Shortly after successfully completing its IPO and listing on the Nasdaq Global Exchange, Sportradar has announced that early investor and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player Michael Jordan has joined its Board of Directors.

Jordan will serve as a Special Advisor at the company, effective immediately, whilst also increasing his investment, with the providing ‘guidance and strategic counsel’ concerning the US market to the Board.

Additional areas of focus for the former Chicago Bulls player include product development and marketing activities and ‘other key business initiatives’, with Sportradar lauding the investor’s past experience in both elite level sports and entrepreneurship.

Carsten Koerl, Global CEO, Sportradar, said: “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. 

“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 maximise engagement across sports.”

Sportradar successfully completed its Nasdaq registration on 14 September, having previously disclosed its intention to raise $504 million through the floating of 19 million shares priced between $25 and $28, in addition to a further $159 million via concurrent private placements.

Following its IPO, the sports data and technology firm aims to leverage Jordan’s ‘expertise in establishing impactful business partnerships’ in the sports industry across its range of products and services, as it looks to further capitalise on the US market.

Jordan remarked: “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. I am looking forward to having a formal role with the company as it begins its next chapter.” 

The Swiss-based company already maintains a strong presence in the US sports space, including partnerships with a number of betting operators as well as with the NBA, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball (MLB), NASCAR and the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL).

“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,” Jeffery Yabuki, Sportradar’s Chairman of the Global Board of Directors, commented. “We are thrilled to have Michael contribute to Sportradar’s business efforts moving forward.”