PENN Entertainment manages a range of sportsbooks across the US and Canada. It has recently acquired a license to become the official sportsbook of Major League Baseball. We discuss this in the article below.

Major entertainment brand PENN has recently signed a deal to partner with the Major League Baseball Players Association, the business arm of MLB Players Inc. This will make its two flagship brands, ESPN Bet and theScore Bet officially licensed sportsbooks of the MLPA. Both of these will now become known as “Officially Licensed Sportsbooks of MLBPI.” ESPN is primarily based in the US, while theScore Bet is a Canadian operation.

PENN Partners with MLPA

Securing the deal was OneTeam Partners, who brokered a non-exclusive licensing deal. This will allow the company to use the images, likenesses, and names of players on their apps and websites. They may also use them for marketing and retail applications. It is hoped this will help them reach out to a wider audience.

The move was made by the company to help position itself as the primary betting operation for baseball fans. Baseball betting is growing rapidly in popularity and the start of the new MLB season has been frantic. It is also a competitive market, with many promos for betting fans available to get them signed up for new services as the season starts. The majority of these, particularly ones that have been ranked and reviewed by experts, are exceptional. Not only do they provide offers, but they also have excellent odds and ease of use. With very little separating them, PENN needs to use every advantage it can get.

ESPN Bets Drive to Improve

ESPN Bet also needs this push forward, as it has not done as well as expected, considering some of the figures other sports betting organizations are pulling in. It had initially aimed to capture around 20% of the US sports betting market by 2027. However, figures show it is way off this total. After last year’s fourth-quarter earnings, it was updated to 5% by the end of 2025 and even that seems a big goal.

This has not been the first time PENN has taken a hit with major sportsbook investments. It originally ran Barstool Sportsbook, which was rebranded with the ESPN moniker. This change took place in 2023, and the deal with ESPN was signed for 10 years. It is rumored they took a half-billion loss by shelving Barstool.

The initial term of the contract with ESPN saw $1.5bn go to them, along with $500m worth of warrants to purchase 31.8 million shares in PENN.

Initially, it was expected that if the 20% market share was reached, ESPN would get performance rewards. These included an additional 6.4 million shares. With this failing, it would not be out of the question for PENN to possibly drop the deal altogether.

ESPN is one of the major American sports media companies and a name consumers already trust. They operate a cable channel that shows the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. They also have a wide range of social channels and even have their own programming for original features on sports and its history. A move into betting would seem to be a natural progression, though they may have underestimated a saturated market.

PENN currently operates 32 retail sportsbooks. A total of 19 of them work under the ESPN brand. In 2019 they managed to acquire theScore. They have signed another deal to make this the official gaming partner of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The MLBPI

The MLBPI will also benefit by expanding its financial and intellectual reach. It has recently been involved in legal battles with both FanDuel and Underdog Fantasy in New York. This has centered on the misappropriation of intellectual property. So far, there has been a settlement with FanDuel which took place in November 2024. They agreed to a licensing agreement that remains confidential. This left Underdog Fantasy as the only company remaining in the battle.

Last year, it also launched battles in Pennsylvania against DraftKings and bet365. This resulted in DraftKings launching a defense based on the use of Major League Baseball Players’ images falling within the First Amendment. In its opinion, images of players are available under a free press system and are considered of public interest. A federal judge in the state dismissed this, saying that the motion was viable as its use may infringe on publicity rights.

On the same day, bet365 was withdrawn as a plaintiff. However, there have been no official words or statements regarding why.

Jason Birney is the VP of operations for PENN Entertainment. He has said that “Partnering with MLB Players Inc. strengthens our connection to the league and its star players and creates additional opportunities to engage fans throughout the season.”

President of OneTeam, Frank Arthofer, explained that “By integrating MLB player rights into PENN Entertainment’s platforms, this partnership brings fans closer to the game while unlocking new business opportunities in sports betting.’’ He then went on to discuss how players are continuing to influence the betting experience of fans while enhancing player rights and distribution.

Torpedo Bats

This season, baseball has gotten off to a flying start. The Los Angeles Dodgers, reigning champions, took on the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo. One week later, games began in the United States.

Most of the MLB has been set alight with the introduction of new torpedo bats. Over the past ten years, the quality of pitching in the game has increased dramatically. Strikeouts were at a record high, meaning the game was losing its excitement. This is where the torpedo bat comes in.

Designed at the University of Michigan, the torpedo bat has an elongated barrel for more surface area. However, it does this by cleverly redistributing the weight, so it is no heavier but does have more power when the ball typically hits the bat. The Yankees debuted the bat in March. They managed to tie a major league record with 15 home runs in the first three games. Now, every player in the league is trying to get their hands on one.

With renewed excitement in the sport, it could spell great things for PENN and this partnership may revitalize the ESPN brand. With such a household name, it seems hard to think that something is not working with the transition to sports betting. It is a saturated market, but ESPN, PENN, and the MLB should have no problem conquering it.