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Lucrative partnerships between professional sports leagues/teams and gaming operators are altering the sports betting landscape.
On Tuesday, the MLB and MGM Resorts International announced an “all-inclusive” partnership further establishing this new gambling narrative in the post-PASPA era.
Another league, another sports betting deal
The multiyear deal makes MGM the first-ever official gaming partner of MLB. It will combine the MLB brand with MGM Resorts and the playMGM brand across multiple platforms.
Here is what MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred had to say:
“We are pleased to partner with MGM Resorts International, a clear industry leader in the sports gaming area, to work together on bringing innovative experiences to baseball fans and MGM customers. Our partnership with MGM will help us navigate this evolving space responsibly, and we look forward to the fan engagement opportunities ahead.”
You can take a look at a full guide to all the US sportsbook and casino team sponsorships here.
Deal specifics
While financial specifics were not disclosed, the deal allows MGM to promote its brand across a multitude of platforms:
- MLB Network
- MLB.com
- MLB At Bat app
MGM will also have the ability to utilize MLB’s official data feed on a nonexclusive basis. MLB will also prove MGM with “enhanced statistics” on an exclusive basis.
Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM, had this to say:
“We are excited to enter into this historic partnership with MLB. We are thrilled to create a new, one-of-a-kind fan experience for baseball fans. Combining MGM Resorts’ world-class entertainment and technology with MLB data will continue to transform a rapidly changing industry. This partnership further amplifies the significance of our GVC JV, firmly establishing MG Resorts and playMGM as the market leader in partnerships with major professional sports leagues.”
Leading the pack
MGM has indeed established itself as the front-runner when it comes to deal making. So far, MGM has impressively and swiftly locked down deals with three of the four major US sports leagues.
Additionally, MGM has casinos in three states with legal sports betting: Nevada, New Jersey and Mississippi.
Following this third mega-deal, Sara Slane, senior vice president of public affairs for the American Gaming Association (AGA), had this to say:
“Agreements between sports leagues and the gaming industry enable all sports stakeholders to work together to eliminate the illegal sports betting market. With MLB’s announcement today, three major sports leagues now have official sports betting partners — evidence of our commitment to protecting the integrity of both consumers and sporting competitions and that contracts remain preferential to statutes in all sports betting deals.”
A recent Nielsen Sports study estimated MLB stands to gain $1.1 billion in associated annual revenue. The AGA anticipates all four major sports leagues could see a revenue boost to the tune of $4.2 billion.
