FanDuel signs NBA legend Charles Barkley as brand ambassador, spokesperson

FanDuel Group announced Monday an exclusive content deal with Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and Sports Emmy Award-winning analyst Charles Barkley.

This new partnership designates FanDuel as Barkley’s exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy sports partner. Additionally, he will serve as the company’s brand ambassador and spokesperson and will appear in FanDuel advertising and Turner Sports promotions featuring FanDuel’s free to play contests. Barkley will also provide unique content for FanDuel Group’s social media channels and make guest appearances on FanDuel Group affiliated podcasts and television programs as part of the agreement.   

In July, FanDuel became the exclusive sports betting provider for Turner Sports’ NBA programming and Bleacher Report NBA content, and Barkley took the time to educate his co-hosts on Inside the NBA, along with millions of viewers, on the ins and outs of sports betting. One of the highlights of each broadcast since the integration of FanDuel Sportsbook odds was the “Charles Barkley Guarantee.” These segments will continue to be a key part of this partnership.   

“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,” Barkley said in a press release. “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.”

“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, Turner Sports. “We look forward to featuring him in engaging FanDuel brand integrations on Turner Sports’ and Bleacher Report’s NBA programming.”

“Charles Barkley is an American sports icon, a television legend and gaming royalty, so he’s the perfect person to ring in the holidays for our customers,” said Mike Raffensperger, Chief Marketing Officer of FanDuel Group. “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.” 

Ahead of the start of the NBA season and amid the Christmas Week Tipoff, FanDuel is launching a special $30 million holiday delivery from “Jolly Ol’ Saint Chuck” in the form of free bets, credits and prizes for FanDuel customers. Among the gifts that “Saint Chuck” will deliver to sports fans this holiday season are a risk free bet or site credit for all sportsbook customers valid for use on 12/22 and 12/23; a free entry for all FanDuel daily fantasy customers into an NBA daily fantasy contest between 12/22-12/25; Special “Barkley Boosts” on odds at the FanDuel Sportsbook for NBA Tip-Off and Christmas Day NBA games that will pay out even larger winnings to customers.  

Also, in honor of Barkley’s retired number 34, FanDuel Group will donate 340,000 meals to Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. The Feeding America network of food banks and partner food pantries and meal programs serve every community in the United States.

Barkley is the newest member of FanDuel’s roster of exclusive sports betting talent and influencers headlined by Pat McAfee and the PMI Team, in addition to World Wide Wob, Cousin Sal, and JJ Zachariason. FanDuel has also formed exclusive sports betting partnerships with blue chip media companies like Turner Sports, Bleacher Report, The Ringer, SportsGrid, Entercom and Minute Media. This is all in addition to FanDuel’s own sports betting and daily fantasy content offerings that includes numberFire, The Duel, an extensive podcast network with a total of seven podcasts, and More Ways to Win on TVG.

Turner Sports officially tipped off the 2020-21 NBA regular season with an Opening Night doubleheader on Tuesday, on TNT. Along with expansive portfolio-wide content on Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and social media channels, TNT hosted a special two-hour pregame show with the Sports Emmy Award-winning studio team of Ernie Johnson, Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.