Hawks F Tracy McGrady is “the latest athlete-turned-entrepreneur to launch his own online business -- in the form of a quasi-Groupon for sports,” according to Rip Empson of TECHCRUNCH.com. McGrady this week has launched “his own daily deals website, called TMacsDeals.com,” in partnership with Engager Media, a company that "specializes in social media management for influencers.” The website is available on “the Web and on Facebook, using both platforms to offer his fans discounts on his own merchandise as well as sports-related deals from Adidas (McGrady is sponsored by the apparel company), Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Lids, and more.” Empson wrote while McGrady’s website is “by no means winning any design awards (and has clone material written all over it), or pushing the envelope technologically, it gets the job done, and, perhaps more importantly, it does so in a way that doesn’t stink of brand shilling.” The website features no sponsored ads. McGrady said, “I have been approached about doing sponsored ads on my social media sites, but I think that can come across as disingenuous. With TMacsDeals, I can provide a service to my fans by helping them save money on brands they actually use.” McGrady likely has a “built-in audience of young sports fans (especially on Facebook), so offering athletics-related deals makes sense.” McGrady’s following of over 1 million Facebook fans “currently puts him at 11th most among active players in the NBA” (TECHCRUNCH.com, 3/12).
