- BetMGM has announced the signing of NBA legend Kevin Garnett as a brand ambassador.
- Garnett played 21 seasons in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets.
- BetMGM has been extremely active in signing brand ambassadors to help promote their sports betting platform nationally as well as in specific markets.
One of the more interesting components of the nationwide US rollout of sports betting is seeing how each company approaches the task of promotion and brand awareness. No two strategies are the same and at this early point in the game there’s no way of assessing which ones are most effective. BetMGM, the sports betting division of MGM Resorts operated in partnership with UK gaming giant Entain, has been extremely active in signing on ‘brand ambassadors’. These are typically retired athletes though the company’s brand ambassador signees have run the gamut from A-list actor Jamie Foxx to MMA journalist Ariel Helwanni. The most recent addition to BetMGM’s roster of brand ambassadors is a NBA great–15 time All Star Kevin Garnett.
Garnett played 21 years in the NBA for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets. He won the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2004 and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. Garnett also won the 2008 NBA Championship with the Celtics and will have his jersey numbered by the team this spring. Garnett was named to the league’s all star team 15 times and is enshrined in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. Garnett has been very active as an entrepreneur since his retirement and has recently founded a betting focused startup. Since I can’t claim that he was ‘shielded from sports betting during his playing career’ with a straight face I’ll serve up the quote from the press release:
Garnett has become an established entrepreneur since retiring from the NBA, having recently co-founded Gaming Society, a gaming and content platform that prioritizes inclusivity, education and highlights the athlete’s point of view in the betting space. While shielded from sports betting during his playing career, Garnett is passionate about making wagering more accessible and approachable to all sports fans and athletes. He starred in the 2019 acclaimed film “Uncut Gems”; recently founded the Content Cartel, a production company dedicated to producing multi-platform content; and has an upcoming documentary, “Anything is Possible,” scheduled to premiere Friday, Nov. 12 on Showtime.
Garnett noted his business endeavors in his quote that accompanied the MGM Resorts press release:
“I’m thrilled to be working with BetMGM to share their insights with my fans. It’s a natural fit for both myself and BetMGM given our mutual desire to stay on top of the ever-changing sports business landscape.”
Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer of BetMGM, had this to say about Garnett:
“Kevin Garnett brings a unique energy to everything he does, on and off the court. As the basketball season tips off, we look forward to welcoming Kevin to the BetMGM family and working with him on a variety of fan-focused promotions.”
These have been extremely busy months for BetMGM. They’ve entered several new jurisdictions including
These have been extremely busy months for BetMGM. They’ve entered several new jurisdictions including Washington State, Puerto Rico, Wyoming and Arizona. They are also involved in a thorny situation with BetMGM partner Entain PLC. DraftKings is trying to reach a takeover deal with Entain which leaves MGM in a tenuous situation. There has been speculation that MGM Resorts will get involved and tender their own takeover offer for Entain.
