NEWS

News May-22-2025

Major League Rugby and Sparket form preferred partnership

Fan-first gaming company joins growing list of 2025 partners

DALLAS – Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in North America, is proud to announce a partnership with fan-first online gambling company Sparket.

Known as The Social Betwork™, Sparket creates a social environment for online gaming. The one-year partnership will allow MLR fans to access Sparket through its app and website and compete in real money picks and free-to-play contests.

“The growing gaming industry is providing new opportunities for casual consumers and fans to engage with all sports, teams, and players, and our league wants to align itself with the industry’s momentum,” said Lucas Reid, chief revenue officer of MLR. “Sparket provides a unique opportunity to connect in a new way to our fans and the emerging online predictions market, and we look forward to integrating the company’s offerings into our platforms.”

Based in Los Angeles, Sparket was recognized as Startup of the Year at the 2025 Starties Awards for its revolutionary approach to gaming. Its peer-to-peer parimutuel skill contest model enables players to compete against each other instead of a centralized sportsbook, shifting the odds based on the pool size. From live sports to entertainment, Sparket’s skill contests platform is playable in 42 states.

“Sparket’s skill-based contests are a fan engagement and growth tool for sports leagues and teams, and we are excited to bring North America’s top rugby league into our collection of partners,” said Sparket COO Evan Fisher. “We are reimagining the future of gaming with a platform that lets fans engage with their favorite topics: sports, entertainment, or real-world outcomes in a fun, social, and dynamic environment, and MLR’s strategies perfectly align with our goals.”

As a preferred partner, Sparket will give MLR fans the opportunity to sign up and place predictions in customized pools. Users can compete to climb the leaderboards, get rewards, and share results on their social feeds.

“Major League Rugby continues to lead the way in fan engagement by embracing innovation and opening the door to new interactive experiences,” said Stephen Crystal, Founder & CEO, SCCG Management. “We’re proud to support this collaboration with Sparket, which brings both social and real money gaming to MLR events for the first time. It’s exciting to see two visionary partners come together to create something truly unique for sports fans.”

The first Major League Rugby Contest powered by Sparket opens Tuesday, May 27th at 1:30pm ET at https://www.sparket.app. Contests will open each week for the remainder of the 2025 season.

About Major League Rugby:

Major League Rugby is a professional sports league representing the highest level of rugby competition in North America. MLR prides itself in fostering intense, high-stakes competition while bringing together a passionate community built on the values of Respect, Inclusivity, and Tradition. Matches are televised on the ESPN family of networks and streamed via ESPN+. MLR’s 11 teams span across the country in Anthem RC, Chicago Hounds, Houston SaberCats, Miami Sharks, New England Free Jacks, NOLA Gold, Old Glory DC, Rugby LA, San Diego Legion, Seattle Seawolves and the Utah Warriors. For more information, visit www.Majorleague.Rugby and follow @USMLR on Twitter and Instagram.

The Rugby Network, MLR’s OTT platform, offers fans the ability to stream select MLR matches, along with Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Premiership Women’s Rugby, collegiate rugby and other international rugby content.

About Sparket

Sparket is reimagining the future of gaming with a platform that lets fans ‘bet on anything’ — sports, entertainment, or real-world outcomes — in a fun, social, and dynamic environment. Recognized as Startup of the Year at the 2025 Starties Awards, Sparket is bringing next-gen engagement to casino floors, sports leagues, and live events alike.