The Product Promotion That Got Wayne Gretzky Sued

Whether or not you're a hockey fan, you've probably heard the name Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky is widely considered to be one of the best to ever take to the ice ... with good reason! His 894 goals and nearly 2,000 assists were enough to win him four Stanley Cups, according to Stat Muse. Nicknamed "The Great One," Gretzky played for the Edmonton Oilers, the St. Louis Blues, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Rangers, where he shattered records and transformed franchises. It's safe to say hockey was never the same after Gretzky retired.

Like other sporting legends, the hockey great had no shortage of advertising offers, both during his career and after he hung up his skates for good. Per NHL, Gretzky was the OG "marketing machine for hockey players," lending his likeness to brands including Sharp, Coca-Cola, American Express, Campbell's Soup, and Ford. Gretzky also appeared in "Saturday Night Live" segments, starred in Saturday morning cartoons, and featured in Super Bowl ads. In 2021, Gretzky continued to build his brand by becoming the face of BetMGM, per SportTechie. "As we look toward potential expansion into Canada, and elsewhere throughout the United States, Wayne will bring a unique ability to tell our brand story," BetMGM's Chief Revenue Officer said in a statement. But while Gretzky recently made a splash in sports booking, not all of his product promotions have panned out.

In 2022, People reported that Wayne Gretzky was being sued by the gum-maker behind OMG (Overeating Management Gum). Two years prior, Wayne and his wife Janet Gretzky had repped the weight loss product, with Wayne alleging that the gum helped him lose "35 pounds in six to eight weeks." He later retracted this claim, admitting that he'd only lied to bolster the value of BuChew's stock, which he had purchased. When admitting this falsehood caused the company's stock to tank, OMG spokesperson Steven Sparks hit Wayne with a suit to the tune of $10 million, plus $500,000 for legal fees. Sparks also claimed that Wayne and his wife had tried to oust him from the company. It wasn't exactly great news for "The Great One."

As of this writing, Wayne hasn't spoken publicly about the lawsuit, but his scandal with OMG isn't his first. According to Us Weekly, Janet got into trouble in 2006 by placing sports bets in a gambling ring that was "financed by Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet." Because Wayne also coached the team, Janet was accused of having inside knowledge into the gambling ring. The couple vehemently denied the charges against them, with Wayne saying, "I did nothing wrong, or nothing that has to do with anything along the lines of betting." Janet added, "At no time did I ever place a wager on my husband's behalf. Other than the occasional horse race, my husband does not bet on any sports."

Wayne Gretzky may have had a legendary career on the ice, but his time away from the rink hasn't exactly been great for his reputation. In addition to getting sued by OMG and dinged for the role his wife Janet Gretzky played in an illegal gambling operation, Wayne's daughter Paulina Gretzky caused a stir when she posted racy photos to Twitter in 2013. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paulina defended her decision to do so, despite her parents' alarm over the risqué snaps. ABC News even noted that Paulina briefly took a break from Twitter, per Wayne's ask. "They acted as if I was doing frontal nudity, and that didn't feel right," the model complained. "I work hard for my body ... and I don't feel like I should be ashamed for showing I'm a woman."

Paulina has calmed down in recent years since marrying longtime fiancé, Dustin Johnson. In part, this could be because Wayne always felt that the pro golfer was the right man for his daughter. "He told me I should marry him," Paulina said, in an Instagram Q&A (via the New York Post). The hockey MVP also supplied Paulina with invaluable dating advice. "He told me to weigh the pros and cons of dating someone," she revealed. Unfortunately, it sounds like Wayne didn't take his own advice when it came to working with OMG.