LAS VEGAS — Big Chicken, the star-powered fast casual chicken concept, is proud to announce that its founder and celebrated business partner, Shaquille O’Neal, was honored by Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine at its annual MVP (Most Valuable Performer) Awards. O’Neal was recognized with the Influencer Award for Former Pro Athlete for his involvement with the brand at the franchisor level with Big Chicken, as well as his involvement as a franchisee of Papa Johns® and Krispy Kreme® .

The winners, chosen from a long list of multi-unit franchisee nominees, are the country’s best and brightest power operators, innovators, and creative thinkers who have demonstrated outstanding performance in growing both their organization and their brands. 

O’Neal shared his gratitude to Franchise Update Media for the award in a video shared on LinkedIn by Big Chicken.

“Thank you, Franchise [Update] Media, Gary and Therese, for this award,” said O’Neal. “I love the franchising business. I’m a franchisee with Papa Johns and Krispy Kreme, and I’m a franchisor with Big Chicken. I’ve learned so much about the business, and I’ve met many great people through the franchising world. Thank you, again, for this award. This means a lot to me. The future of franchising is bright, and I’m so proud to be a part of it.”

This year’s outstanding multi-unit franchisees each were presented with a coveted MVP Award at the recent Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, held April 25–28 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas and attended by 2,000 attendees.

Judges searched for the best, brightest, and most inspiring multi-unit franchisees before selecting 12 category winners. Each winner will be profiled in Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine.

“It’s incredible to see my boss, Shaquille O’Neal, recognized by Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine,” said Big Chicken CEO Josh Halpern. “He loves the restaurant franchising industry tremendously and has been such a major part of several franchise systems.  Plus he’s been both a franchisee and franchisor, so this award is well-deserved. BIG congrats from all of us at Big Chicken, Shaquille! We are proud to work in this great company that you brought to life.”

About Big Chicken

Founded in 2018, Big Chicken is backed by a dream team of partners; JRS Hospitality, an accomplished Las Vegas-based ownership group; Authentic Brands Group, a multi-national, multi-billion-dollar brand development, marketing and entertainment company; and Hall of Fame basketball star Shaquille O’Neal. Big Chicken fuses O’Neal’s home-cooked childhood favorites with today’s trending flavors. From crispy chicken sandwiches and tenders to Cheez-It® crusted mac n’ cheese and hand-crafted ice cream shakes, each menu item tells a story all while offering guests an inside look into the life and personality of Shaquille O’Neal. With eight traditional locations currently open and several in the development pipeline, Big Chicken is prepped to begin U.S. and international expansion through franchising.

To learn more about Big Chicken, visit www.bigchicken.com.

About Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the world’s most successful athlete-turned-businessmen, whose accomplishments both on and off the court have translated into a highly sought-after consumer brand. As an entrepreneur, sports analyst, DJ, restaurateur, and brand ambassador, Shaquille O’Neal’s signature “Business of Fun” mantra resonates throughout each of his countless endeavors.

The 15-time NBA All-Star’s unprecedented athletic career spanned nearly two decades and earned him countless awards and honors, including NBA Most Valuable Player, NBA Rookie of the Year, four NBA Championships and a First Ballot NBA Hall of Famer.  Currently, O’Neal is an analyst on TNT’s Emmy Award-winning “Inside the NBA.”

O’Neal, who has a PhD in Leadership and Education, established The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation which provides resources for underserved youth. He also gives back through a number of annual philanthropic programs including Shaq to School, Shaqsgiving, and Shaq a Claus.

The launch of his Las Vegas eatery Big Chicken has further elevated Shaquille’s status as he has positioned himself as a successful restaurateur. The brand currently has sites open in Las Vegas, Glendale, CA, two Carnival Cruise Ships (Mardi Gras and Radiance), Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, UBS Arena in New York with many more locations under development.

Follow Shaquille O’Neal on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Authentic Brands Group

Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) is a global brand development, marketing and entertainment platform, which owns a portfolio of more than 40 iconic and world-renowned Lifestyle, Entertainment and Media brands. Headquartered in New York City, with offices around the world, Authentic connects strong brands with best-in-class partners and a global network of operators, distributors and retailers to build long-term value in the marketplace. Its brands have an expansive retail footprint, including more than 9,100-plus freestanding stores and shop-in-shops in more than 150 countries and generate approximately $24 billion in global annual retail sales. 

Authentic is committed to transforming brands by delivering powerful storytelling, compelling content, innovative business models and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms and emerging media. Authentic’s brand portfolio includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O’Neal®, David Beckham®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Sports Illustrated®, Reebok®, Eddie Bauer®, Spyder®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Nautica®, Izod®, Brooks Brothers®, Barneys New York®, Judith Leiber®, Ted Baker®, Hervé Léger®, Frye®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Lucky Brand®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Nine West®, Jones New York®, Tretorn®, Prince®, Van Heusen®, Arrow®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx® and Thomasville®.

For more information, visit authentic.com.

Follow Authentic on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.

About Franchise Update Media 

Franchise Update Media has been a leader in the franchising space for 35 years. Founded in 1988, the company produces online franchise opportunity and educational websites, two quarterly print magazines, six newsletters, four annual conferences, independent research, and books, entirely focused on franchising. Targeting franchise audiences online, in print, and in person, Franchise Update Media delivers a unique combination of educational and lead generation sources to help franchisors, multi-unit franchisees, opportunity seekers, and suppliers achieve their growth objectives. For more information, visit franchising.com.