fans,” said Blue Jackets senior vice president and chief operating officer Cameron Scholvin. “We believe this collaboration with Fanatics Betting and Gaming on a world-class sportsbook location just outside the doors of Nationwide Arena in the heart of the Arena District does just that.”
Fanatics Betting and Gaming chief business officer Ari Borod commented: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Blue Jackets to bring a world-class retail experience to the arena district in downtown Columbus.
“The Jackets are one of the youngest teams in the league, and we are excited to leverage our partnership to grow with them and complement our online sports betting experience that is currently being beta-tested in Ohio.”
The Fanatics Sportsbook is currently beta testing online in Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio and Tennessee, and currently has the only retail sportsbook inside a NFL stadium at FedExField in Maryland.
In related news, parent company Fanatics has this week announced the appointment of Parag Agrawal as chief information officer (CIO).
Prior to joining Fanatics, Parag spent nine years at Chobani, an American food company specializing in strained yogurt, most recently serving as CIO.
“Building the leading global digital sports platform and delivering more value to our fans and partners requires ongoing investments to our systems to ensure we continue to make timely, data-driven decisions and that our employees have access to the latest technology and tools to make their jobs easier,” said Fanatics executive vice president and chief financial officer Glenn Schiffman.
“Parag couldn’t be joining at a better time. His experience and expertise are exactly what we need to ensure that we not only enhance our current systems, but that we continue to adopt cutting-edge solutions moving forward. I am thrilled to welcome him to the team.”
Agrawal commented: “Fanatics has done an incredible job innovating the fan and partner experience. I am excited to bring that same energy and mindset to our internal systems and platforms. I look forward to working alongside Glenn and team to ensure a best-in-class experience that continues to allow for us to grow and succeed together as a global organization.”