Celebrity endorsements haven’t always swayed Wall Street, and after an initial 20% bump on the news, Six Flags shares have slipped 7%. Starboard brought Shaquille O’Neal onto Papa Johns’ board in 2019 — “everyone knows Shaquille O’Neal, they know that I’m in the fun business,” the star said — but he stepped down last year and the company’s stock fell by 60% from highs.
But 2025’s attention economy supercharges celebrity — look at Sydney Sweeney’s [viral American Eagle ad campaign](https://www.semafor.com/article/08/01/2025/sydney-sweeneys-jeans-and-the-gop) — and Kelce is a cultural force right now. If anyone can convert attention-economy mania into an actual investing thesis and outcome, it might just be him.
Jana brought backup anyway, enlisting the former Gap CEO and a seasoned tech executive who bring credibility, should they need to push for further board refreshment.