Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. signs endorsement deal with Whataburger
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ love of Whataburger (and its ketchup) is so strong that he helped bring the Texas fast-food chain to Kansas City.
Now another Kansas City sports star from Texas is partnering with Whataburger: Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on Thursday signed on to be a brand ambassador.
The announcement was made at a Whataburger restaurant in Independence, a short distance from Kauffman Stadium. It’s one of the 10 spots in the KC area owned by KMO Burger, the franchise group of which Mahomes is a co-owner.
Whataburger president/CEO Ed Nelson handed Witt a white and orange Whataburger jersey, which he slipped over a Royals jersey.
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“In sports, you get a lot of sponsorships, partnerships and everything and as a young kid growing up it was like, ‘Man, it’d be really cool one day if I could do Whataburger’ and now we’re here,” Witt said. “So it’s pretty awesome. I’m really, really excited and looking forward to what’s to come.”
Witt signed autographs for fans after the announcement, and that’s one of the things he’ll do more often as a brand ambassador. He’ll also interact with fans on social media.
Before signing autographs, Witt made his way to the kitchen, where he met with employees who gave him an ovation.
Witt grew up in Colleyville, Texas, which is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Whataburger is based in San Antonio and was his go-to after a game, regardless of the sport.
“In high school, we would go to Whataburger (after a win) and even after the losses, to get over the losses we’d get Whataburger,” Witt said. “Most times on a Tuesday night, Friday night, we’re going to Whataburger after the game. So it was one of those things that even after high school football games it was like a tradition in our town. My sisters did it. It’s pretty cool. It’s pretty special. And then now doing this here, it’s like full circle.”
In addition to the 10 Whataburger restaurants owned by Mahomes, who is also part of the Royals’ ownership group, there are eight other locations in Kansas City.
This story was originally published June 27, 2024 at 12:11 PM.
