🧠 Top of Mind

Stepping into a New Era

In the evolving landscape of sports and entertainment, a significant shift is evident as more athletes and creators transcend their traditional roles of brand ambassadors to become co-founders of business enterprises. This trend not only marks a departure from conventional endorsement deals but also illustrates the growing entrepreneurial spirit among high-profile personalities in leveraging their influence for broader business ventures. Through the lens of Tom Brady's partnership with No Bull, Tiger Woods's venture into Sun Day Red, and Logan Paul's creation of Prime Hydration, we uncover how these collaborations signify a new era in the industry.

Tom Brady and No Bull: A Synergy of Athleticism and Entrepreneurship

Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl Champion, has embarked on a notable merger that integrates his health and nutrition company, TB12, with his apparel brand, Brady, into the training brand Nobull. Brady's transition into the No. 2 shareholder position behind BodyArmor founder Mike Repole reflects a strategic move to create a comprehensive wellness company. This merger is not merely a business transaction; it represents a confluence of shared values and visions toward fostering resilience, grit, and personal improvement. With aspirations to elevate Nobull from a $250 million entity to a billion-dollar powerhouse, Brady's involvement brings a unique blend of sporting excellence and business acumen, aiming to inspire through products that encapsulate the ethos of health, wellness, and peak performance.

Tiger Woods and Sun Day Red: Reinventing a Legacy

The partnership between Tiger Woods and TaylorMade brings forth Sun Day Red, an apparel and footwear brand that captures the essence of Woods's iconic presence in the golfing world. Known for his distinctive choice of wearing red on Sundays, Woods seeks to channel his transformative journey into a brand that embodies pride, transition, and the pursuit of excellence. This deal signifies more than just the creation of a product line; it's a reflection of Woods's desire to influence the sports and fashion industries with innovation and personal significance.

Logan Paul and Prime Hydration: Blending Entertainment with Entrepreneurship

The launch of Prime Hydration by Logan Paul and KSI marks a significant pivot from traditional celebrity endorsements to a deeper involvement in the creation and management of a brand. With partnerships extending to prestigious sports organizations, including the NBA's Toronto Raptors, Prime Hydration exemplifies how entertainment and sports can merge to foster community engagement and support grassroots initiatives. The brand's commitment to enhancing fan experiences and developing basketball talent underscores a broader vision of using celebrity platforms for positive societal impact.

Implications for the Industry

The transition of athletes and creators into co-founders of business ventures heralds a new chapter in the commercial relationship between public figures and the business world. This paradigm shift not only offers these personalities a direct stake in their business ventures but also enables them to shape the products and messages in alignment with their personal brands and values. Moreover, these ventures reflect a strategic move toward sustainable business models that prioritize long-term growth over short-term endorsements.

As this trend continues to gain momentum, it poses implications for the industry in terms of how brands approach partnerships, the role of celebrity influence in business success, and the evolving nature of fan engagement. Through these pioneering collaborations, Brady, Woods, and Paul not only redefine their legacies but also set new benchmarks for the integration of sports, entertainment, and entrepreneurship.

🧨 Hot Takes

Why Caitlin Clark Should Take Up Ice Cube’s Big3 Offer:

One of college basketball’s most prominent superstars has been offered a unique opportunity to continue leveraging her platform for betterment of her sport. While women’s college basketball has collectively been on fire, it is the individual on court play of some the nation’s most talented players that have helped raise awareness. Recently, Iowa’s star guard was offered a landmark contract to play in Ice Cube’s Big3 basketball league. According to reports, the deal is for $5 million for 10 total games, which Clark could leverage for additional endorsements and merchandising. Obviously, Clark is a potential top overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, but the $5 million contract is significantly more than the around 76k a top 4 pick would receive in their first season.

While Clark could entertain the proposal, both sides would have to find a way to iron out the logistics because there is some overlap between both league schedules. Another reason this offer should be considered is Clark’s opportunity to become an investor in the popular Big3 League, allowing her to immediately continue exercising her business acumen, something we have already seen her do through lucrative NIL endorsements. One thing that WNBA talent and the Big3 could use is awareness, a partnership like this helps both parties in the long run.

Fashion and Athletics, the Unlikely Successful Marriage

In today's world, pregame tunnel is becoming as stylish as the catwalks of fashion shows. Athletes are showing up in the latest fashion, turning heads and setting trends. This new scene is creating fans who love both sports and style, and it's a big chance for brands to get noticed.

Brands that want to be seen should team up with the stylists who dress these athletes. After all, a lot of people watch sports on TV, making it a prime spot for brands to show off their gear.

While social media ads are getting more expensive and the competition for attention on social feeds is fierce, The justification for product seeding to athlete seems obvious. Live sports accounted for 24 of the top 25 spots and 45 of the top 50 in a recent analysis, indicating a major impact on TV business and advertising markets due to its broad appeal and large audience numbers (Sports Business Journal).

But this mix of sports and fashion hasn't always been so smooth. A while back, it was tough for athletes to even borrow clothes from big fashion names. Now, not including athletes in fashion would be a big mistake.

An article recently highlighted the top stylists for famous athletes and shared how hard it was in the past to get fashion brands to work with sports stars. One stylist said that fashion brands had to be convinced to let athletes wear their clothes, but now they see it's a good idea.

Here's an article about the influence of Black women as basketball fashion stylists

This change is great for fashion because it shows brands are ready to meet demand quickly and see athletes as key influencers.

Traditionally, fashion wasn't always quick to give people what they wanted. But now, the excitement and attention around athletes are opening new doors for brands to reach their audience.

Athletes are becoming important figures in fashion for many reasons, including the fact that we see them as heroes. This shift in influence is clear.

What does this mean for fashion? First, it means more diversity. Sports teams are diverse, and athletes come in all shapes and sizes, which isn't always the case in fashion. But now, more consumers want clothes that fit well and look good, hopefully pushing brands to offer more sizes. If this new relationship relationship between fashion and athletics prevails, perhaps it will also change the sizing availability and standards that Fashion has been struggling with for years.

After all a large percentage of people who buy clothing note that they want better sizing more personalized experiences, and have even returned clothes due to poor sizing.

A study, conducted by body labs in the past revealed the following about size and fit :

• 64 percent of apparel shoppers and 57 percent of footwear shoppers say that 'poor fit' was their biggest reason for returning clothing

• 34 percent of shoppers are unsatisfied with traditional clothing sizes.

• 22 – 25 percent of all online and in-store purchases are returned.

• 85 percent of clothing shoppers and 72 percent of footwear shoppers would purchase more if they could ensure a proper fit.

• 58 percent of shoppers would buy more frequently if they could ensure a proper fit.

Athletes represent a portion of the non-standard sizing industry, which is a $22 billion industry that is yet to be catered To effectively. Specialty sizes are still difficult to find and companies have not accommodated Diverse body types. The idea of big and tall is still based on squaring of numbers versus understanding longer leaner or taller bodies but that’s a conversation for a different

Second, as sports and fashion come together, where people look for style inspiration is changing. It used to be all about designers, then models, then bloggers, and so on. Now, athletes are the ones to watch. what would be most interesting is understanding the relationship between what an athlete is wearing and how it drives sales for the brands. I would encourage Stylist to sign up for affiliate marketing app such as looks.Fit, so that they can keep track of their work, and how their work is impacting commerce. Maybe even talent agents should consider affiliate marketing place as a new source of income for their athletes and talent.

If you aren’t familiar with fashions collaborations, with athletes. Let's talk about some of the best team-ups between athletes and fashion brands:

• Jayson Tatum with Coach

• LeBron James with Louis Vuitton

• Serena Williams with Off-White

• Russell Westbrook has his own brand, Honor The Gift

• Neymar with Diesel

• Roger Federer with Rimowa

• Dwyane Wade with Dsquared2

• Aaron Rodgers with Zenith

• Travis Kelce with Elder Statesman

• Lionel Messi with Louis Vuitton

• Jalen Hurts with Zegna

• Kyle Kuzma with Amiri

• Lewis Hamilton with Versace

These partnerships show how sports and fashion are coming together, making a new way for fans to connect with their favorite athletes and brands.

The blending of sports and fashion is creating a new spotlight for athletes as they turn game entrances into fashion moments. This trend is opening doors for brands to get noticed in a big way. With athletes now seen as major influencers, the fashion world is embracing a wider range of body types and styles, reflecting the diversity of the sports world. As this new chapter unfolds, it's changing where we look for style inspiration, with athletes leading the way in showing off the latest trends

📰 Top Stories

🏀 NIL

Dive into the latest trends, strategies, and stories that define the NIL landscape today.

• Marketing: The frenzy of March Madness presents an unrivaled opportunity for brands to connect with a wide and engaged audience. The tournament's high stakes and soaring viewership create an unmatched advertising playground for strategic brand positioning and consumer engagement. Through dynamic campaigns, creative partnerships, and innovative strategies, brands tap into the excitement, crafting memorable experiences that resonate far beyond the court

• Campaigns

  • March Madness 2024 has showcased dynamic NIL campaigns with brands like Marriott and Powerade partnering with notable athletes, tapping into game-day rituals and embodying the spirit of perseverance. Athletes like Isaiah Collier and Flau’jae Johnson have highlighted the convergence of athletic excellence and brand storytelling, extending the conversation beyond performance. Meanwhile, Ritz assembled a star-studded NIL roster, Home Depot introduced a fresh NCAA deal with Shaq, and Keurig made a splash with multiple NIL signings. Notably, USC's Juju Watkins and Kentucky's Robert Dillingham struck a strategic brand-athlete alignment with NerdWallet, deemed 'the smartest NIL deal ever', demonstrating the power of innovative brand partnerships in this space.

• Strategies

  • Brands are diversifying their March Madness strategies. They are leveraging breakout stars from the tournament and partnering with cultural icons like Travis Scott and Ludacris. Women's basketball has seen a viewership surge, with a 55% increase compared to previous years. This has prompted a shift in advertising resources towards women's sports due to its untapped potential and growing audience interest. Ritz, for example, has assembled a roster with an equal number of male and female athletes. This highlights the increasing recognition of women's sports as a powerful engagement platform. The Home Depot's three-year NCAA deal, featuring a campaign led by Shaq, and Keurig's partnership with star players from both men's and women's basketball, provide examples of the sophisticated strategies brands are using to connect with a diverse and passionate fan base.

• Athletes:

  • March Madness

    • March Madness offers a unique platform for athletes to elevate their personal brands and secure lucrative NIL deals. Standout performances, like those of South Carolina's MiLaysia Fulwiley and Oakland’s Jack Gohlke, highlight the intersection of athletic excellence and personal branding. Athletes like Jared McCain, a Duke basketball player and TikTok sensation, exemplify the navigation of multiple identities to engage with a broader audience. This tournament is a golden opportunity for athletes to shine, with breakout stars securing notable endorsement deals and partnerships, underscoring the evolving landscape of athlete marketing.

• Universities

  • Sneakers

    • Brands like Jordan Jumpman are making significant inroads into NCAA sponsorships, demonstrating the cultural cachet and commercial power of sneaker affiliations in collegiate basketball.

  • Film & TV

    • The Amazon Prime LSU documentary series, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the team's journey, underscores the growing interest in collegiate sports storytelling, enhancing the visibility of university programs and their athletes.

• Media

  • Broadcasters

    • The convergence of sports broadcasting and brand partnerships has taken center stage, with NBA athletes and personalities bringing their star power to March Madness campaigns. This collaboration between broadcasters and brands like Capital One and The Home Depot exemplifies how personal branding and sports entertainment can create compelling marketing opportunities.

• Startups

  • The NIL landscape is fertile ground for startups focused on financial literacy and merchandise, offering student-athletes tools and platforms to manage their earnings and amplify their brands.

  • Financial Literacy

    • Startups like NILLY are leading the way, providing financial education to student-athletes. They equip these athletes with the knowledge and tools to navigate the complexities of NIL earnings, ensuring they can make smart decisions about their newfound income.

    Merchandise:

    • CampusInk's NIL Store, with its innovative approach to athlete merchandise, is revolutionizing how athletes monetize their personal brands. This platform provides a seamless bridge between fan support and athlete empowerment, offering a glimpse into the future of athlete-driven commerce.

We hope you enjoyed our first newsletter. Have a great week and remember to subscribe for our future updates.