MGM Hopeful of Japanese License Thanks to MLB Ties

The culmination of a Japanese casino resort story is close at hand. Eager operators have presented their ideal solutions for proposed properties, candidate host cities have given their reasoning behind their bids – all that’s left now is for local powers-that-be to make the fateful decision, which is never going to be an easy job.

Luckily for MGM Resorts, a strike of recent fortune may very well turn out to be the break they were looking for in order to hold the key to this affluent market.

Their wild card? Baseball!

MLB’s Japanese Fantasy

As our readers may be familiar with, baseball is huge in Japan – game attendances are massive and this typically American sport has not only a huge following, but also a very capable national team that won numerous global accolades such as Olympic medals.

Big attendances and spectators willing (and able) to spend led to Major League Baseball’s making a permanent footmark in Land of the Rising Sun. For some time now, select US professional baseball league’s season games have been played there…

…which will be the case this year as well, when season-opening fixtures begin next month. MGM Resorts will be the title sponsor of it all.

The 2019 MGM MLB Opening Series will begin with the March 17-18 day/night double bill between Japan’s top teams versus MLB teams. It will conclude with two Tokyo Dome games on March 20th and 21st between Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners.

Aftermath of November Deal

Following the PASPA repeal by the US Senate last year, partnerships between professional sports leagues and gambling operators have been popping up left and right…

…leading to this alliance formed between MGM and MLB in late November according to whose MGM will gain exclusive access to MLB’s data in exchange for which it will provide sponsorships. The league will promote the MGM International brand on their media platforms as well as domestic and international events.

Engaging With Extraordinary Japanese ion

Long-term plans for the sport in this Asian island nation include MGM’s prominent role in ing MLB-led events such as a Road Show tour of the country during which fans will be invited to interact and participate in batting, pitching and VR experiences.

As a consequence of these ventures, MGM should be brought into more immediate with the Japanese public.

During March’s Tokyo Dome ballpark events, MGM plots activation of fan-facing events. Their logo will be prominently featured on kits of Oakland Athletics players.

MLB’s executive vice-president of commerce, Noah Garden, said that MGM Resorts have a great opportunity to engage and experience the extraordinary ion of baseball fans in Japan.

Source:

“Baseball set to give MGM Japanese foothold”, igamingbusiness.com, February 26, 2019.