If there were an award ceremony celebrating individuals in sports marketing, Max Muhleman would certainly be the winner. Although the sporting world often recognizes the faces they see on their TV and mobile screens, Muhleman shaped the very foundations of the mega sporting franchises. Unfortunately, none of the sporting giants will be able to cherish his counsel or services as he passed away on December 14.
The 88-year-old had a history of heart-related issues, but he died of natural causes, according to his son Lee Muhleman. Although Max Muhleman’s sphere of influence spread far and wide across different sports, he certainly changed the course of NASCAR with simple advice to a car dealer named Rick Hendrick back in the 1980s. His advice to Mr. H was the inception of Hendrick Motorsports, a team that would go on to become the most winningest team in the history of NASCAR.
“He’s not the guy who catches or throws the ball, or owns the team or drives the race car. But for him to be so well-known in the industry, he’s got to be good. He’s the guy that puts it all together and makes it work.” This is how Rick Hendrick described Max Muhleman. Certainly, his passing leaves a void within the sporting industry. There’s a list of game-changing moves Muhleman made working with sporting giants, but here are a few noteworthy ones.
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He developed a strategy and a pitch that helped Charlotte land an NBA expansion team named the Hornets in 1998.
As mentioned above, after moving to North Carolina, he advised Rick Hendrick to start a NASCAR team named Hendrick Motorsports.
His marketing firm is also credited for creating campaigns where fans had to pay one-time fees for lifetime rights to buy season tickets. This included the likes of the NFL, MLB, and other sports.
On the NASCAR front, Muhleman worked with big sponsors like Coca-Cola and UPS as well as racing venues like Texas Motor Speedway.
Certainly, his passing leaves a void within the sporting industry, but the fans will cherish his contributions and body of work for years to come.
NASCAR fans react to the death of Max Muhleman
It’s fair to say that Hendrick Motorsports wouldn’t be in existence if it wasn’t for Muhleman’s intervention. Imagine NASCAR racing without HMS; the mere thought of it is dull, right? This is why Jeff Gordon, who serves as a vice-chairman at Hendrick Motorsports, opened up about Muhleman’s contribution. “Rick has always said Hendrick Motorsports would not have happened without Max Muhleman, who approached him about starting a NASCAR team more than 40 years ago. This photo of Max is from the original All-Star Racing announcement in 1984. From everyone at @teamhendrick, farewell to a dear friend and sports marketing legend.”
This heartfelt note by Gordon caught the attention of Muhleman’s son Jeff, who is also a Charlotte native. Reacting to Gordon’s condolence message for his father, Jeff replied, “Thank you so very much @JeffGordonWeb . I am Jeff, one of Max’s sons. We always rooted for you – and still do!”
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It’s tough for the sporting giants to attract fans to their stadiums to watch live events. Even if they did manage to lure in the fans, it was a tough task to retain them for future events. This is where Muhleman’s genius came into play as he created campaigns for teams across sporting verticals. Although his passing is a moment of grief and sorrow for his near family, this fan celebrated his achievements. “Max Muhleman invented the concept of the Personal Seat License, saving Charlotte taxpayers hundreds of millions of $$$.”
No one knew or understood the potential of sports marketing back in the day. This sports fan had a similar preconceived notion, and he rejected a job that would see him work alongside Muhleman. Recalling his past regret, this fan added, “I had an opportunity to work for Max Muhleman when I was in college. Can’t recall why I didn’t pursue it, but it was a dumb decision. I would have been there while he was inventing PSLs. RIP.”
Max Muhleman is also credited with attracting big sporting franchises from the NBA and NFL to Charlotte. This was rightfully pointed out by this fan who tipped his hat towards Muhleman by writing, “Sorry to read this… Max was a gentleman & brought forward a concept that delivered an entirely new economic instrument into pro sports allowing stadium construction as well as expansion to thrive…his impact in Charlotte pro sports is unmatchable…”
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What is your favorite memory of Max Muhleman about his contribution towards the world of sports?