Tabcorp Becomes Official MLB Partner in Australia

Tabcorp and Major League Baseball signed a new partnership designed to boost awareness for the league with Australian sports fans who have been demanding more US sports, and baseball in particular.

MLB and Tabcorp Tie up Exclusive Sports Betting Partnership

Major League Baseball (MLB) continues to expand its footprint around the world, after making successful forays in Japan and partly the United Kingdom, and now, thanks to a newly-signed partnership with sports betting operator Tabcorp, Australia.

As part of the agreement, Tabcorp will promote itself as the exclusive wagering partner for the MLB in the country. All of the operator’s 4,400 venues will have access to MLB Network and broadcast the league’s channel around the clock.

Tabcorp plans to air up to 10 live games every week, highlighting the more important games in each competitive week. Sportradar will also step in as it operates as MLB’s international and official streaming partner. 

The games, though, will be broadcast through Sky, Tabcorp’s racing and sports network. To seek better synergies, Tabcorp will allow punters to stream MLB games live on the native TAB app and the operator’s website.

TAB is not a chance partner either. The operator has successfully secured multiple partnerships with other established US sports leagues and bodies, not least the National Basketball League (NBA) and National Football League (NFL). The NFL made Tabcorp its first official sports wagering partner.

Demand for US Betting Grows

According to Tabcorp managing director of wagering and media, Adam Rytenskild, Australians have shown growing demand for US sports content with TAB punters specifically looking for more accurate data and betting opportunities. He further added:

“Baseball is America’s national pastime and this ground-breaking MLB deal – which complements our NBA and NFL partnerships – helps us to fulfill our ambition of being the home of US sport in Australia and to deliver superb experiences for our customers, both in venues and digitally via the app and website.”

TAB sports bettors will also get access to exclusive MLB-branded content, including game tickets, player experiences, various contests, and more. According to MLB executive vice president, Kenny Gersh, this partnership is an opportunity to expand the league’s footprint in Australia and consolidate its popularity in Oceania.

Tabcorp is an important cogwheel in the dynamic that Ms. Gersh hopes would lead to better viewership numbers in the country. “We are looking forward to working with Tabcorp to bring exciting baseball content to millions of fans in Australia via TAB and Sky,” she added.

Ms. Gersh reminded me that baseball is an interesting pastime that Australian sports fans enjoy as well. She evoked the game between Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks during the Opening Series games at the Sydney Cricket Ground back in 2014.

“We want to continue to help develop baseball in Australia and grow the game nationwide. Between TAB’s retail footprint and wagering expertise, we’re confident that this partnership is a significant step towards elevating baseball in Australia,” she concluded.

Tabcorp previously appealed to Australians to bet using the company’s website in a bid to support local jobs and the industry during the novel coronavirus pandemic.