Since collegiate athletes earned the right to exploit their names, images, and likenesses (NIL) last July, many companies have materialized to guide them in this new pursuit. These organizations include individual and group licensing agents specializing in NIL, marketplaces that matchmake athletes with corporate partners, platforms to educate athletes on the dos and don’ts of licensing and promotions, and more.
One interesting development is the entry of pro athletes, especially from the NBA and NFL, into the NIL space, serving as consultants, guides, marketing partners, and sometimes licensees for collegiate athletes in whom they see potential:
- Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady, who is launching an apparel line called Brady, signed promotional deals with nine collegiate football players to help market his new brand. They include Cade McNamara of Michigan State and Grayson McCall of Coastal Carolina, among others. Brady clothing is debuting exclusively with Nordstrom, starting with sales in four stores and online, in a deal announced January 20.
- Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry and his SC30 brand signed Azzi Fudd, a women’s basketball player at the University of Connecticut. SC30, which handles all of Curry’s off-court business, will provide professional services and help identify business opportunities for Fudd, while Curry will mentor her. Curry and SC30 work with several companies for his own brand extensions and promotional activities, which observers believe could lead to relationships for Fudd with some of the same partners.
- The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James paired with Sedona Prince, a women’s basketball star at Oregon. She signed an endorsement and licensing deal with Uninterrupted, Champs Sports, and Eastbay that involves a YouTube series and an apparel line. Uninterrupted is one of the brands overseen by the SpringHill Company, the organization owned by James with his business partner Maverick Carter. The Uninterrupted “More than an Athlete” collection with which Prince is involved launched in December at Champs Sports stores.
- Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, who played in the league for a dozen years, mostly for the Seattle Seahawks, signed Oregon linebacker Justin Flowe as a client for his consulting company Beast Mode Marketing, with plans to advise him on his NIL activities in any way needed. Beast Mode also represents several NFL athletes on a consulting basis—Lynch was named the brand ambassador for the NFL Players Association in October 2021—and has its own line of Beast Mode performance and lifestyle clothing. Fanatics has been the company’s partner for online and mobile retailing since July 2020. Beast Mode, named after Lynch’s nickname, is co-owned by Lynch with Byron Shen and Kevin Parker.
All of these pro athletes are known for being at the top of their game both on the court or field and in their business endeavors. Their guidance could be a significant advantage to the collegiate athletes who work with them as they begin to navigate the world of licensing and other commercial alliances.
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