New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara now advising NASCAR on growing fan base – ESPN

METAIRIE, La. — Alvin Kamara has officially become a two-sport star.

The New Orleans Saints running back was named as NASCAR’s first-ever growth and engagement advisor on Sunday, continuing his growing relationship with the sport over the past year.

“I’m excited they carved out a role for me,” Kamara said Sunday. “I got an office. I got a key card. I feel like I never had a job besides the NFL, so I got two jobs now. [Saints coach] Sean Payton going to have to give me some downtime.”

Aye @SeanPayton … kinda got a new job. We gotta figure somethin out. 🏁🏁 pic.twitter.com/QY12nDbXp1

— Alvin Kamara (@A_kamara6) June 20, 2021

According to NASCAR.com, Kamara will “work directly with NASCAR leadership on strategic planning and creative opportunities that support its fan development efforts.”

“It’s an honor to be able to team up with NASCAR and be their first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor,” Kamara said, according to the website. “I’m excited to use my passion as a fan to help shape their long-term efforts to grow the sport.”

Welcome to the family, Alvin. We’re proud to announce @A_kamara6 is joining our team as our first-ever Growth and Engagement Advisor. @KlutchSports pic.twitter.com/SpjMtuItoX

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 20, 2021

Kamara, who grew up near Atlanta and went to college at Tennessee, just recently became a fan of NASCAR. He first emerged as a public supporter of NASCAR on social media last June after the organization banned Confederate flags from its racetracks. NASCAR then invited Kamara to attend his first race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he came out to support driver Bubba Wallace — who pushed for the policy change and debuted a Black Lives Matter paint scheme.

Then in February, Kamara decided to sponsor driver Ryan Vargas through Kamara’s juice-bar chain in the Xfinity Series race at Daytona after he learned Vargas had no funding.

“Alvin’s journey to NASCAR happened very organically from that initial curiosity to experiencing our events to developing a real and sincere passion for the sport,” said Pete Jung, chief marketing officer at NASCAR. “That’s what we’re looking to tap into … his insights, perspective and ideas … and learning more about his experience so that we can enhance what we’re doing to engage and develop new fans.”

According to NASCAR, a collaboration between NASCAR and Kamara’s team at Klutch Sports Group will focus on connecting new audiences with NASCAR through immersive and educational experiences that help them learn more about the sport. Kamara will interact directly with fans at races — including Sunday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway — and share his NASCAR fan journey through digital and social media content.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.