All-Star Padres
As the baseball season turns to June, the San Diego Padres are in an expected place — battling for first place in the National League West after enjoying a nine-game winning streak in May.
Because of that dominance, close games in the ninth inning can be few and far between, and often fans and spectators’ attention then turn to Las Vegas — as the new Circa Resort & Casino serves as the ninth inning sponsor for home games at Petco Park.
The partnership is going to be taken to a new level on Tuesday, July 13 when several San Diego Padres star in the 2021 MLB All-Star Game in Denver, and Circa will be hosting the largest watch party in downtown Las Vegas at their Stadium Swim pool venue location.
The stadium boasts six pools on three different levels, all of which will be showing the Padres in the all-star game, with anticipated appearances from Fernando Tatis, Jr., Manny Machado and maybe up to a half-dozen other teammates.
It’s All-Star ballot time! ⭐️
Vote now for your #Padres and up to 5x per day: https://t.co/1zhDao4pQ0 pic.twitter.com/skBAFagO0l
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 3, 2021
“I never thought I would see a match between the team I love and a Las Vegas casino,” says Rashad Shivers, a San Diego native who has lived in Las Vegas for nearly 15 years working in the nightlife and entertainment industries. “Circa is the youngest and hottest thing in downtown Vegas and my Padres are the young hot team so it is really a match made in heaven. It is like when two good friends of yours end up getting married.”
The Making of the Marriage
It is a marriage years in the making as Circa owner Derek Stevens previously owned Las Vegas’ Triple-A baseball team, and his new property Circa is known for the largest and most flamboyant sportsbook in the world.
The sportsbook was the emphasis for the ninth inning partnership between Circa and the Padres, as their home schedule usually has them playing the last game of the daily Major League Baseball schedule, often playing well past 11 p.m. Pacific Time. This timetable was a perfect fit and acknowledgment to the Las Vegas demographic, as late-night for MLB is often primetime in Las Vegas, as sports bettors watch the last game of the night to determine the status of their outstanding sports wagers.
During the ninth inning of Padres games, the Sportsbook at Circa can often have nearly two dozen screens turned to the San Diego baseball team, providing a massive amount of marketing for the team to the casino resort’s hip and influential target demographic.
It is the same young 21-35 age demographic that is often the remaining crowd in the later innings of Padres games. The relationship between Circa and the Padres has really become a match of two dynamic demographics.
“At some point this summer I am planning to go home to see family and I am definitely planning it around seeing my Padres at home,” says Shivers. “And I always stay until the end of the game, regardless of the score, so seeing Circa in the ninth inning is going to make me feel like I’m at home while hopefully watching my team cross home plate for another win.”
