Flutter Entertainment-owned daily fantasy and sports betting operator FanDuel has announced an exclusive content partnership with former National Basketball Association (NBA) player, Sports Emmy-winning analyst and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
The partnership designates FanDuel as Barkley’s exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy sports partner, and Barkley will serve as the company’s brand ambassador and spokesperson.
Under the agreement, Barkley will appear in FanDuel advertising and Turner Sports promotions featuring FanDuel’s free-to-play contests. He will also provide unique content for FanDuel Group’s social media channels and make guest appearances on the operator’s affiliated podcasts and television programs.
FanDuel’s partnership agreement with Turner Sports was signed in October 2020, which saw it become the broadcaster’s exclusive sports betting provider for its NBA programming and Bleacher Report NBA content.
Barkley, who is an analyst for Turner’s Inside the NBA, took time to educate his co-hosts and the program’s viewers on the ins and outs of sports betting.
The program’s “Charles Barkley Guarantee” segments have since become popular on social media and will continue to form a significant part of the partnership.
“Charles has been with the Turner Sports family for more than 20 years, bringing his unique flair, personality and predictions to our NBA on TNT telecasts,” said Will Funk, executive vice president, sports partnerships and branded content for Turner Sports.
“We look forward to featuring him in engaging FanDuel brand integrations on Turner Sports’ and Bleacher Report’s NBA programming.”
Barkley said: “The Inside the NBA crew and I really enjoyed working with FanDuel during last season’s playoffs and I’m grateful to now be their brand ambassador,”
“FanDuel helps our show be more informative and interactive, and they do it in a way that any knucklehead could understand. So even if your team is down by 20 in the fourth quarter, with FanDuel you’ll have a reason to keep watching.”
FanDuel’s chief marketing officer, Mike Raffensperger, described Barkley as the “perfect person” to ring in the holidays for the operator’s customers. He said Barkley is “an American sports icon, a television legend and gaming royalty”.
“For the next few years, we look forward to amplifying his voice and adding Barkley’s one of a kind personality will continue to differentiate FanDuel and make sports betting fun for everyone,” Raffensperger added.
In December, Flutter Entertainment increased its stake in FanDuel to 95% in a deal worth $4.18bn. The group said it would subsequently offer media giant Fox Sports the option to purchase 18.5% of the brand for fair market value in July 2021.