Partnership Season Continues: Titans Sign On With BetMGM

The floodgates are officially open with regards to partnership deals between NFL teams and sports betting providers. Last week ended with a flurry of deals including the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts and this week greets us with news that the Tennessee Titans have brought on BetMGM to be not only the team's first Official Betting Partner but also the state's first official partnership between a professional sports team and sports betting Company. The partnership was brought on and supported by SPORTFIVE and Sportradar, both of which had a role in bringing this deal to fruition.

BetMGM, the joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings has been busy establishing themselves as one of the dominant brands in the US legal sports betting scene and only strengthens its place in the elite category with their Titans affiliation. They now have four Official Partnership deals with NFL clubs.

"We are thrilled to bring BetMGM to the state of Tennessee," said Gil Beverly , Titans Sr. Vice President, Chief Marketing and Revenue Officer. "BetMGM will deliver new experiences and levels of engagement to our fans and we're excited to welcome them in as an official partner."

What Comes With the Deal

BetMGM, as the first ever partner with a professional team in Tennessee gains huge media exposure right off the bat. The BetMGM brand will benefit from brand visibility with everything associated with the Tennessee Titans football club including its multiple digital channels and during key moments of any Titans game.

The BetMGM logo will be prevalent on video boards during replays, field goal attempts and other crucial game-time moments. BetMGM becomes the immediate sponsor of the Titans' television studio at Saint Thomas Sports Park which churns out such programs as Titans All Access, the Coach Mike Vrabel Show and other Titans content that is available to all fans throughout Tennessee.

BetMGM will also become title sponsor of a Titans-branded raffle which will benefit The Titans Foundation aimed at funding community organizations within the state of Tennessee.

"The Titans are an incredible organization and we're proud to have BetMGM as the team's first official sports betting partner," BetMGM Chief Marketing Officer Matt Prevost said in the release.

Building a Presence in Tennessee

BetMGM will have their own sportsbook in Tennessee with a launch date of November 1 for an online sports betting platform. The Company was granted one of three licenses approved by the Tennessee Education Lottery Corp. Prior to that, the betting provider had no market access in the state.

BetMGM already has market access in seven states - Tennessee will make seven. As the first provider with a professional sports sponsorship deal, BetMGM will likely be in the running for partnership deals with the Memphis Grizzlies of the NBA, the Nashville Predators off the NHL and even the Tennessee Volunteers of the NCAA, if and when they decide to go the sport betting partnership route.

BetMGM and the NFL

BetMGM is building on one of the longest-term relationships a betting provider has with the NFL. BetMGM became a gaming partner of the New York Jets in October, 2018 - long before league officials gave their blessing for team/betting provider partnerships.

As of now, BetMGM is the Official Betting Partner of the Denver Broncos which came in July, the Detroit Lions, who signed with the sportsbook September 3, the Las Vegas Raiders who announced the partnership September 17 and now the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee’s Evolution

The state of Tennessee, with the Titans/BetMGM partnership, has signaled that they are all-in on legal sports betting for the state. The platform is still in its infancy and has a ton of room to grow – something that is expected over the next few months with a host of providers lining up for access to bettors in the state.

With no limit on the number of licenses the Tennessee Lottery board can issue, it is expected Tennessee will become an attractive option for sports betting providers looking to expand their reach. Applications are still flowing in and being reviewed. Some will likely be filled soon.