MGM Resorts International Joins the College Basketball Crown as Official Partner

Business Wire 27-Feb-2025 12:03 PM

Global Entertainment Leader to Host Teams at Multiple Properties and Deliver Unmatched Experiences for College Basketball's Newest Post-season Tournament

The College Basketball Crown today announced MGM Resorts International, a global hospitality and entertainment leader, as an Official Partner of the highly anticipated post-season tournament. The partnership, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, positions MGM Resorts and its multiple properties at the heart of one of college basketball's most exciting new events, set to take place in Las Vegas next month.

Launched by FOX Sports and AEG, the College Basketball Crown is a premiere post-season college basketball tournament featuring 16 elite teams from conferences including the Big Ten, Big 12, and BIG EAST, along with additional at-large participants. The tournament will take place March 31 to April 6, 2025, in Las Vegas at T-Mobile Arena and MGM Grand Garden Arena, showcasing MGM Resorts' best-in-class venues and commitment to delivering premier sports experiences to sports fans worldwide. Additionally, the tournament will air on FOX and FS1, bringing the excitement of college basketball to millions of fans.

MGM Resorts will accommodate participating teams across its portfolio of Las Vegas properties including ARIA Resort & Casino, Park MGM and Vdara Hotel & Spa, providing athletes with unmatched comfort, convenience and access to state-of-the-art amenities. Fans attending the tournament will also benefit. As part of the agreement, MGM Resorts will collaborate with Vivid Seats, the tournament's Official Ticketing Provider and JSX, its Official Air Carrier, to offer fans exclusive travel-and-ticket packages combining, stays at MGM Resorts destinations with premium seating and VIP experiences.

"MGM Resorts' global reputation for excellence in hospitality and entertainment makes them the perfect partner for the College Basketball Crown," said Nick Baker, COO of AEG Global Partnerships. "Their iconic venues and unmatched service will elevate the athlete and fan experience, ensuring the tournament is as memorable off the court as it is on it."

The College Basketball Crown will bring together a unique combination of elite competition and enhanced fan experiences, which MGM Resorts is set to add to through this partnership. In addition to hosting participating teams, the company will receive prominent in-game visibility, including courtside signage, video board features, custom digital content, and national media exposure on FOX Sports channels televising the event, underscoring its role as a key partner in the event.

"With student-athletes competing at MGM Grand Garden Arena and T-Mobile Arena, it is a natural fit for our teams to stay at the stunning MGM Resorts properties," said Jordan Bazant, Executive Vice President, FOX Sports, and board member of the College Basketball Crown. "The College Basketball Crown will provide student-athletes with an elite on-site experience, while showcasing top-tier college hoops to millions watching at home on FOX and FS1."

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 31 unique hotel and gaming destinations globally, including some of the most recognizable resort brands in the industry. The Company's 50/50 venture, BetMGM, LLC, offers U.S. sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands, including BetMGM and partypoker, and the Company's subsidiary LeoVegas AB offers sports betting and online gaming through market-leading brands in several jurisdictions throughout Europe. The Company is currently pursuing targeted expansion in Asia through the integrated resort opportunity in Japan. Through its "Focused on What Matters: Embracing Humanity and Protecting the Planet" philosophy, MGM Resorts commits to creating a more sustainable future, while striving to make a bigger difference in the lives of its employees, guests, and in the communities where it operates. The 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, please visit us at mgmresorts.com. Please also connect with us @MGMResortsIntl on Twitter as well as Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT AEG

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, AEG is the world's leading sports and live entertainment company. The company operates in the following business segments:

• Music through AEG Presents, which is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performances, including the production and promotion of global and regional concert tours, an extensive portfolio of clubs, theaters and other music venues, concerts and special events and world-renowned festivals such as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival;
• Venues and Real Estate, which develops, owns and operates world-class venues, as well as major sports and entertainment districts like Crypto.com Arena and L.A. LIVE, Uber Platz in Berlin and The O2 in London;
• Sports, as the world's largest operator of high-profile sporting events and sports franchises including the LA Kings, LA Galaxy and Eisbären Berlin;
• Global Partnerships, which oversees worldwide sales and servicing of sponsorships including naming rights, premium seating, and other strategic partnerships.
• And Ticketing, which provides more than 400 clients worldwide with ticketing services that cover the gamut of entertainments, including sporting events, arena tours, music clubs festival, rodeos and family events.

Through its worldwide network of venues, portfolio of powerful sports and music brands and its integrated entertainment districts, AEG entertains more than 90 million guests annually. More information about AEG can be found at www.aegworldwide.com.

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Media Contacts

Scott Ghertner MGM Resorts International sghertner@mgmresorts.com

AEG Global Partnerships Shannon Donnelly Shannon.Donnelly@BECKMedia.com