Multiple members of Donald Trump’s convention roster are listed as day-to-day after straining to deny they’ll appear in Cleveland on his behalf.
Former football coach Mike Ditka and a representative for boxer Mike Tyson have both denied a report saying that the Trump campaign was lining up both sports celebrities to work the crowds at the GOP convention in some capacity.
“No one’s ever talked to me about it. I have no idea where it’s coming from,” Ditka told the Chicago Tribune.
“He’ll be nowhere near Cleveland,” Tyson’s publicist Jo Mignano told Bloomberg Politics.
Bloomberg reported Tuesday that both men were part of the Trump team’s plans to infuse the convention with some non-political energy. The outlet noted that roles for the celebrity endorsers had not been finalized, adding that their participation did not necessarily entail a speaking role inside Quicken Loans Arena.
Ditka, despite saying he hadn’t been contacted about the event, said he’d be “happy” to talk if Trump asks him to.
“If he asks me, I’d be happy to do it. I’ve said before that I like him,” Ditka told the Tribune.
Other sports personalities the Trump campaign is working on attracting, Bloomberg reports, include former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight, who warmed up the crowds for Trump in the Hoosier state, and NASCAR CEO Brian France.
More from Bloomberg here.
