DraftKings to increase workforce by 75 percent; relocating to new Boston headquarters

Boston-based daily fantasy sports contest provider, DraftKings, Inc., recently announced that it has embarked upon an aggressive hiring campaign that the company expects will increase its size by 75 percent within the next 18 months. According to a company news release, DraftKings is planning to grow its current employee pool from its current 425 to upwards of 700 by the idle of next year, with a minimum of 600 of those positions to be Boston-based. In order to accommodate this significant workforce growth, DraftKings has also revealed that it has plans for a new state-of-the-art headquarters that will reportedly be located in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood at 500 Boylston Street. The news release states that the company’s new digs at 105,000 square feet, is the largest single-floor space available in Beantown. The new space is reportedly more than twice the size of DraftKing’s current headquarters at 225 Franklin Street in Downtown Boston, MA Financial District. DraftKings co-founder and CEO, Jason Robins, said, “We are entering an exciting phase of accelerated growth at DraftKings as we continue to develop new products and diversify our offerings. To meet these needs and remain at the forefront of innovation, DraftKings is focused on hiring top talent.” Robins added, “We are also honing in on our commitment to Boston by opening a new headquarters in the city. We’re especially thankful to Governor Baker, Mayor Walsh and the state’s legislative leadership for their continued support of our company and Boston’s thriving tech economy.” DraftKings will reportedly customize and invest significantly in its new headquarters, with plans to immediately expand the sports-tech and entertainment platform’s in-house media production studio and to create unique employee “neighborhoods” fashioned to foster cross-department collaboration. The company’s relocation is slated to be completed within the first half of next year. Founded by Jason Robins, Matt Kalish and Paul Liberman in 2012, DraftKings currently offers daily and weekly fantasy sports contests spanning 10 professional sports in the United States and Canada, as well as the United Kingdom, Malta, Germany, Austria and Ireland.