Former football star turned pitchman Rob Gronkowski is turning his efforts towards online poker in a series of appearances on the TV show The Big Game. Gronk’s appearance on the Poker Stars-branded TV poker is part of his larger deal to promote Flutter Entertainment brands which include FanDuel, PokerStars, Paddy Power and more.
Former broadcaster Nick Wright will be joining Gronkowski on the show, which includes a mix of professional and amateur players. Gronk and Wright’s episodes will be filmed this November during the North American Poker Tour (NAPT) event at Resorts World Las Vegas. The show also features a “loose cannon” who is staked by the company and will presumably play a more aggressive and unpredictable game than the other players.
It’s unclear how much actual poker experience Gronkowski has, but that’s hardly the point. Since going into semi-retirement from football, the former New England Patriots tight end has made a second career of playing the role of a lovable, but air-headed pitchman for a number of products and services.
For the past two years, Gronkowski has been a fixture during the Super Bowl as part of a campaign for a different Flutter Entertainment brand, FanDuel. In those ads, Gronkowski trains to kick a field goal, and fans are encourage to wager on the outcome of the kick.
Gronk’s effusive personality, which makes him such a great pitchman, was on display when he commented about the upcoming ads in statements reported on by Poker.org saying, “I’m always up for a challenge, and diving into the world of poker is going to be an amazing new adventure for me. I’m beyond excited to play alongside some of the best in the game and tackle the high-stakes action. Just like on the football field, I’ll be bringing my competitive edge and giving it everything I’ve got at the tables.”
Grownkowski has also appeared on live dealer games for Flutter brands and it’s expected that his relationship with the company will continue for the forseeable future.