MGM Resorts International And The Alliance Of American Football Partner On Sports Betting Technology

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) and new professional football league, The Alliance of American Football, have entered into a transaction that includes an investment in The Alliance and a three-year sponsorship establishing MGM Resorts as the official sports betting sponsor of The Alliance and exclusive gaming partner.

For MGM Resorts, the investment represents its forward-looking view on the combination of live sports, real-time second-generation stats, and fan engagement ? either for fun or for those who may choose to wager. The Alliance's new technology is revolutionary and will create a state-of-the-art experience for fans. The Alliance, founded by Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian, is building its media and technology platform as part of the launch of the new league in February 2019.

For The Alliance, the partnership aligns the league with the best gaming operator in the country and gives the sports entity the ability to utilize MGM Resorts' vast experience and industry-leading operations with mobile gaming. When The Alliance takes the historic first snap in February 2019, fans will be able to stream Alliance matchups for free through its first-of-its-kind app, while accessing integrated gaming with real rewards, and now, in states where sports gambling is legal, the sports betting platform owned and operated by MGM GVC Interactive will provide fans with in-game wagering while also still providing traditional sports betting.

"We are excited to team with The Alliance on this unprecedented partnership, which allows us to fully engage with fans and revolutionize the fan experience," said MGM Resorts Chairman & CEO, Jim Murren. "We look forward to expanding our customer base into this exciting new league and sports betting opportunity."

"Our focus has always been to bring together best-in-class partners to build a spring football league that will change the landscape of professional sports," said Charlie Ebersol, CEO and co-founder, "We realized our overall mission and vision were in complete alignment with MGM.  As one of the world's largest and most successful gaming companies, and an industry leader in innovation, together we can revolutionize the sports wagering experience for fans in a way that's never been done before.  I'm proud to welcome them to The Alliance as our first official corporate investor."

ABOUT MGM RESORTS INTERNATIONAL

MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) is an S&P 500® global entertainment company with national and international locations featuring best-in-class hotels and casinos, state-of-the-art meetings and conference spaces, incredible live and theatrical entertainment experiences, and an extensive array of restaurant, nightlife and retail offerings. MGM Resorts creates immersive, iconic experiences through its suite of Las Vegas-inspired brands. The MGM Resorts portfolio encompasses 28 unique hotel offerings including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. Expanding throughout the U.S. and around the world, the company in 2018 opened MGM Springfield in Massachusetts, MGM COTAI in Macau, and the first Bellagio-branded hotel in Shanghai. The 81,000 global employees of MGM Resorts are proud of their company for being recognized as one of FORTUNE® Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies®. For more information visit us at www.mgmresorts.com.

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL

Led by some of the most respected football minds in the game, The Alliance of American Football is a dynamic professional football league fueled by an unprecedented Alliance between players, fans and the game. Founded by TV and film producer Charlie Ebersol and Hall of Famer Bill Polian, The Alliance will feature eight teams with 50-player rosters playing a 10-week regular season schedule in the spring beginning February 9, 2019 on CBS, followed by two playoff rounds and culminating with the championship game the weekend of April 26-28, 2019.

The eight cities, stadiums and head coaches are as follows:

• Alliance Orlando/Spectrum Stadium/Steve Spurrier
• Alliance Atlanta/Georgia State Stadium/Brad Childress
• Alliance Memphis/Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium/Mike Singletary
• Alliance Salt Lake/ Rice-Eccles Stadium/Dennis Erickson
• Alliance Phoenix/Sun Devil Stadium/Rick Neuheisel
• Alliance San Diego/San Diego County Credit Union Stadium/Mike Martz
• Alliance Birmingham/Legion Field Stadium/Tim Lewis
• Alliance San Antonio/Alamodome/Mike Riley

Fans will be able to stream Alliance matchups live via the free Alliance app while accessing integrated fantasy options with real rewards ? for themselves and the players they are cheering on. With a focus on player well-being on and off the field, The Alliance will provide players with a commitment to safety and state-of-the-art equipment as well as a comprehensive bonus system, post-football career planning, financial counseling and scholarship support for postsecondary education.

Statements in this release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking" statements and "safe harbor statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and/or uncertainties, including those described in MGM Resorts' public filings with the SEC. MGM Resorts has based forward-looking statements on management's current expectations and assumptions and not on historical facts. Examples of these statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the expected benefits to be achieved as a result of the partnership. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements include effects of economic conditions and market conditions in the markets in which MGM Resorts operates and competition with other destination travel locations throughout the United States and the world, the design, timing and costs of expansion projects, risks relating to international operations, permits, licenses, financings, approvals and other contingencies in connection with growth in new or existing jurisdictions and additional risks and uncertainties described in   MGM Resorts' Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports). In providing forward-looking statements, MGM Resorts is not undertaking any duty or obligation to update these statements publicly as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. If MGM Resorts updates one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those other forward-looking statements.

SOURCE MGM Resorts International