Houston Dynamo FC has signed a multi-year deal with Fubo Gaming. The partnership could be worth $178m.
According to an anonymous source familiar with the terms, the deal includes a $10m signing bonus, and Fubo is committing to spend $1m per year for marketing rights before Texas legalizes sports betting. Fubo will pay the club an additional $15 million bonus, then commit to another $15 million annually over a 10-year period, should the state legalize betting in a way that gives sports teams the right to distribute licenses.
The $15m annual commitment is comprised of $7.5m for marketing rights and a guaranteed $7.5m in net gaming revenue, the person said. The overall value of the deal would be at least $178m, if it takes three years for Texas to legalize sports betting.
“It’s a big number,” said Dynamo President John Walker. “In MLS, when you look at naming rights deals and jersey partnerships, those are usually pretty sizable, and I’m not sure any of them are necessarily as big as this one. So, it has to rank right up there – if it’s not the biggest it’s very close.”
The partnership has two main parts: a sponsorship deal and a market access agreement.
Under the Dynamo deal, which starts this season and includes the NWSL’s Houston Dash, Fubo will have advertising on-site during games. The company will also have a presence on the club’s broadcast, digital and social platforms, and branding on the front of the Dynamo and Dash training tops. Most of this will start as FuboTV marketing but will later transition to include Fubo Gaming if the company’s sportsbook goes live in Texas.
