CINCINNATI — Jackpot Joey didn’t come from a focus group or a business plan, just a Cincinnati Bengals fan happy about his team’s selection of Joe Burrow in the 2020 NFL draft.
“The night they drafted him, I’m like, the guy’s a jackpot for the city of Cincinnati,” said Matty Meyer. “He’s Jackpot Joey.”
So, the Sayler Park resident did what any of us would do: He hired a lawyer to trademark his big idea and spent most of the last year turning into, well, a jackpot.
“It’s giant,” Meyer said. “I’ve been spending my mornings at the post office mailing stuff all over the United States. The reach of Jackpot Joey Burrow is nationwide. It’s not (just) Cincinnati, LSU. I’ve literally sent out hats and shirts to over 45 states.”
Meyer got a friend at Harlan Graphics to design his logos and ordered 400 hats from TB Products in Roselawn and 1,300 shirts from 4D Screenprinting in Cleves. Then, he camped out at the Bengals practice field, offering free merchandise to players.
He caught a break when Offensive Lineman Riley Reiff wore one of his hats on the NFL Channel. And another when Wide Receiver Tee Higgins explained why he wore the hat to a Sept. 16 press conference.
“When we come in from practice, this guy’s always waiting with Jackpot Joey gear,” Higgins said. “He gave me some stuff for me and my Mom.”
Meyer also made connections with the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio to donate proceeds from every sale to the Joe Burrow Hunger Relief Fund. And he caught Burrow’s attention one day after practice.
“He walked by after Tee Higgins wore the hat, and I said, ‘You’re Jackpot Joey.’ And he looked at me and gave me a thumbs up,” Meyer said. “Told me he loved it.”
Podcaster Jeff Trennepohl has been promoting the brand on his YouTube show, Cincinnati Sports with Strawberry Ice.
“It’s a fun name,” Trennepohl said. “I’ve had people from Europe, from England on the show and they’re calling him Jackpot Joey. So, I mean, there’s Bengal fans everywhere. So, I think jackpot could be as famous as Who Dey someday.”
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