Fans of a certain age will remember Charles Barkley’s “I am not a role model” declaration. Some might recall when he spent a night in jail in Milwaukee in 1991 following an altercation in which he broke a man’s nose. Now the analyst has a new title: St. Chuck.
FanDuel announced Monday a massive promotion for the week of Christmas, with $30 million in free bets, site credits, and DFS vouchers available to new and existing players.
The site also inked a partnership with Barkley, who will be heavily involved with the NBA Tipoff Week features for the NJ sports betting app.
Charles Barkley & FanDuel – 2 of a kind
Charles Barkley and FanDuel Sportsbook worked together during the NBA bubble over the summer to provide content during Turner Sports studio shows. FanDuel will serve as Barkley’s “exclusive sports betting and daily fantasy partner.”
“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,” said Barkley in a statement. “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.”
Barkley joins the roll call of former athletes and media personalities associated with FanDuel, including Pat McAfee and Cousin Sal. He’ll appear in FanDuel advertising, podcasts, social media, and branded content on Turner Sports.
Barkley Claus
The timing of the announcement works with the holidays and the start of the shortened 2020-21 NBA season. Fans will get a free bet (if in a state that allows sports betting), a voucher for a NBA DFS contest, and a series of “Barkley Boosts” for games on Tuesday the 22nd and Friday the 25th.
In the spirit of the holiday, FanDuel will also donate 340,000 meals (in honor of Barkley’s retired number 34) to Feeding America, the country’s largest domestic hunger-relief institution.
“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.”