MDI and Major League Soccer™ sign agreement for instant games

2011-08-24

Alpharetta, GA – August 23, 2011 – MDI Entertainment, LLC, a subsidiary of Scientific Games Corporation (NASDAQ:SGMS), has reached an agreement with Major League Soccer (MLS) giving MDI the rights to make logos and trademarks associated with MLS and its teams available to lotteries for instant games.
 
The MLS logo, team logos and logos for MLS marquee events including the MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup, MLS’ championship game, may be incorporated into eye-catching ticket art. Lotteries also will be able to offer a variety of MLS prizes including team merchandise, tickets to games and travel packages to attend the league’s biggest matches.
 
As part of the agreement, MDI also has rights to make certain assets of the Mexican National Team available to lotteries for instant games. These assets include logos, trademarks and images of players in Mexican National Team uniforms.
 
The Mexican National Team and MLS join an already extensive line-up of sports properties in the MDI portfolio including Major League Baseball®, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League®, NASCAR®, Churchill Downs™, Ultimate Fighting Championship™ and Professional Bull Riding™. “Lotteries have enjoyed significant success with sports brands, and we’re pleased to add soccer to the sports we offer,” said Steve Saferin, President, Properties Group and Chief Creative Officer for Scientific Games. “Major League Soccer has grown remarkably over the past 16 years, both in terms of the number of teams and its deeply passionate fan base, and we believe this presents an exciting opportunity for lotteries.”
 
MLS fans index higher than any other major professional U.S. sport in two important target demographics for lotteries: 18- to 34-year olds (136 index) and Hispanics (222 index), according to 2010 data from Scarborough Research™. Each of the league’s three marquee events (MLS First Kick, MLS All-Star Game and MLS Cup) sold out in 2010. Year-to-date numbers in 2011 show average attendance at regular-season games up 6.3 percent.
 
The MLS season consists of more than 300 games, all of which are broadcast regionally or locally. This month, MLS signed a multi-year agreement with the NBC Sports Group, which will commence with the 2012 MLS season. Under this agreement, 45 MLS games and four U.S. Men’s National Team matches will be televised live across NBC or NBC Sports Network. In addition, the ESPN family of networks will broadcast 21 primetime games, and 30 games will be shown on the Univision family of networks. All MLS games are produced in HD. 
 
MLS has teams in 18 cities across the U.S. and Canada. The Montreal Impact will become the league’s 19th team in 2012.

About Scientific Games

Scientific Games Corporation is a global leader in providing customized, end-to-end gaming solutions to lottery and gaming organizations worldwide. Scientific Games' integrated array of products and services include instant lottery games, lottery gaming systems, terminals and services, and internet applications, as well as server-based interactive gaming machines and associated gaming control systems. For more information, please visit our website at www.scientificgames.com.

About Major League Soccer

Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer is the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. MLS features many stars from the U.S., Canada, and around the world. Major League Soccer’s 16th season will feature 18 clubs each playing 34 regular season matches. Those clubs include Chicago Fire; Chivas USA; 2010 MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids; Columbus Crew; D.C. United; FC Dallas; Houston Dynamo; LA Galaxy; New York Red Bulls; New England Revolution; Philadelphia Union; Real Salt Lake; San Jose Earthquakes; Seattle Sounders FC; Sporting Kansas City; Toronto FC; and, in their inaugural seasons, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. An expansion team in Montreal will debut in 2012. For more information about MLS, please visit www.MLSsoccer.com, www.facebook.com/MLS or @MLS.

Forward-Looking Statements

In this press release the Company makes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results or strategies and can often be identified by the use of terminology such as “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “could,” “potential,” “opportunity,” or similar terminology. These statements are based upon management’s current expectations, assumptions and estimates and are not guarantees of future results or performance. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in these statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors, including, among other things: competition; material adverse changes in economic and industry conditions; technological change; retention and renewal of existing contracts and entry into new or revised contracts; availability and adequacy of cash flows to satisfy obligations and indebtedness or future needs; protection of intellectual property; security and integrity of software and systems; laws and government regulation, including those relating to gaming licenses, permits and operations; inability to identify, complete and integrate future acquisitions; inability to complete the proposed acquisition of Barcrest Group Limited and Cyberview Technology CZ s.r.o.; inability to benefit from, and risks associated with, joint ventures and strategic investments and relationships; failure of the Company’s Northstar joint venture to meet the net income targets or otherwise realize the anticipated benefits under its private management agreement with the Illinois Lottery; seasonality; inability to identify and capitalize on trends and changes in the lottery and gaming industries; inability to enhance and develop successful gaming concepts; dependence on suppliers and manufacturers; liability for product defects; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and other factors associated with foreign operations; influence of certain stockholders; dependence on key personnel; failure to perform on contracts; resolution of pending or future litigation; labor matters; and stock price volatility. Additional information regarding risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in forward-looking statements is included from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the heading “Risk Factors” in our periodic reports. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and, except for the Company’s ongoing obligations under the U.S. federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Source:
Scientific Games

Contact:
Michelle Burden
Manager, Marketing Communications
MDI Entertainment, LLC
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
MDIEntertainment.com
+1-770-825-4581 (Office)
+1-404-429-6973 (Cell)