Adam Rosenberg started his own communications consultancy after his third straight job was eliminated during the pandemic. Before that he worked at agencies, at Clorox and in esports, and he now specializes in video games, sports betting and sports tech. He says that when it comes to sports betting PR, he's confident he's the only one doing it, which is why finding clients hasn't been a problem.
Adam and Don met through an online communications network. In this episode of The PR Bunker Podcast, recorded the day after the 4 Nations Face-Off final in February 2025, they talk about how hockey's new tournament grabbed mainstream attention, what Adam's work looks like day to day, and why helping other people is how he grows his business.
A few takeaways from the conversation:
Adam tells people who want a sports career to find a technology everybody in the space needs instead of going to work for a team. His clients have included Rithmm, built by MIT alumni to let users create their own betting models, Outlier, which helps people find positive expected value bets, and Pikkit, a bet tracking app that syncs with sportsbooks across the US. Pikkit tracks about one of every $12 bet in the country, so he can pitch ESPN data like how many parlays included Saquon Barkley. Betting clients take about 70 percent of his time, and an esports client takes the rest.
Adam and Don both pointed to the 4 Nations tournament as a lesson in timing. The NHL swapped a typical All-Star format for games that mattered, leaned into Miracle on Ice storytelling and caught a wave of attention while the NBA All-Star Game fell flat. Adam's framing is that you control your side of the street, and the NHL kept its side tidy while the truck across the street was on fire.
Adam starts with pen and paper, keeps Google Docs as scratch pads and prefers Claude to ChatGPT as a writer, then edits drafts to sound human. He reads the Globe, The New York Times and CNN and checks what's trending, then works backward to find where a client fits. When a reporter wrote about the rise of chess.com, he pitched the next wave, which was chess joining the Esports World Cup. He calls a lot of comms game theory, because you're always thinking two moves ahead.
At the time of recording Adam was formalizing his consultancy under the name AO Strategies. He's on LinkedIn, where his cover photo shows him DJing, and he goes by heyrosenberg on X and other platforms. He warns there are two other Adam Rosenbergs in gaming, an investor and a reporter.
Listen to the full episode above.
Reading is the hello. SBGA is where we get to yes.
What does a sports betting PR consultant do?
For Adam Rosenberg, it means storytelling, data-driven pitches and partnership development for tech startups in the betting space, such as connecting a client with a media company as it builds its own media product.
Why did the 4 Nations Face-Off matter for the NHL's communications?
It put the best players in games that counted, drew on Miracle on Ice nostalgia and reached mainstream news beyond sports media, all while the NBA All-Star Game struggled.
How does Adam Rosenberg grow his consultancy?
He refers and helps other people as much as he can, believing that what's good for his friends is good for him. He says it comes back around if you're patient.
Have a project, campaign, or comms challenge in mind?
Want to be a guest on the PR Bunker podcast?
Reach out and let’s talk.
