User:Milwaukee Brewers cut sponsorship deal with casino
Major League Baseball officials have eased some restrictions that have barred baseball teams from engaging in any kind of business with gambling. For a very long time, this has been a sensitive topic in baseball since the huge "Black Sox" gambling scandal back in 1919. Until the '80s, stars such as Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle were frowned upon and banned for being too closely related to Atlantic City casinos. "It reflects that baseball understands that if things are done intelligently, they can still generate revenue for the team without affecting the integrity of the game," said Rick Schlesinger, the Brewers' vice president of business operations.
Schlesinger said, "We're following all MLB guidelines. They are detailed and we are following them. That doesn't mean I don't want to see them relax, but the reality is they've been relaxing for years. Baseball has a sensitivity to gambling. I think the teams have matured enough in the 21st century and it's an environment where we can have close sponsorship and partnership with casinos."
Despite the easing of restrictions, the team still has to walk some tightrope. They can't do any promotion directly linking the team to gambling and maybe the game side will be downplayed. If you promote it yourself for the Potawatomi Bingo Casino, you will emphasize the casino's theaters and restaurants rather than games.
The sponsorship deal is a multi-year deal, but the Brewers are not discussing the specific monetary terms agreed on in the deal. Acquiring a sponsorship from the Potawatomi Bingo Casino will replace Mercedes' loss of not renewing a sponsorship for the team.
