Sinclair Broadcast Group and Bally’s, owner of Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel & Casino, announced today an agreement for a long term partnership that will rebrand Sinclair’s 21 Fox regional sports networks under the Bally’s name.
Bally’s will reportedly pay $85 million to Sinclair in a ten year deal for naming rights. Sources tell The NY Post that the goal for Bally’s is to encourage viewers to use its online sports wagering tool. Bally’s will advertise on The Tennis Channel and Stadium, both owned by Sinclair, along with on the RSNs and Sinclair’s free streaming service STIRR.
The Post reports that the MLB, NBA, and NHL will still need to sign off on Bally advertising its sports betting tools during their broadcasts.
“Since acquiring Tennis Channel a few years ago and the RSNs last year, we have been working on developing an innovative experience that changes the way people think about and view live sports across all our platforms,” said Chris Ripley, President and CEO of Sinclair in a statement. “Bally’s, with its strong brand name, premier sportsbook technology platform and expansive market access, is the perfect partner to help us change the paradigm of sports viewing across all our assets. By integrating gamification elements that allow audiences a more personalized and interactive game experience, consumers of live sports in the future can look forward to a more dynamic and engaging sports viewing experience.
Sinclair-owned Yes Network and Marquee Sports Network will not be a part of the deal with Bally’s.