'Monumental partnership': theScore Bet, Blue Jays announce 10-year exclusive deal
The Blue Jays struck a historic partnership ahead of Friday's season opener, announcing a 10-year agreement with Toronto's own theScore Bet to be the lone Canadian MLB club's exclusive gaming partner.
As a result, fans at Rogers Centre can expect to see ample presence from theScore Bet this season and beyond, including two immersive premium seating sections on the baselines, extensive in-stadium branding, and in-game features.
MAJOR NEWS! @theScoreBet becomes the Official Gaming Partner of the Toronto @BlueJays. 🇨🇦#LetsGoBlueJays pic.twitter.com/BUTxF2Sh0Z
— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) April 7, 2022
The Blue Jays and theScore Bet also plan to create a branded, premium, 365-days-a-year, flagship sports bar and restaurant at the retractable-roof stadium in Toronto's downtown core.
"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," Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro said. "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."
Ontario, Canada's most populous province with over 14 million people, recently opened its market for sports betting and iGaming to regulated private operators on April 4.
The Blue Jays deal grants theScore Bet, a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, exclusive national marketing rights that extend across all gaming categories, including sports betting, casino, online casino, and fantasy sports.
"theScore Bet is proudly Canadian and we are thrilled to make Canada’s baseball team our long-term partner," theScore Bet CEO John Levy said. "This is a foundational partnership with a team and organization that is deeply embedded in our country's sports culture."
A fans-first approach means Blue Jays supporters have much to look forward to at the ballpark.
"With our combined loyal audiences and brand affinity in Ontario, we believe this deal will establish a new standard for team and gaming operator relationships as we pioneer innovative ways to experience and interact with the game," Levy said.