- BetMGM has announced the signing of former NFL running back Chris Johnson as a brand ambassador.
- Johnson played ten seasons in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.
- BetMGM has been extremely active in signing brand ambassadors to help promote their sports betting platform nationally as well as in specific markets.
On Friday, BetMGM announced the launch of a new retail sportsbook at the Gila River Casino Vee Quiva in Arizona. It is the company’s first retail location in Arizona and the first in-casino sports betting location in the greater Phoenix area. They’ve also added a new brand ambassador who will likely be spending a lot of time in the Phoenix area. BetMGM has signed former NFL running back Chris Johnson as a brand ambassador. Johnson played 10 seasons in the NFL for the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. No coincidence that two of his teams are in states that have launched sports betting in the past year.
BetMGM has already launched in Tennessee’s mobile only grease fire and they’ve got big plans for Arizona. They’ve launched mobile betting in the state and are in the process of opening a BetMGM retail sports betting facility at State Farm Stadium–home field of the Arizona Cardinals–in time for the 2022 NFL regular season. BetMGM was smart to hedge their bets in the ‘pay to play’ Arizona sports betting market and they’ve got two licensed partners in the state–the Arizona Cardinals football team and Gila River Hotels & Casinos. Gila River operates three casinos in Arizona–Vee Quiva, Wild Horse Pass and Lone Butte. They’re also building a fourth property to be called Santan Mountain and located near Chandler, Arizona which is southeast of downtown Phoenix. BetMGM is planning to operate retail sportsbooks at all of Gila River’s properties. The launch of the sports betting operation at Wild Horse Pass and Lone Butte should happen by early 2022 (I’d expect before the Super Bowl) and they’ll add Santan Mountain when it opens in ’18 to 24 months’.
Since the MGM Resorts press release neglected to mention Johnson’s one year stint with the New York Jets, you can expect them to focus his efforts in Arizona and Tennessee. Here’s what the press release said about Johnson’s role and his NFL career:
BetMGM, a leading sports betting and digital gaming company, announced today the signing of former Tennessee Titans and Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson as its newest brand ambassador. The fan favorite will be featured in BetMGM’s upcoming marketing campaigns, promotions, social media content and fan events.
Over the course of 10 NFL seasons, Johnson was one of the league’s most prolific players. The running back earned the moniker “CJ2K” in 2009 when he rushed for 2,006 yards for the Titans, making him one of eight players in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a single season.
Johnson is excited to be partnering with BetMGM and getting involved in the sports betting industry:
“I’m excited to join the BetMGM team and to have a new platform to engage with CJ2K fans around the country. BetMGM is at the forefront of the excitement surrounding sports betting and is a perfect fit for me to get involved in this rapidly growing industry.”
Matt Prevost, Chief Revenue Officer, BetMGM, had this to say about the addition of Johnson to his company’s roster of brand ambassadors:
“Throughout his career, Chris Johnson thrilled fans with his performance on the football field, week in and week out. As we continue to expand BetMGM’s presence in Arizona and Tennessee, Chris will play a key role in helping us provide new and engaging experiences for our customers.”
BetMGM has arguably emphasized celebrity brand ambassadors more than any other sports betting company. Their list of partners is a ‘who’s who’ of sports including Wayne Gretzky, Barry Sanders and Jalen Rose. They’ve also tapped A-list actor Jamie Foxx as their most visible celebrity endorser. Within the past few months they’ve also added NFL great Marshawn Lynch and NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett.
