Sportsbook teams with MLB star in first-ever deal with active player
MaximBet partners with Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies to endorse legal sportsbook.
MaximBet teams up with Rockies' Blackmon in sports betting endorsement
MaximBet Vice President of Marketing Doug Tehrfer says its the first sports betting platform to partner with an active player.
With sports betting platforms and apps gaining popularity in recent years, one sportsbook is making history with a big name in professional baseball.
"Why not Charlie Blackmon?" MaximBet Vice President of Marketing Doug Tehrfer responded when FOX Business’ Stuart Varney asked why the company recruited the Colorado Rockies outfielder on "Varney & Co." Thursday.
"He's got cool swag, if you've seen him, he's stylish, he has an edge to him," Tehrfer added. "Obviously his performance on the field speaks for itself; he's a four-time All-Star, yields two Major League Baseball records."
Blackmon will serve as a brand ambassador promoting MaximBet’s app and loyalty program, as well as help grow its popularity. Per MLB rules, Blackmon is prohibited from endorsing bets on baseball but can publicize the general platform.
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"The one thing that hasn't changed as it relates to what a player can do is they still cannot bet on their own sport," Tehrfer explained. "Every league still has a firm policy on that, baseball included."
Charlie Blackmon, #19 of the Colorado Rockies, signs a partnership with online sportsbook MaximBet. (Getty Images)
Tehrfer said the timing for this partnership has never been better, and the number of sports fans has never been bigger.
"Times are changing," Tehrfer said of the affiliation between betting and an active player. "Sports betting now has definitely gone mainstream. It's not a topic you have to talk about in the shadows or in whispers anymore, it's not taboo that way."
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Sports betting is legal in 30 states plus the District of Columbia. When New York authorized mobile sports betting earlier this year, the state raked in more than $600 million in the first two weeks.
"The country now has opportunities to legally bet on sports," the VP continued, "that this is part of just the progression, and MaximBet is really excited to be the first brand to partner with an active player."