Yahoo Finance Blue Jays announce 10-year partnership with theScore's betting platform
The Toronto Blue Jays have struck a partnership with Score Media and Gaming that will see the locally-run sportsbook become the Major League Baseball team's exclusive gaming partner for the next 10 years.
Under the terms of the deal, theScore will receive exclusive national marketing rights from the team, spanning sports betting, physical and online casinos, and fantasy sports. According to a press release on Thursday, the collaboration also includes a branded sports bar and restaurant at Rogers Centre, as well as co-branding elements ranging from premium seating to special in-game features.
TheScore Bet sportsbook started accepting bets in Ontario on April 4, the day the province opened its legal online gambling market to private competition. Ontario is the only Canadian province that currently allows private operators to compete with government-run sports betting platforms. Canadians have been able to legally place bets on individual games and matches since Aug. 27, the day an amendment to the criminal code took effect. The change opened the legal market to new forms of betting, including in-game action, after years of being limited to wagers spanning multiple events.
"The fan experience is evolving," Blue Jays' president and CEO Mark Shapiro stated in the press release. "This monumental partnership with theScore Bet offers compelling new ways for sports enthusiasts to be a part of the game."
TheScore became a subsidiary of Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming (PENN) following a US$2 billion deal in August. However, day-to-day control of the company remains with theScore's management team in Toronto.
"Teaming with the Blue Jays opens up exciting new exclusive marketing opportunities and brings theScore Bet even closer to a huge audience of passionate and engaged fans, both on-site at Rogers Centre and online across our platforms," John Levy, CEO of theScore, added in the press release.
The Jays are owned by Canadian telecom and media giant Rogers Communications (RCI-B.TO)(RCI).
Sports gambling industry observers have long speculated about how Canada's largest media companies would embrace betting. On Monday, rival BCE (BCE.TO)(BCE) inked a deal to enhance its TSN sports network with betting-focused content through a multi-year agreement with FanDuel Group, a company owned by Ireland-based Flutter Entertainment (FLTR.L).
Jeff Lagerquist is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance Canada. Follow him on Twitter @jefflagerquist.
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