Jimmy Donaldson, more widely known as Mr. Beast, is officially the new sponsor for the Charlotte Hornets as of Oct. 2, 2023. After the brand LendingTree was released, the Hornets were in need of a new sponsor, and Donaldson took the opportunity.
Donaldson is a YouTuber native to North Carolina, and he still lives in Greenville to this day. He is known for his elaborate videos and challenges, while also giving away money. Donaldson has amassed almost 200 million subscribers on the platform.
“It’s nice to see someone from North Carolina be so successful, “ said junior Jordin Weckmann.
In January of 2022, Donaldson released his brand, “Feastables.” The company sells their own chocolate called “MrBeast Bars.¨ The company made around $10 million in their first couple months of sales. In April of 2023, they collaborated with YouTuber Karl Jacobs to make “Karl Gummies,” which has also made a lot of revenue.
Donaldson is paying around $16 million per year in order to be a sponsor. His Feastables logo will be a patch on the Hornets jerseys.
“I love basketball so much so it only makes sense for Feastable’s first sponsorship to be with my home team,” said Donaldson on X.
A sponsorship like this has never been seen before in the NBA. Some of the existing patch sponsorships are companies like Crypto, PayPal, and Disney. Donaldson’s significance to the sponsorship is special. Donaldson will be the first influencer to sponsor a professional sports team. His brand will bring a uniqueness to jersey design and the business world.
Because of Donaldson’s mass following, the Hornets will be getting much more attention than in the past. This can widen the fan base, considering how well known Donaldson is, and make the Hornets more revenue this upcoming season.
