PointsBet hits home run with first-ever MLB betting partnership
Australian operator inks first-ever MLB franchise partnership with Michigan-based Detroit Tigers
PointsBet has signed a multi-year partnership with the Detroit Tigers to seal the first sponsorship agreement between a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise and a betting operator.
Under the remit of the deal, PointsBet will be afforded signage and branding opportunities at Comerica Park and will be featured on the Tigers’ radio network and live-streamed content.
The sportsbook will also be integrated into two mobile apps, the official MLB ballpark app and District Detroit, which details the areas surrounding Comerica Park.
PointsBet will gain access to official MLB data, and will be able to use MLB logos and branding within its sportsbook products, after inking a separate deal with the league prior to the link-up with the Tigers.
Chris Granger, the president of Ilitch Holdings – the company representing the Tigers – said: “As we usher in legal and responsible sports betting, we look forward to the fan-friendly enhancements it will make to the game-day experience in and around Comerica Park.”
Speaking to ESPN, PointsBet CEO Johnny Aitken said baseball offers a swathe of potential betting market innovations.
Aitken added: “I view baseball as arguably the most disruptable sport when it comes to innovation around betting. I think there’s a huge amount of innovation that can happen around baseball betting.”
Elsewhere, US sports teams continue to take tentative steps towards bookmaker partnerships, with NFL outfit the Denver Broncos recently partnering with FanDuel and MLS club DC United boasting a sleeve sponsorship agreement with Caesars Sports.