Sports and Gambling Mix it UP
Sports teams and gambling don’t mix—that is until now. In the past, sporting events and teams did their best to distance themselves from the world of gambling. If you look at any high-profile tournament in gambling you hardly would find big-name sponsors, much less mainstream ones. For years gambling flew under the radar of big sponsors. Even the WSOP, or World Series of Poker, was denied its sponsors and it is a huge poker tournament. Things have changed drastically in recent months.
Now the WNBA’s New York Liberty has signed an affiliation contract with Foxwoods Resort and Casino. This is the first time either have agreed to go public with a combined promotional effort. Outside of the US it is common for casinos and sports teams to promote events together but in the states, it has not been a common practice. The two entities have long tried to distance themselves from each other. Now, with the huge growth in gambling sports teams know that gambling is big business and want to capitalize on just how lucrative it really is. Estimates and industry experts have already noted the billions of potential dollars available when gambling is involved. The numbers are far too high for legislators to deny them…or sports teams, for that matter. It is causing the team owners to think twice about past decisions to stay away from gambling as a means of advertising and marketing. The change brings great news to all parties involved in the issue.
The Liberty recently held a game and displayed the Mohegan Sun Arena’s logo on their jerseys. It was a monumental moment in gaming because of the strategic affiliation. You can expect this to open the door to more promotions in the world of best online casino play in the future. Sports team owners know how many people they can reach with promoting casinos and are not going to deny the money. They are going to capitalize on the growing popularity of gambling in the market and take full advantage of the advertising possibilities. In the future more sports teams are going to move into the promotional possibilities that casino advertising offers them. It is a great move for all parties involved.
