Caesars Plans Sportsbook Truck Tour as Digital Marketing Efforts Shift Gears

Posted on: September 14, 2022, 06:10h. 

Last updated on: September 15, 2022, 12:32h.

Steve Bittenbender Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Sports Betting, Horse Racing.

Caesars Entertainment on Wednesday announced a nationwide tour featuring not a chariot, but a customized 18-wheeler. The truck will promote the Las Vegas company’s online sports wagering app at 17 scheduled stops through the upcoming Super Bowl.

Caesars truck
Caesars Entertainment plans a truck tour across the country from now through the Super Bowl to promote the company’s mobile sportsbook and iGaming app. Digital President Eric Hession said it’s part of a “more localized and targeted approach” to customer acquisition and retention. (Image: Caesars)

The tour will kick off Monday at Highland Stadium in Orchard Park, NY, where the Buffalo Bills host the Tennessee Titans. The initial stop also will coincide with the opening of the Caesars “sportsbook-style” lounge, located in the northwest corner of the stadium, according to a Caesars release.

At the stadium, the big rig will serve as an activation center, offering unique incentives for new users and “VIP experiences” for Caesars Rewards members. It will also host production and podcast studios to deliver content at each tour stop.

Caesars Sportsbook partners ESPN, CBS Sports, and Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions will all be involved in the content development. Caesars’ ambassadors and other celebrities will also be involved.

“Alongside Caesars, we’ve designed an unforgettable live experience that is sure to delight sports fans across the country,” Manning said.

Change in Direction

The truck tour will highlight Caesars’ second year of sportsbook operations. Caesars Entertainment bought sports betting operator William Hill last year and formally rebranded the US division under the Caesars name in August 2021.

The tour also denotes a change in approach for Caesars as it looks to acquire new customers and retain existing ones.

Providing customers with memorable experiences and treating them like royalty remains a key emphasis for us,” Caesars Digital President Eric Hession said. “The Caesars Sportsbook & Casino Truck Tour is an exciting chapter in our story as we shift our marketing focus to a more localized and targeted approach in our second year.”

As it looked to play catch-up last year to the likes of FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM, Caesars offered “risk-free” bets of up $5,000 to new users last year. Such bonuses helped them become the early leader in New York, although FanDuel and DraftKings have since overtaken them.

Earlier this year, Caesars announced plans to scale back its advertising spend on its online operations. During the parent company’s second-quarter earnings call with investment analysts, CEO Tom Reeg said the planned ad spend was pared down by hundreds of millions of dollars in an effort for the digital side to become more sustainable.

So far, it has not impacted the company’s market share, he added.

“Compared to last fall, it’s going to seem like we’ve left the air entirely. But you will run into a commercial or two depending on where you are and what you’re watching,” Reeg said.

NFL, College Football Games on Tour

After Buffalo, the Caesars tour will be at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 25 for the Indianapolis Colts’ home game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Most of the stops are tied to NFL games. But there are two regular-season college football games on the tour. On Oct. 8, Ohio State will travel to Michigan State, and on Nov. 5, Alabama and LSU will renew their rivalry in Baton Rouge. Caesars is an official partner of LSU Athletics.

There’s also an NHL game on the schedule, as the truck will be in Washington, DC, for the Capitals’ Oct. 12 home opener against the Boston Bruins. Caesars operates a sportsbook at Capital One Arena.

The up-to-date tour stop list can be found here. Some actual locations for the Caesars event are still to be determined.