Bally’s clinches multi-year Minor League Baseball partnership
Bally Bet operator becomes national media rights holder and exclusive fantasy and gaming partner of baseball’s second tier
Bally’s Corporation has agreed a multi-year deal to become the first ever national media rightsholder and exclusive fantasy and gaming partner of Minor League Baseball (MiLB).
The partnership includes the provision of live broadcasts and exclusive free-to-play gaming content across MiLB digital platforms and strategic partner channels.
The channels, which include local and regional broadcast stations across the country, give Bally’s’ customers coverage of the up-and-coming future stars of Major League Baseball (MLB), covering more than 7,000 live games in total.
A key element of the partnership is integration with Bally’s new proprietary social platform, Bally Live, which is geared around fan engagement. This includes resources to allow MiLB game attendees to stream games with friends, utilize chatting functionality, as well as watch parties.
Individuals using the Bally Live app will also be able to access free-to-play, trivia, and other predictor games where they will be eligible to earn rewards through the Bally Bucks reward program.
Bally’s Corporation chairman Soo Kim welcomed the new partnership and the potential integrations across Bally’s’ online operations.
“This exciting partnership presents a remarkable opportunity for Bally’s, MiLB, and the league’s teams to come together and collaborate on delivering an exceptional experience for MiLB’s more than 30 million fans across 120 teams and ballparks,” Kim said.
“With a rich legacy of innovation, Bally’s is dedicated to leveraging its expertize to elevate engagement and create truly immersive experiences that are sure to captivate and delight MiLB fans,” he added.
The MiLB consists of more than 120 teams including several affiliated with MLB, as well as a number of independent baseball leagues and unaffiliated teams.
MLB executive VP of media and business development Kenny Gersh expressed his delight at the new partnership and its benefits for baseball’s traditional second tier.
“Since assuming operations of Minor League Baseball in 2021, we’ve focused on growing the reach and awareness of our impressive young prospects and iconic MiLB teams,” Gersh said.
“Bally’s Corporation will be a critical partner for us in achieving that goal, providing extensive distribution of live MiLB broadcasts and enhancing the fan experience with fun and predictive free-to-play, fantasy, and real-money games that uphold the integrity of the sport,” he added.