Birdies and eagles aren’t just for the pros anymore. theScore is giving RBC Canadian Open viewers a bird’s-eye-view of the action this weekend with its new Skyline Seats promo.
theScore Bet Skyline Seats will bring golf fans up to 100 feet above the RBC Canadian open Championship to see the pros in action as never before. Hoisted above the 1st and 18th holes, viewers will get an unprecedented vantage point of St. George’s Golf and Country Club.
theScore Bet’s First Big Activation
“The Canadian Open is our first big event activation in Ontario since the [single-event] sports betting market opened,” says theScore Bet’s Senior VP Content and Marketing Aubrey Levy. He says the company wanted to show up for the tournament in a big way that provided fans a never-before-seen opportunity. “We thought, if we show up, it has to feel different. It has to feel authentic to theScore and represent what makes our brand unique.”
That meant going beyond television spots and standard sponsorship activations, Levy says. “It started with an ideation process: how can we get viewers into Bet Mode, in line with our larger marketing campaign? Our core philosophy is to bring media and sports closer together, and by extension bring fans closer to the sports they love.”
The natural extension of the brainstorm was to give golf fans a completely new vantage point from the air, a perspective that captures multiple holes, with the 1st and 18th being most visible from the Skyline Seats. It’s a very unique concept, something Ontario sportsbooks are developing with restrictive promotion regulations.
“It was a crazy idea that just seemed to work out,” Levy says. The dominos kept falling and the Skyline Seats became a reality. “Dinner in the Sky and Golf Canada were all in from the get-go. They were open to unique ideas and helped get this, quite literally, off the ground.”
The Skyline Seats Treatment
Guests attending the RBC Canadian Open June 9-12 have the opportunity to book a 30-minute spot in the Skyline Seats, where they’ll be fastened in their seats 100 feet above the action. The whole experience takes about an hour: 30 minutes in the air with extra time built in for embarking and disembarking. Food and drinks are provided while guests are in the Skyline Seats.
“We have a bunch of activations at the tournament,” Aubrey Levy says. “There’s a member’s lounge, a putting challenge, and more. To sign up for a time, guests just need to find one of our reps, ask about the Skyline Seats, and get scheduled.” Levy emphasizes that Skyline Seats are available to all as space allows (22 guests can enjoy the experience at a time). No purchase or registration is needed to participate.
Long-Term Impact
“This is our first big golf event partnership,” Levy says. He notes that many operators focus on the big four sports—baseball, basketball, football, and hockey—for promotions like this. “But Canadians love golf,” he says, noting that this is a great way to give back to the fans. “To be able to offer them something so special and unique is an honor.”
And this is just the beginning. theScore Bet recently unleashed its “Get Into Bet Mode” campaign. Plus, the RBC Men’s Open is in Ontario for the next three years as well. Levy says theScore Bet is open to repeating the Skyline Seats promotion if it’s a hit: “It might be recurring. We might change things up or expand it.”
About The RBC Canadian Open
The RBC Canadian Open takes place Thursday, June 9th through Sunday, June 12th at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in the greater Toronto area.
The field of golfers is impressive this year, with a few favorites expected to perform well: Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Sam Burns, and Cameron Smith hover in the top odds picks at most sportsbooks.
