Phoenix Mercury Announce “Groundbreaking” Deal With Bally’s Corporation

Women National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) Phoenix Mercury have announced a ground-breaking 15-year, US$66 million (AUD$88 million) sponsorship deal with American gaming company, Bally’s Corporation.

Bally’s claims the deal is the largest in professional women sports and the first deal with a women sports team for the organisation.

The deal will see Bally’s host and manage an online and mobile sports betting service in Arizona due to Phoenix Mercury’s receipt of a mobile sports betting license from the Arizona Department of Gaming.

Bally’s will also operate a retail sportsbook in the vicinity of the Phoenix Suns Arena where Mercury currently plays their home games.

Bally’s board chairman, Soo Kim, said the organisation was honoured to be part of an important milestone in the history of women sports.

“Maintaining and implementing a strong diversity, equity and inclusion program is a cornerstone of Bally’s operational values, and we look forward to promoting those values as part of our sponsorship with the Phoenix Mercury and hope that other major corporations follow in our footsteps,” Kim said.

“We are also excited about the prospect of providing sports fans in Arizona with access to our first-in-class online sports betting platform, and enhancing the way that they engage with their favourite sports pastimes,” he said.

On the partnership, Phoenix Mercury CEO and president, Jason Rowley, said: “We are very excited to partner with Bally’s on this enormous step forward in the “advancement of women’s sports.”

“This agreement represents so much more than a team sponsorship.

“It is a reflection of our shared values and commitment to investing in diversity, equity and inclusion,” he said.