U.S. Sports Franchises Strengthening Ties With the U.S. Sports Gambling Community

For decades, major U.S. sports leagues and teams were quick to shun the sports betting community. It was one of the primary reasons that the U.S. Department of Justice was unwilling to loosen the country's ban on legal sports betting outside of Nevada. Oh how times of changes.

If there were any doubts about whether or not major U.S. sports leagues and teams would embrace the sports betting community now, those doubts can now be removed. The U.S. has proven itself to be a country that is strongly in favor of allowing residents to wager on sports events and matches. This has not been lost on major sports franchises that are working overtime to score sponsorship deals with the nation's top U.S. Online sports betting operators.

In Arizona, the state's sports betting legislation permitted Arizona sports franchises to align themselves with online bookmakers with only one catch. Retail sportsbooks are not allowed inside the stadiums. However, they are allowed in very close proximity. All of the following teams have already contracted with a licensed U.S. bookmaker: Arizona Cardinal at State Farm Stadium (BetMGM), Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field (Caesars Sportsbook), Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Arena (Fanduel), Phoenix Coyotes at Gila River Arena (TBD), and Phoenix Mercury at Arizona V.M. Coliseum (Bally Bet).

The news is the same in some of the other states that have already legalized sports betting for its resident.

Ted Leonsis = A Sports Betting Pioneer

Ted Leonsis is the leading principal at Monumental Sports, a company that owns and operates Washington D.C. sports franchises like the Washington Capitals, Wizards, and Mystics. Using his background in the data collection and wagering spaces, he was one of the first sports franchise owners to show unquestionable support for sports betting in the U.S. Long before the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018, he was already building relationships within the U.S. sports betting community.

Now, he has successfully worked deals to create two other firsts in major league sports. First and foremost, he recently became the first owner to open a retail sportsbook inside the Capital One Arena, home of his Washington Wizards.

Just this past week Leonsis achieve another first when he signed a sponsorship deal that will put the Caesar Sportsbook logo atop the team’s red home jerseys. It's worth noting the NHL will not be allowing advertising patches until the start of the 2022 season.

Caesars Sportsbook Stadium Deal in Louisiana

Showing the connection between U.S. bookmakers and professional sports will not be confined to sports franchises and professional sports leagues, Ceasars Entertainment made another recent move with the NFL. It was just a little more than two months ago that Caesars Entertainment secured a stadium naming deal for the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The new Caesars Superdome is home to the NFL's New Orleans Saints.

The gauntlet has been cast and the likelihood of more sports league/team connections with the sports betting community should be forthcoming in the near future.