Shaquille O’Neal Joins DraftKings as Brand Ambassador

Shaquille O’Neal, an NBA and College Basketball Hall of Famer, has joined DraftKings as America’s leading sportsbook and casino brand’s ambassador.

Shaq Becomes Latest Brand Ambassador for DraftKings
In his newfound role, Shaq will seek to promote DraftKings’ name and also bring his expertise and insight into the world of basketball across various media opportunities and activations, leveraging his popularity as one of America’s most beloved athletes by fans and outsiders.

Teasing fans as part of the reveal, Shaq said: “Some people call me Shaq, but you can call me Mr. DraftKings.” In a statement shared by DraftKings by CMO Stephanie Sherman, the company added:

“DraftKings is thrilled to welcome NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal to the family. Shaq’s personality and unparalleled energy will elevate our brand through various marketing initiatives all NBA season. His enormous presence matches our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for our players.”

DraftKings is in a cut-throat neck-and-neck battle against its rival FanDuel to secure a growing swathe of the sports betting space in the United States at a time when overseas brands are sounding a retreat, and the competitor’s field is thinning, forced out of pricy markets that make it harder for anyone but the duopoly to dominate.

O’Neal endorsing a company is not exactly odd. He has had more than 100 different endorsements so far during and after his NBA career, appearing on marketing campaigns by Nestle, Oreo, Burger King, PepsiCo, and many others.

The man himself has amassed an enviable wealth worth more than $330 million and he has known how to use his clout to help build both brands and scout new business opportunities for himself.

Sportsbooks Keen to Tap into Celebrities
In the meantime, partnerships between athletes and major sports betting companies, such as Caesars, FanDuel, and BetMGM are not at all surprising.

DraftKings has sought to team up with basketball talent before as well, signing LeBron James as another brand ambassador and adding David Ortiz, the famous baseball player better known to his fans as “Big Papi.”

Other brands have not been much behind, seeking to tap into the celebrity status of other athletes, including Kevin Garnett and Wayne Gretzky for BetMGM or Jordan Spieth and Rob Gronkowski for FanDuel.

O’Neal will be just another member of this sprawling effort of celebrities joining in to drum up support for sports betting brands competing for clout in the market.