- Boost Mobile is tapping Mike Tyson, reminding consumers it’s still in the wireless game
- The new “What’s your plan?” campaign takes aim at hidden fees, rate hikes and restrictive contracts
- The marketing push comes as Boost looks to reverse subscriber losses and reinvigorate its wireless business
Boost Mobile is back! Actually, it never really left. But it has hired famous boxer Mike Tyson to remind everyone that it’s still punching above its weight, even if it's lost a couple million subscribers along the way.
Recall that Boost Mobile is the prepaid brand that was founded in the U.S. in the early 2000s by executives that included Peter Adderton, current CEO of MobileX. Boost Mobile enjoyed some heady times back in the day, featuring rappers like Ludacris as brand ambassadors. (More on that later.)
Boost Mobile today serves about 7.38 million customers, down from the 9 million it had in 2020, in part because it lost subscribers between the time it was owned by Sprint and acquired by Charlie Ergen’s Dish Wireless. Ergen is chairman of EchoStar, the parent of Dish Wireless, which is currently mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
Got that? OK! Under that backdrop, Tyson is now featured in Boost Mobile ads, which drew inspiration from Tyson’s iconic phrase: Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Or something like that.
According to the folks at Boost, the “punch” comes in the form of hidden fees, sudden rate hikes and locked-in contracts from traditional prepaid wireless providers.
Of course, Boost Mobile has an answer to that, offering a variety of plans so customers can choose something that fits their needs – including no-contract plans for only $25/month.
Why did Boost Mobile choose Mike Tyson?
According to Boost Mobile, they were looking for a campaign partner who could cut through the noise and offer “undeniable” authenticity.
“Mike Tyson isn't just a legendary champion; he’s an icon of resilience who tells it like it is. Boost Mobile serves diverse, hardworking communities across the country, and partnering with Mike Tyson reinforces its commitment to looking out for the consumer,” a Boost Mobile spokesperson told Fierce.
Jeff Moore, principal at Wave7 Research, said the deal with Tyson makes a lot of sense for Boost, whose subscribers tend to be urban and skew younger than the typical prepaid crowd.
(Moore was way ahead of today’s news, having flagged the Tyson endorsement deal in a September Wave7 report for subscribers and noting on social media that “Boost is still in the ring.”)
Asked about Tyson’s recognizability among Boost’s clientele, “I think Mike Tyson has been able to keep his brand going through different generations through different ways,” Moore said, noting Tyson appeared in “The Hangover” movie franchise. “He’s been able to remain famous long after the fact,” similar to someone like Sylvester Stallone.
The stint with Tyson also fits with Boost’s brand, which in relatively recent history used high-profile athletes like NFL star and college football coach Deion Sanders as a spokesman in 2024.
Going further back, Boost built its brand on the aforementioned urban base, running commercials in 2004 that featured Ludacris, Kanye West and The Game with the “Where U at?” tag line.
Did Peter Adderton have anything to do with this new Tyson campaign?
Here at Fierce, we thought Boost’s current campaign – with Tyson at the center as well as the sponsorship of young athletes, nationwide sweepstakes and neighborhood events – smacked of former Boost Mobile founder Adderton’s marketing style. (Coincidentally, he recently struck a deal with Ergen.)
But no. On social media, Adderton denied any complicity. See here and here.
For good measure, Fierce reached out to Adderton’s media representative, who confirmed that he is not involved with this latest Boost Mobile campaign.
That led us to wonder who at Boost is responsible. We’re told that “multiple departments” were involved in this campaign.
During EchoStar’s most recent earnings call in August, Ergen acknowledged that his team hasn't “cracked the code” on how to be successful to the level they’d like to be in the wireless business. In Q2 2026, Boost lost about 118,000 subscribers.
“In general, we’ve treaded water for four years now,” Ergen said.
However, he pointed to new leadership in the form of Boost Mobile Group President Bob Rupczynski, who’s taking a fresh approach. “We think we have some strategic initiatives going forward that will reinvigorate that part of our business,” Ergen said during the conference call.
In Boost’s latest press release, Rupczynski provided a quote about Tyson’s “raw authenticity” and energy. He said the new Tyson campaign is a promise that Boost Mobile will advocate for the customer, deliver “unmatched value” and actively show up in neighborhoods it serves.
“Boost Mobile is standing up for the everyday person and giving them a plan that fits their life,” Rupczynski said.
The exact length of the campaign is unknown, but the Boost spokesperson said it will be happening over several months. Two spots launched today and another is on the way for the holiday season.
So, Boost Mobile will have another go at the holiday season to see if it can stay in the ring.
Read more about Boost Mobile on Fierce Network:
EchoStar added 16K wireless subs in Q1
MobileX CEO reflects on new CONX ownership, old critics and what’s next
What’s the status of Boost Mobile cell phone service?
MobileX joins Ergen's wireless portfolio as Boost Mobile searches for growth