US sports teams keen on sponsorship deals – William Hill

William Hill claims to have been “inundated” with approaches from major US sports teams about sponsorship deals since changes to US sports betting laws.

The US Supreme Court last month struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, the federal ban on state-sponsored sports betting.

Since then, sports betting has been legalised in both New Jersey and Delaware, with other states set to follow soon.

Betting company sponsorships and partnerships are commonplace in European sport, with operators’ logos having adorned the kits of major teams such as football’s Real Madrid.

Reuters reports that William Hill US chief executive Joseph Asher claims to have received a series of phone calls and emails from sports franchises looking to do sponsorship deals in recent weeks.

“The leagues and the teams are interested in doing commercial deals,” Asher told Reuters.

Hills is set to be a leader in the US market and will power the first sports bets in New Jersey at Monmouth Park later today (Thursday). It began working with the racetrack back in 2013.

However, Major League Baseball officials have informed teams and networks via a memo that they are not allowed to accept advertising from sports betting operators, such as Monmouth Park.

ROI NJ reports that the memo was signed by Dan Halem, deputy commissioner and chief legal officer. He wrote: “We have been informed that club television and radio rights holders are being approached by sports books to place advertising/enhancements. Pursuant to MLB policy, clubs must inform their rights holders that they are presently not permitted to accept such advertising.”

Gambling operators would be barred from appearing on the shirts of National Basketball Association teams under regulations introduced when sponsorship was introduced in 2016.

Related article: Marathonbet 'signals intention' with Man City deal