NFL Flexes Muscles Over Players’ Arm Wrestling Contest at MGM Grand

The NFL may have sanctioned the Raiders’ move to vegas but that doesn’t mean it’s happy for its players to hang out in casinos, even for arm-wrestling contests.
LA Rams’ Jamon Brown squares off against Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Howard Jones during the Pro Football Arm Wrestling Championship at the MGM Grand but are they about to have strong-armed by the NFL for engaging in casino marketing activities?
Over 30 players, including Maurkice Pouncey, Mychal Kendricks, Navarro Bowman, Kenny Stills, and Marquette King, might find themselves in heated water for competing in the inaugural ‘Pro Football Arm Wrestling Championship’ at the MGM Grand over the weekend.
The event had been co-hosted by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison and former operating back Marshawn Lynch, a made-for-TV deal that is scheduled to be broadcast on CBS on May 27 28.
But based on NFL policy, players are not permitted to ‘promote casino activities,’ which includes casinos that are attending part of promotional events, unless they look for pre-approval, which, according to the NFL, is exactly what everyone apparently forgot to accomplish.
‘Had we been asked ahead of time if this was appropriate, we would have indicated that it was in direct breach associated with gambling policy,’ Joe Lockhart, the NFL’s VP for communications and public affairs, told USA TODAY Sports. ‘No one sought pre-approval.’
Gambling Machines Were Switched Off (more…)
Major League Baseball Considers Betting on Las Vegas for Franchise Relocation

Major League Baseball (MLB) Commissioner Rob Manfred stated final week that Las Vegas might be an option for moving of a franchise.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred isn’t opposed to a franchise moving to Las Vegas, but he hopes to see that is first the NHL and NFL’s bets in Nevada pay off.
The chief executive of professional baseball says the league would likely be operational to exploring las vegas should a team like the Oakland Athletics or Tampa Bay Rays need to relocate. Both franchises are playing in outdated stadiums, but their host cities are refusing to give funding that is public help construct brand new venues.
‘ Whenever we were searching at relocation, Las Vegas is regarding the list,’ Manfred revealed up to a group of activities journalists during a meeting that is annual MLB headquarters. TheChicago Tribunefirst reported his comments.
The Big Four sports companies in the US, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL, had long opposed Las Vegas for sanctioned games due to the city’s widespread sports betting at casinos. That’s changed in the past few years, as expert hockey is coming to Nevada in 2018 utilizing the Vegas Golden Knights expansion team, and the Las Vegas Raiders will bring the NFL to the Mojave Desert in 2020.
Bases Loaded
The city has attracted half of the Big Four with the NFL and NHL booking tickets for Las Vegas. And NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shares Manfred (more…)