76ers become first NBA team to sign prediction market partner
The Kalshi deal brings fan experiences, including a competition to win US$76,000 and free SEPTA rides for the November 2 game against the Knicks.
Key takeaways:
- The Philadelphia 76ers have signed a multi-year agreement naming Kalshi their Official Prediction Market Partner, the first such appointment by an NBA franchise.
- The deal follows Kalshi’s recently announced agreement with the NBA, which named Kalshi and Polymarket as Preferred Prediction Market Exchanges in October.
- Kalshi will present Beat the Pro, a season-long fan engagement platform that ends with an on-court competition for a chance to win US$76,000.
U.S.- The Philadelphia 76ers have signed a multi-year agreement with Kalshi, making the prediction market operator the NBA team’s Official Prediction Market Partner. It’s the first time an NBA franchise has appointed a partner in this category, following Kalshi’s recently announced agreement with the league.
The agreement will give Kalshi visibility at the team’s arena and across its digital channels, including the 76ers app, mobile ticketing and other team-owned platforms. Planned content also includes social media initiatives such as monthly fan voting for the team’s Top Plays.
Initiatives will include Sixers Posters, a digital art series featuring work by Philadelphia-based artists and creators with ties to the city, for which Kalshi will serve as presenting partner. The company will also present Beat the Pro, a season-long fan engagement platform that will culminate in an on-court competition for the chance to face a 76ers personality to potentially win US$76,000.
In October, the NBA named Kalshi and Polymarket as its Preferred Prediction Market Exchanges and signed a memorandum of understanding with the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The contracts set out integrity requirements for authorised NBA-related markets, including limits on the contracts platforms can offer, a prohibition on league and team personnel trading NBA event contracts, and obligations to share information about investigations and suspicious trading activity.
The NBA’s agreements grant Kalshi and Polymarket rights to use league intellectual property, as well as marketing opportunities and promotional activations across US media channels. The platforms will receive NBA data from Sportradar, the league’s official data distribution partner, to operate and settle authorised markets linked to NBA events.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- What is Beat the Pro? Beat the Pro is a season-long fan engagement platform presented by Kalshi. It will culminate in an on-court competition in which selected fans can face a 76ers legend or personality for the chance to win US$76,000.
- Which prediction markets has the NBA approved? In October, the NBA named Kalshi and Polymarket as its Preferred Prediction Market Exchanges. It also signed a memorandum of understanding with the CFTC. The platforms receive rights to use league intellectual property and NBA data from Sportradar to operate and settle authorised markets.
- What integrity rules apply to NBA-related prediction markets? The contracts limit what platforms can offer and prohibit league and team personnel from trading NBA event contracts. They also require platforms to share information about investigations and suspicious trading activity.
