00:00Major League Baseball Players, Inc. has named Hard Rock Bet, unofficially licensed sportsbook.
00:06It'll be launching player imagery integration.
00:10Yeah, that's a problem.
00:12And I don't begrudge players making money in endorsement deals.
00:16Just to walk you through it, as I understand, MLB Players, Inc., they represent all 1,200
00:22players for brand deals, endorsements, things of that nature, right?
00:27So, like, for example, I once did a deal with MLBPA, I had the rights to every Major League
00:33Baseball player's name, like this, and autograph for Band-Aids.
00:38Okay.
00:39So if I wanted to put out a Bryce Harper Band-Aid, Bryce Harper couldn't stop me.
00:43Right.
00:43Now, all 1,200 players got their little piece of the pie.
00:47It wasn't a big financial deal, but so I do have some experience with them.
00:52Yeah, same principle.
00:53But why would, like, if you're always worried about integrity, and it's one thing for the
00:59leagues to have sponsors and endorsements of partners in the gambling world, the leagues
01:04are deathly afraid that the players one day will do what we've seen, you know, rig a parlay
01:10bet, rig an over-under bet for, you know, cash incentives, right?
01:14Why would the players want to get in bed while active with any type of gambling site?
01:22I don't get that.
01:24Now, like, is that going to go against the image of where we have total integrity and
01:29players are being monitored?
01:30Now, a retired player, no problem.
01:32Obviously, all good.
01:33I understand the leagues are doing it.
01:36But if you're a hard rock bet, are you now going to start using Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper,
01:44Shohei Otani, of all people, in promotions for gambling?
01:48I think so.
01:49And not only that.
01:50And I need to read more about it, so I don't have to talk out of my ass on it.
01:53No, but player imagery integration.
01:55So that would mean, if you were going to do a parlay bet, let's say you were going to
01:58pick the three guys you just named in a parlay, they now could use their faces for that bet.
02:05I mean, if they have their rights to player imagery integration.
02:08And then the other part is the timing of this.
02:10And this also could maybe lead to some issues later on in the season as well, because if
02:15the lockout is going to happen, and obviously we all think it's going to happen now, but
02:19in theory, a deal could be reached before the end of the season, hypothetically.
02:22If you're in September and now you're using players, it just feels like there would be even
02:27more likely to throw games if they were going to do that, throw a parlay.
02:31And then the other part of this is, it is money for the players when a lot of them are
02:35going to need it with a lockout.
02:37Yeah, so it says here, with the 26th baseball season underway, player headshots are live across
02:42the app, embedded within player profiles, and prop betting markets.
02:47The addition makes the platform more intuitive, visually engaging, and easier for fans to navigate,
02:54which is offensive to those of you that gamble.
02:57Because what it's saying to you is, if you read, like you're a Phillies fan, it's the
03:01only reason I'm using Philly.
03:02Yeah, that's fine.
03:03I don't know Kyle Swarber, but if I see his face, now I know it's Kyle Swarber.
03:09It's like, wait a minute, I was going to make a prop bet on whether or not, I don't know,
03:13Bryce Harper hits a home run tonight, but gosh darn it, I need to see what he looks like?
03:20Exactly.
03:20Oh, that's Bryce Harper?
03:22Now, it's like, it's stupid.
03:25Right.
03:25So, I just think it's, again, a slippery slope.
03:29Now, I'm not suggesting, as I only read, obviously, the first paragraph of the press release that
03:34just went out, I don't think you're going to see Bryce Harper or any active player saying,
03:39hey, if you're going to wager on Major League Baseball tonight, wager through Hard Rock Bet.
03:44I'm not reading that thus far, but they are adding the images of the players to the website,
03:50as if that gives Hard Rock Bet some kind of advantage over their competitors.
03:55Well, you know, I really want to bet on Bryce Harper tonight, but man, Fandle doesn't have
03:59his picture up there.
04:00So, I got to find a site that does.
04:03Now, I know it's a money grab for the players, so good for them, but the last thing you want
04:09are players having any kind of association publicly with a sports book.
04:15No?
04:15Yes, but.
04:16And I want to be just fair about this.
04:18Yeah.
04:18Because I have brought this up, I'm obviously a responsible gambling ambassador for Fandle.
04:23I don't think Fandle should have a deal with Kevin Durant.
04:26I don't think DraftKings should have a deal with LeBron James.
04:30I think active players should be precluded from having endorsement deals with gambling sites.
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