At a market launch event at the Toronto Stock Exchange Monday, theScore Bet founder and CEO John Levy talked about how the key for sportsbook companies going forward in a regulated Ontario sports betting market was going to come down to customer retention.
That’s what makes the 10-year partnership deal announced Thursday between theScore Bet Ontario and the Toronto Blue Jays so interesting.
The Jays are one of baseball’s best teams, a World Series favorite this season (they open Friday night at home against the Texas Rangers) with a young talented young core, and a deep minor league system. You are getting the sense of an organization that will be sustainable from a competitive perspective for some time.
So if a sportsbook in a hyper-competitive, newly regulated provincial sports betting market wants to hitch its wagon to a pro sports team, the Jays would be a good choice.
The regulated single-game Ontario sports betting market launched in the province on Monday.
Details of the Deal
With the deal, theScore Bet becomes the official gaming partner of the Jays. It’s the first professional team sponsorship for theScore Bet.
The deal grants theScore Bet exclusive national marketing rights extending across all gaming categories including sports betting, casino, online casino and fantasy sports, according to a news release.
Also included will be two immersive premium seating sections on the baselines, extensive in-stadium branding, in-game features, a host of team-related experiences. theScore Bet is now the presenting partner of the Jays Care 50/50 program.
Sports Betting Lounge Included
A Deloitte survey of sports bettors in February revealed that 65.9% of ardent bettors would welcome players’ lounges added to major venues like the Rogers Centre, with 54.1% of casual bettors welcoming that.
We wondered when there would be announcements surrounding sports betting lounges at major Ontario stadiums and ballparks, like at NFL stadiums in the U.S. The partnership between theScore bet and the Blue Jays includes a plan to create a branded, premium flagship sports bar and restaurant in the Rogers Centre, a stadium that is presently going through a major renovation.
“The fan experience is evolving and this monumental partnership with theScore Bet offers compelling new ways for sports enthusiasts to be a part of the game,” Mark Shapiro, president & CEO of the Blue Jays, said in the release. “We are excited to be partnering with a Canadian company that operates at the highest level of the industry and understands our role in Toronto and Canada, to bring baseball to more fans nationwide.”
