It didn’t take long for a Canadian sports team to jump on the sports betting bandwagon.
Three days after legal sports wagering debuted in Ontario, the Toronto Blue Jays and theScore Bet Thursday announced a 10-year partnership deal. The first of its kind in Canada, the deal names theScore Bet the Blue Jays’ Official Gaming Partner.
“theScore Bet is proudly Canadian and we are thrilled to make Canada’s baseball team our long-term partner,” said theScore Bet CEO John Levy in a statement. “This is a foundational partnership with a team and organization that is deeply embedded in our country’s sports culture. 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.”
theScore Bet is a wholly owned subsidiary of Penn National Gaming. Penn National entered a definitive agreement to acquire the Canadian digital media and sports betting company for $2 billion in August 2021. The deal was finalized in October 2021.
Thursday’s announcement gives theScore Bet exclusive national marketing rights to Blue Jays’ materials across gaming categories, including sports betting, casino, online casino, and fantasy sports. The Blue Jays and theScore Bet also plan to create a premium 365-days-a-year flagship sports bar and restaurant at Rogers Centre, the team’s home stadium, to serve as an entertainment hub and destination for fans.
The partnership also includes exclusive in-stadium and digital offerings to Blue Jays fans and theScore Bet users through various sponsorships, including two immersive premium seating sections on the baselines, extensive in-stadium branding, in-game features, and team-related experiences. The partnership also designates theScore Bet as the presenting partner of the Blue Jays’ Care 50/50 program.
“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,” said Toronto Blue Jays President and CEO Mark Shapiro in a statement. “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.”
