Bally’s looks to Empire State gains with New York Yankees partnership
Newly launched New York licensee agrees marketing and trademark-led deal with MLB icon
Bally’s has agreed a marketing-led partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) side the New York Yankees, less than a month after launching in the Empire State.
The deal makes Bally Bet the official betting partner of the 27-time World Series Champions, with Bally’s receiving a number of in-stadia advertising privileges under the agreement as well as trademarks and marketing designations.
In addition to Bally Bet, Bally’s other brands stand to benefit with Monkey Knife Fight becoming the official DFS partner and Bally’s Casino and Bally Play becoming the igaming and free-to-play gaming partners respectively.
Bally’s New Jersey-based Atlantic City casino also becomes a partner of the Yankees under the deal.
Marketing opportunities include LED advertising boards along the outfield wall that lines the playing field, field-facing walls on the main level bars in left and right field, the terrace level ribbon board, and LED boards throughout the great hall.
Additionally, Bally’s receives an in-game feature on Yankee Stadium’s high-definition centerfield video board and other so-called “brand-enhancing” partnership activations.
Bally’s COO Adi Dhandhania welcomed the deal, citing the implications for the fledgling Bally Bet brand.
“This is a great partnership that will give Bally Bet and our other Bally’s Interactive brands terrific visibility in New York. The Yankees’ history as a franchise and their popularity as a global brand speaks for itself,” Dhandhania said.
His comments were echoed by New York Yankees SVP of partnerships Michael J. Tusiani who said he was “excited” to begin the new partnership with Bally’s.
“We hope that their branding in Yankee Stadium, along with their in-stadium customer engagement, will greatly strengthen Bally’s overall gaming presence in New York,” Tusiani added.
Bally’s only began operating its Bally Bet sportsbook in New York on July 7, despite the Big Apple’s sportsbook market officially going live in January.
At the time, the operator attributed the decision to abstain as being necessitated by the promotional blitzkrieg undertaken by NY-licensed operators in the initial months following launch, something which has since largely subsided.
Now in six states, Bally Bet Sportsbook is an authorized gaming operator of MLB, the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).
In addition to the New York Yankees, Bally’s has official sports team partnerships with the NHL’s Nashville Predators, the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.