Pokerstars pro and Twitch streaming poker ace Jason Somerville (he can boast audiences of up to 3 million uniques) has accepted a sponsorship deal for an undisclosed amount from daily fantasy sports market leader DraftKings.
The move took industry observers by surprise, given Somerville’s close relationship with Pokerstars, whose parent Amaya Inc. recently acquired its own DFS enterprise, Victiv – soon to be rebranded StarsDraft (see previous reports).
It has been confirmed that Somerville will continue to represent Pokerstars as a member of its pro team, and the deal comes on the heels of a separate two year agreement with Twitch which Somerville’s Run It Up business signed recently
Early detail on the DraftKings agreement showcases some interesting synergies; for example the DFS giant is to host online satellite events in the US and Canada that will send winners to a Run It Up live poker event scheduled for the Peppermill Casino in Reno later this year.
DraftKing’s partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Club martial arts business also presents an additional DFS opportunity for Run It Up, as Somerville is a big fan of the genre.
From a DraftKings perspective, being associated closely with Somerville and his ability to pull large Twitch audiences in is an obvious advantage.