YouTube creators are officially getting in on NBA jersey sponsorship.
On Monday, the Charlotte Hornets announced that Feastables — the snack brand founded by YouTube superstar Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson — is its new official jersey patch sponsor.
The Feastables logo will appear on the Hornets’ jerseys starting this season, as well as those of the G League’s Greensboro Swarm and the NBA 2K League’s Hornets Venom GT (both virtual and physical).
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but a Hornets spokesperson told Front Office Sports that it was negotiated in-house.
The Brooklyn Nets’ partnership with online trading platform Webull is currently the most lucrative at $30 million per year, narrowly edging out the Los Angeles Lakers’ pact with South Korean food brand Bibigo at $25 million. The New York Knicks are reportedly seeking a jersey patch deal in the $30 million-per-year range.
Feastables is the first creator-led brand to land a jersey sponsorship in the United States’ four major leagues. YouTube creator Dude Perfect is the main kit sponsor for English Premier League side Burnley’s academy teams and is an investor in the club.
“This partnership is a first of its kind, and I am excited to see how creator-brands and the NBA continue to work together into the future,” said Feastables’ Reed Duchscher.
Now that MrBeast has opened Pandora’s box, other YouTube stars could get into the sports jersey sponsorship mix.
PRIME energy drink — founded by YouTube celebrities Logan Paul and KSI — already has non-jersey partnerships with FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the UFC. Paul’s brother, Jake, co-founded sports betting app Betr, which was recently valued at $300 million.
