At first glance, the worlds of American Football and motorsports have little in common, other than a will to win and sets of fans who are truly dedicated to the sport they love.
However, as the sporting landscape becomes flooded with crossover interests involving investment vehicles that own portions of multiple sports enterprises and teams, all the way through to wealthy athletes themselves investing in their interests away from their chosen profession; there are now some major synergies and links being made between sports like the NFL and NASCAR.
Here we take a look at all the ways in which the worlds of NFL and motorsports are becoming ever more intertwined, to the benefit of the fanatical followers of both.
NASCAR’s banked circuits are a far cry from the green fields that NFL teams play on, but the two sports organizations have been building ties over recent weeks and months
NFL Players Enlisted to Drive Interest and Invest
One of the first ways in which people from the NFL are getting involved in NASCAR is by them being hired by the racing organization to promote its races, drivers, and teams to new generations and football betting fans. This has been most evident in the hiring of New Orleans Saint Alvin Kamara, who now acts as a Growth and Engagement Advisor for NASCAR. This means that as well as promoting NASCAR to his vast fanbase, there is now more and more of a chance that one day Kamara’s name will be found both at the online NFL picks and parlays columns at the same time as appearing in those associated with NASCAR. This is because the role he has undertaken with NASCAR has also convinced him to think about buying into a NASCAR team himself. Kamara would be following in the footsteps of Michael Jordan, who partnered with recording artist Pitbull to acquire the 23XI Racing team. Don’t bet against Kamara delivering for sports betting fans on the pitch and on the track in the not-too-distant future.
The Super Bowl is still one of the most-watched sporting events on the planet, so any time a racing series can ally with the NFL it is a good thing for motor racing in general
While the league meticulously tackles issues like player health, fans show their unwavering support regardless of the circumstances, with many even eager to find out Super Bowl ticket prices early in the season, demonstrating that the passion for the game remains strong.
Joe Gibbs – From Side-lines to Pit Lanes
More so than anyone else in the NFL, former Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs has some major clout in NASCAR, not least because he founded and owns Joe Gibbs Racing. The team has had some of the best drivers in the business race for it including the likes of Kyle Busch. Today Gibbs spends far more time on the pit wall rather than pitch side, although his love for both sports is as fierce as ever. It just goes to show that a great sporting mind can excel in both football and racing if he puts his mind to it.
Young Drivers Getting a Leg Up from NFL Players
A trend that continues to grow in sports is that of well-paid athletes investing in other athletes from other sports, often beginning to build a book of athletes who they then mentor, sponsor, and manage. The first instance of this occurring between an NFL player and an up-and-coming NASCAR driver is Antonio Williams of the Buffalo Bills backing Joe Graf Jr. who races in the Xfinity Series. The two men were put in touch by a mutual friend and now Williams is part-bankrolling the career of one of the US’s most promising drivers. Graf Jr. will be hoping that Williams can get off the Bills’ practice squad and into the 1st team so that both men’s careers can flourish.
