NFL appoints head of sports betting for first time

The NFL has promoted David Highhill to serve as the league’s go-to specialist and head of sports betting products. The National Football League is actively pursuing partnerships in the space and has decided to increase its commitment through this expert hire. Highhill will officially serve as Vice President, General Manager of Sports Betting. This is the first time the NFL has created a job that will focus exclusively on the sports betting business.

However, it’s highly unlikely that the NFL will proceed and create a sportsbook of its own, for example. Instead, the organization will focus on better-positioning its brand and assets in the gambling space and deriving better dividends as a result. One of the things that Highhill will be directly in charge of is the NFL data and intellectual property and how it can increase its value through the sports betting segment.

Equally important, Highhill will have to also ensure that the NFL’s engagement globally is increasing. Highhill himself is convinced that this is a growing market and as such, it should be explored in full. More than 30 states and the District of Columbia are now offering some form of sports betting, with most opting for both digital and retail solutions. The NFL itself has been teaming up with a number of companies, signing partnerships that enable it to leverage its data in exchange for better revenue.

Sportsbooks, in turn, are interested in acquiring the data as this is the only way they can price their odds and lines in a competitive way that makes the betting process and fair and protects them from miscalculations. Speaking to ESPN earlier this week, Highhill confirmed that the NFL would not be interested in becoming a sportsbook. Rather, it would seek to boost engagement with fans and see what other dividends can be reaped.

Serving fans will be very important to the NFL, Highhill said, and added that the company was already aware of what types of fans there are. Highhill and the league are aware that some fans live and breed for sports betting, but others are not really interested at all. The league will also collaborate with the National Council on Problem Gambling to make sure that the proliferation of gambling relationships does not adversely impact sports fans.

Other major leagues in the United States are also partnering up with sports gambling companies. The NHL, MLS, MLB, and NBA all have some agreements with companies in the industry.

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