American casino and hospitality operator MGM Resorts International says it is the title sponsor of the 2019 Major League Baseball (MLB) Opening Series between the Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners on March 20 and 21 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
MGM Resorts announced its sponsorship of the first games in the new season of the United States professional league in a written statement issued on Wednesday.
The league attracts some of the world’s best players and is a big sporting attraction in Japan, where there is also a hugely popular baseball domestic competition.
As part of the Opening Series event, both MLB clubs will also compete against Japanese teams.
The association with MLB, which organises the game in the U.S., comes as MGM Resorts International vies for a casino licence in Japan.
“We are very excited to partner with MLB… to deliver a one-of-a-kind fan experience that celebrates baseball in Japan,” MGM Resorts chairman and chief executive Jim Murren said in a prepared statement included in the release. “We look forward to giving fans a unique experience to participate in baseball activities in and out of the Tokyo Dome.”
MGM Resorts currently operates 29 gaming and hotel destinations around the world, including two casino resorts in Macau that are owned by a subsidiary, MGM China Holdings Ltd.
MGM Resorts International announced last November the formation of a partnership with MLB to promote each other’s business in the U.S. and Japan. MGM Resorts is an official partner of MLB in events in Japan such as the MLB Road Show, which the company calls “an interactive fan experience”.
