Fanatics has become the first officially licensed sportsbook to partner with the Major League Baseball Players Association.
The deal, officially with MLB Players, Inc., the business wing of the union, allows Fanatics to use licensed player likenesses on its sports betting website, app or in promotions.
The deal was originally reported by Sports Business Journal. Fanatics later confirmed the report.
Fanatics Misses Lawsuit, Gains a Partner
Fanatics, whose apparel business has been an MLB uniform-supplier since 2017, was not named in two September lawsuits brought by MLB Players, Inc., against bet365, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog claiming unauthorized use of player images. The bet365 and DraftKings actions were filed in the Eastern Pennsylvania District Court and the other with the New York Supreme Court.
In the Pennsylvania suit, MLBPA claims that bet365 and DraftKings are “using MLB player images on their platforms for their own commercial advantage, as a means of associating their platforms more closely with these MLB players, to promote the use of their platforms and entice users to place bets when on the websites or apps.”
DraftKings was still using MLB player likenesses on Oct. 16.
The Fanatics agreement allows the MLBPA to sign more sportsbook partners.
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