Gaming Society has added three sports icons to its advisory board of directors – Chelsea Gray, Derek Jeter, and Sheryl Swoopes – who will help to improve betting education.
Founded in 2021 by sports executive Jaymee Messler and NBA Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett, Gaming Society is a gamification and content platform which aims to help make sports betting easier, more accessible, and inclusive.
The company has formed several partnerships over the past year to enhance fan engagement in sports, in particular women’s betting and women’s sports, including a recent collaboration with the International Gaming Institute (IGI) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).
“Gaming Society has become a true community that believes games, betting and social experiences will be key driving factors in not only bringing in new sports fans but also engaging with existing fans on a deeper level,” commented Messler, Co-Founder and CEO of Gaming Society.
“With a wealth of experience across the spectrum of sports business, Chelsea, Derek and Sheryl understand the complexities, challenges, and opportunities of the rapidly evolving sports industry and will serve Gaming Society extremely well. It’s incredibly important to have diverse backgrounds and perspectives guiding our company and we look forward to having them as part of our team during these key stages of growth.”
Sports icons to help improve betting education
The current WNBA Finals MVP, Gray helped the Las Vegas Aces win their first title in 2022. She is also a four-time WNBA All-Star, a two-time WNBA Champion, and an Olympic gold medal winner.
Gray played college basketball at Duke University, where she recorded the second-most assists in Duke history before being drafted in 2014 in the first round by the Connecticut Sun.
“There’s a real need for betting education, not just amongst fans but amongst athletes too,” noted Gray.
“The opportunities in the sports betting and gaming space are endless — and women’s sports stand to benefit immensely through this innovative approach to fan engagement. Gaming Society is uniquely positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and advance the industry forward through accessibility and their Bet on Women initiative.
“It has been incredible to see the company’s momentum in such a short time and I am humbled to join the advisory team to continue the growth of this mission.”
Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020, Jeter had a 20-year MLB career where he won five World Series titles. He co-founded The Players’ Tribune with Messler in 2014 and was a part-owner and CEO of the Miami Marlins from 2017 to 2022.
He currently serves on the Minute Media board and he helps to lead the Turn 2 Foundation, which encourages youth to avoid drugs and alcohol and supports programs that foster leadership development, academic excellence, positive behavior, and social change.
“Gaming Society is uniquely positioned to introduce more fans to the betting category,” stated Jeter.
“The platform’s proposition is extremely compelling: driving greater engagement and value for partners spanning the industry ecosystem through an emphasis on storytelling and betting education. I’m excited to once again team up with Jaymee and look forward to helping the company and this great community grow.”
A Hall of Famer, Swoopes’ playing career included four WNBA titles, three WNBA MVP awards, and three Olympic gold medals.
She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA when the league was created in 1996 and is the first women’s basketball player to have a Nike shoe named after her – Air Swoopes.
“As a member of the WNBA’s inaugural season in 1997, I’ve had a front-row seat to the league’s growth across all aspects,” said Swoopes.
“One area that is still very much primed for innovation is gamification, which unequivocally deepens fan engagement and brings in new waves of fans. That is why Gaming Society exists, and why I’m excited to serve as an advisor.”
Marissa Coleman, VP of Business Development at Gaming Society, recently spoke with SBC Americas about how narratives can help to encourage both the embrace of women’s sports by operators and women to embrace sports betting more generally.
