LSU inks sponsorship deal with Caesars Sportsbook
LSU athletics on Friday announced a sponsorship partnership with Caesars Entertainment Inc., making Caesars Sportsbook the official sportsbook of LSU sports.
Per The Associated Press, the deal is the first between an SEC school and a gambling company.
The deal includes signage and broadcast ads at Tigers sporting events, as well as naming rights at the Skyline Club at Tiger Stadium and an exclusive presence on the athletic department’s mobile app.
The official release mentioned no name, image and likeness (NIL) component, but Caesars will be providing a scholarship fund for LSU athletes.
“We have a proud legacy in Louisiana, and bringing LSU fans closer to the sports they love while also offering scholarship opportunities will help us build upon that,” Chris Holdren, co-president of Caesars Digital, said.
Most forms of gambling — and marketing of that gambling — is illegal under the age of 21 in the state of Louisiana, yet that kind of marketing is often allowed at sporting events already.
According to LSU’s release, “Caesars will not market to students or fans under the age of 21.”
The gaming company has made other inroads in Louisiana recently, buying naming rights to the Louisiana Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints, this summer. That came on the heels of voters in the state approving sports betting last November.
–Field Level Media
