Michael Jordan, 58, will serve as a special advisor to Sportradar’s board of directors. The National Basketball Association legend and early Sportradar investor is also increasing his investment in the company, which provides sports betting and sports entertainment products and services and business-to-business solutions to the global sports betting industry.

“Not only is Michael Jordan one of the most iconic sports figures of all time but he is a legendary leader who believes in Sportradar’s mission to enhance fan engagement through our fully integrated technology and services platform,” Sportradar chairman of the global board of directors Jeffery Yabuki said. “We are thrilled to have Michael contribute to Sportradar’s business efforts moving forward.”

In Jordans his new advisory position, he will provide the board and management with guidance and strategic counsel with a focus on the United States market, product development, marketing activities and other key business initiatives. As an elite athlete and successful entrepreneur, he has expertise in establishing impactful business partnerships within the sports industry that will be leveraged across the breadth of Sportradar’s products and services.

Headquartered in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Sportsradar collects and analyzes sports data. It was founded in 2001 by Carsten Koerl, a resident of Switzerland and a native of Germany.

“Over the past several years, the worlds of fandom, sports betting and media have converged and through his accomplishments on the court and in the boardroom, Michael sits at the intersection of these industries,” Koerl said. “As an early investor in Sportradar, Michael saw the potential in our company. We are thrilled to now tap into his entrepreneurial savvy and business acumen as we develop the next wave of solutions and offerings that will maximize engagement across sports.”

On September 14, 2021, Jordan joined Sportradar’s directors, executive team, lead investors and honored guests in the Nasdaq opening bell ringing ceremony in New York City, New York, USA. They celebrated Sportradar’s first day as a publicly traded company.

“I invested in Sportradar years ago because I believed in the vision and passion that Carsten and the rest of the team had for transforming the sports technology industry,” Jordan said. “I am looking forward to having a formal role with the company as it begins its next chapter.”