The Northwoods League may have found an ideal partner to bolster its marketability within the casino gaming industry. On Friday, the collegiate summer baseball league announced a team-up with SCCG Management, a full-service management consultancy group headed by Stephen A. Crystal.

Northwoods League looks to scale sports betting reach

SCCG Management will now attempt to take the 27-year-old baseball league to greater heights by creating inroads for possible partnerships with some of the biggest sports betting operators in the United States. The consultancy firm aims tohave Northwoods League games included in the expanded betting options of top-tier sportsbooks like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel.

Founded in 1994, the Northwoods League features 22 teams from six States and 15 Upper Midwest cities playing 498 games per season. 

Each team maintains an “All-Star” lineup of college baseball players with NCAA eligibility to play a 56-game schedule which starts in June through August. 

The league, which reportedly drew 214, 584 fans last season, is operating the rules and guidelines of Federal, State, and Local health authorities. 

The Northwoods League has formed partnerships in Kenosha, Wausau, and Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Dubuque, Iowa, and Rochester, Minnesota. The inaugural season attracted 70,000 fans throughout the length of the competition. Rochester Honkers would become the eventual champion that season, batting their way to a 31-15 slate and the first of five titles. 

Quotes from the Press Release

Stephen Crystal, the new baseball league, said of the tie-up with the Northern League: “As a firm, we are committed to the promotion of a broader slate of sports entertainment choices within the casino gaming industry. 

“Bringing attention to these highly engaging sports presents a more comprehensive picture of sports in the US. They represent broader content propositions to the gaming industry as sports wagering opportunities, expanding available markets for bettors.”

Matt Bomberg, Northwoods League Great Lakes Division president, also commented on the deal: “As we venture further into this space we were looking for a partner that could help us navigate the complex and ever-changing gaming world. It became evident very quickly that Stephen and his impressive team at SCCG were the correct group for us.”