The Hornets have a new jersey patch sponsor. They hope it helps them reach more demographics
Jacob Gallagher was just like many others 30 years ago, infatuated with the hottest piece of trendy NBA gear that truly put the Charlotte Hornets on the global map.
“I think back in the 90s and the Hornets first came out they had those Starter jackets and everybody wanted those Starter jackets,” Gallagher, the Hornets’ chief revenue officer, told The Observer on Monday. “They were iconic. I think this jersey is going to be another iteration of that to where we just continue growing the brand.”
Gallagher was referring to the Hornets’ new innovative partnership, one that’s going to allow MrBeast to take his love for the franchise to a whole new level.
Feastables, a snack brand founded by well-known YouTube star Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson , is going to be the Hornets’ official jersey patch, the team announced Monday. The company’s logo will be on each of Charlotte’s uniforms for the 2023-24 season, and that includes the G League’s Greensboro Swarm and physical and virtual uniforms of Hornets Venom GT, Charlotte’s NBA2K team. Feastables branding will also be visible on backdrops for all Hornets press conferences and interview sessions.
The deal marks the first partnership between a creator-led brand and an NBA franchise. It’s also part of the vision of the team’s new majority owners, who aren’t interested in status quo and insisted the Hornets think outside the box.
Getting MrBeast — a native of Greenville, North Carolina — on board as the patch sponsor, replacing LendingTree after the company’s deal ended following the 2022-23 season, qualifies as something different. MrBeast, who’s made a name for himself through philanthropic acts and fan interaction, is the most-subscribed YouTuber in the world, boasting more than 187 million followers. That number balloons to over 350 million when including his followers on TikTok, Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.
MrBeast’s reach is rather large.
“With new ownership, Rick Schnall and Gabe Plotkin, they really pushed us to try new things and really look at things that haven’t been done before — not only in the NBA but in the industry,” Gallagher said. “They wanted us and challenged us to go find unique ways to grow our brand and grow our fan base. And they just said, ‘Hey, don’t do what’s typically done. Push the envelope. We need to set new standards.’”
That plan was put into motion and now the Hornets’ cutting-edge move is ready for public consumption just in time for a highly-anticipated season of Charlotte basketball.
“I think that’s what’s groundbreaking about this — it’s the first of its kind,’ Gallagher said, “and will open up opportunities for us to reach new demographics and bring in new fans.”
This story was originally published October 2, 2023 at 12:14 PM.
