Fanatics hires former MTV exec as CMO for sports betting and gambling arm
Jason White joins the sports merchandising giant as firm continues to build out top brass for sports betting venture
Fanatics has appointed Jason White as chief marketing officer (CMO) of its sports betting brand, Fanatics Betting and Gaming.
White joins the firm following a stint as CMO at MTV Entertainment. Before this, he spent over a year at both Curaleaf and Cura Cannabis Solutions as CMO.
Prior to these two roles, White spent close to five years at Beats. He joined as the VP of marketing in May 2014 before becoming the business’ global head of marketing in November 2016. White held this role until January 2019 before moving to the aforementioned roles.
In his career, White has worked with some of the biggest names in sports. While he was at the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy, he helped establish the Nike brand in China and assisted in its preparation for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The former Beats exec also developed marketing campaigns for Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods.
Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting & Gaming, said: “Jason has a proven track record of helping to build globally recognised brands who are disruptors in their categories, and we’re thrilled to have him join Fanatics Betting & Gaming as we ramp up to our official launch.
“As this competitive space continues to evolve, Jason will be invaluable to our long-term strategy of creating a dynamic and innovative product offering for all sports fans,” King added.
White commented: “Fanatics’ vision for the future of sports fandom is incredibly special and, under Matt King’s leadership, I believe Fanatics Betting & Gaming is the next great disruptor.”
In May, Fanatics, worth an estimated $27bn, made moves to trademark the BetFanatics brand with the US Patent and Trademark Office.
According to US reports in June, Fanatics was linked with a potential acquisition of German bookmaker Tipico to advance its online sportsbook goals. Tipico currently operates in New Jersey and Colorado, and has a number of media and sports betting partnerships with US operators and teams.