Welcome to the NBA, MrBeast.
Hornets Sports & Entertainment said that Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson’s snack food brand Feastables will be its new jersey-patch partner, a first between a social media influencer and an NBA team.
The Feastables logo will appear on the Hornets’ jerseys this year, as well as a media backdrop for news conferences and interviews. The two brands will also collaborate on digital media, content and marketing.
Not familiar with MrBeast? The 25-year-old Greenville resident has amassed 188 million followers on YouTube through videos that often include acts of philanthropy, outrageous stunts and fan engagement. He has used his wealth generated from social media to launch other business ventures, such as his snack food brand.
“We are thrilled to welcome Feastables and North Carolina native MrBeast into our Hornets family,” Hornets Sports and Entertainment President and Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield in a press release.
In 2021, Donaldson was rated the most-subscribed individual on YouTube, leading to $54 million in revenue in 2021, Forbes estimates. He is widely viewed as among the highest-earning individuals on the Google-owned platform. He is also in the top five on TikTok with more than 87 million followers. Donaldson started uploading videos in 2014 and has more than 350 million combined followers on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Twitter.
Donaldson’s videos have a broad range. One paid for a supposed stranger to fly to Paris to bring him back a Baquette. Another paid for 1,000 people to have cataract surgery, then uploaded their reactions from experiencing new vision.
“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.
Under the deal, the Feastables logo also will appear on the uniforms of its G-League affiliate the Greensboro Swarm and both the virtual and physical uniforms of Hornets Venom GT, the organization’s NBA G League and NBA 2K League affiliates.