In a league where every revenue dollar counts, the Liberty yesterday announced a multiyear sponsorship deal with Foxwoods Resorts Casino that will give the Connecticut gambling giant prominent placement on the WNBA team’s jersey.
The Liberty become the fourth WNBA team to broker to such a deal and the first in the Eastern Conference. Instead of “Liberty” across the front of the jersey, “Foxwoods” all but obscures a small patch with the franchise’s name.
As is the case with many sports business ventures, the WNBA is fighting tough economic times and fierce competition for the entertainment dollar. Since beginning play 14 seasons ago, the WNBA has seen five franchises fold and three others relocate.
The Phoenix Mercury became the first WNBA franchise to sign such a partnership agreement when it struck a deal with identify theft prevention giant, LifeLock, last season.
The three-year deal, in which LifeLock replaced Mercury on the jersey, reportedly pays the Phoenix franchise $1 million annually. Terms of the Liberty deal with Foxwoods were not made available but a source familiar with it said it was similar to Phoenix’s deal.
The Los Angeles Sparks entered into a multiyear partnership with Farmers Insurance that also is worth about $1 million annually, according to published reports. The Seattle Storm recently announced a partnership with search engine Bing.
A $1 million deal might not seem like a big number but it’s significant when one considers that under the WNBA’s salary collective bargaining agreement, each team’s salary cap is $775,000.
In addition to the prominent product placement on the front of the jersey and practice gear, Foxwoods will get presence in Madison Square Garden and on its marquee during Liberty games. Foxwoods is owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Indian tribe.
The Liberty (2-2) play tomorrow night at the Connecticut Sun (4-2), who plays their home games in the Mohegan Sun Arena. The Connecticut franchise is owned by the Mohegan Indian tribe, which also owns the Mohegan Sun Casino, has “Sun” on the front of its jersey.
Relationships between gambling ventures and sports franchises always raise an eyebrow, but WNBA commissioner Donna Orender was quick to shoot down concerns.
“We crossed this bridge with Connecticut and the Mohegan Sun,’’ she told The Post. “I don’t think there’s an issue here.’’
Bob Cabaniss, executive director of the Williamsville Wellness Center, a gambling addiction treatment center in Virginia, strongly disagreed.
“Would they put Budweiser across the front of the jersey, or Absolut?’’ Cabaniss said in a telephone interview. “We have a huge problem with gambling in this country that no one wants to address.’’