Shaq for President! He teased it on his Instagram page a few days ago and now it’s a reality for the NBA legend.
It was announced this week that Shaquille O’Neal is now the President of Basketball at Reebok. The newly created position is part of a long-term strategy for Authentic Brands Group, which acquired Reebok in August 2021, to become a major player in team sports and focus on basketball performance.
Shaquille O’Neal is the President of Reebok Basketball
Shaquille O’Neal – Instagram
Was the NBA icon teasing his new position on Instagram when he posted a photo of himself wearing a shirt that read, “Shaq for President” with the caption, “will you vote for me?”? Now, a few days after sharing the photo, the answer seems to be YES.
Alongside President O’Neal will be his vice president, former NBA star Allen Iverson.
“We just wanted to do something different. That’s what we were best known for then and what we want to stick with now,” O’Neal told Boardroom. “A big part of my role will be leveraging my network to build bridges, connecting brands with players, and help those players grow through their partnership with Reebok.”
Iverson’s role will be to lead player recruitment, while “focusing on the brand’s grassroots presence and community initiatives, and the annual ‘Iverson Classic’ High School showcase game.”
Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky, who started with the company in 1992, said, “Being at the company for such a long time, one of the things I’m most proud of, is that so many brands have a relationship with their athletes and supporters. Usually, they give them products forever and ask them to come to events and appearances. With this, we are actually bringing two of our legacy athletes together and putting them in real management positions in our company.”
Allen Iverson – Instagram
Krinsky also mentioned that this is something new in the industry that “hasn’t been done before” and went on to explain that this is “not a consultant’s role.”
“This is not a major announcement where we create a catchy headline and then he goes and calls me every now and then,” Krinsky told FN. “He is committed to how we re-enter the basketball community, everything from product to marketing to events. He has a sharp view on things, but he’s also very collaborative and he’s open-minded about how we can get back in.”
Authentic president and chief marketing officer Nick Woodhouse also added, “There’s tremendous added value with his opinion, and frankly, his power to influence people and move negotiations forward.”
He called this a “natural progression” for O’Neal, to sit at the table in a more powerful position at Reebok.
Shaquille O’Neal Signed With Reebok In 1992 And Now He’s Back In Action!
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For O’Neal, it was like coming home.
The NBA legend signed with Reebok in 1992 and has an iconic signature shoe, and now he will lead the brand’s basketball category strategy and create new partnerships with organizations and athletes.
“It’s all about the product, the players and the community and having the confidence to do things our own way. We need to leverage Reebok’s heritage and product expertise in the sport for today’s youth, but also focus on engaging the community from the grassroots level,” explained O’Neal.
“We’re going to bring in a new generation of players who have a strong originality and passion, or what I like to refer to as the it factor, who can put their own stamp on this brand and make it relevant to a new generation.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
