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Tag: sports career

The Evolution of NIL Deals: Is There a Dark Side?

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Jason Martini

Athelo Group

On July 1, 2021 the NCAA officially gave student athletes the NIL green light, allowing them to monetize their name, image, and likeness. Fast-forward to 2023, and student-athletes like Livvy Dunne and Bronny James are signing million dollar deals with mega brands like Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas. When NIL was first introduced, not many people could have predicted this high of an earning potential. While the evolution of NIL deals is a great financial opportunity for student athletes, the ruling also poses negative effects with athletes transferring for bigger deals and the increased risk of student-athlete exploitation. 

Student Athletes Get Their Payday

The NCAA and member schools have financially benefited from student athletes for decades, and NIL finally gives student athletes a piece of the pie. Some of the deals that these student athletes are securing has the ability to change their families’ lives. Anthony Leal, a basketball player on the Indiana Hoosiers, was able to help his sister pay off her student loans because of the money earned from NIL deals. Athletes like Leal are finally getting a chance to capitalize on their personal brand’s popularity.  

We’ve also seen college athletes profit from commercial appearances as part of their NIL deals. Caleb Williams, for example, appeared in a series of Wendy’s commercials where he stood on a podium and announced that he was “transferring to Wendy’s.” While Williams would not disclose the compensation amount, he did admit that payouts from NIL opportunities have “changed his life.” Iowa women’s basketball star, Caitlin Clark, has also benefited from these brand commercial opportunities. Clark was the first college athlete to sign with State Farm and has appeared in a series of commercials quipping their signature line: “like a good neighbor State Farm is there.” Clark said that her deal opens up other opportunities for female athletes and helps to grow the women’s game.

The Transfer Portal Problem

While NIL gives student-athletes more financial opportunities, not everyone is a beneficiary. Since NIL is now a factor in college recruitment, larger teams are using its appeal to lure elite level players in ways smaller schools can’t. We are seeing this most prevalent in college football as more and more players decide to transfer schools with more favorable NIL deals. When the transfer portal opened up this year, a total of 538 scholarship players entered the portal, which is an 18% increase from last year’s opening day. Top players in the portal attract interest from SEC, Big Ten, and ACC schools, which, due to their size and brand appeal, can provide more lucrative NIL deals. The evolution of NIL has favored major schools, giving them an edge in recruiting top talent and adversely affecting smaller schools that struggle to compete financially for players.

We are currently seeing this play out in real time with Cameron Ward’s transfer out of Washington State. The sought-after quarterback is predominately considering ACC, Big Ten, or SEC schools. During meetings with these schools, they’ve all emphasized the potential NIL earnings he could make by joining the squad. Miami is currently leading the race, but regardless of his choice, Ward is expected to secure a seven-figure NIL deal with his chosen school. While moves like these financially boost players and top football programs, they limit opportunities for smaller programs and emphasize money over the spirit of the game. 

nil deals

Risk of Exploitation

With newfound opportunities to profit from their name, image, and likeness, student athletes face a risk of exploitation due to their limited business knowledge. Given their youth and lack of expertise in contracts, caution is essential when dealing with brands or player representation groups. It’s disheartening to see college students potentially exploited, emphasizing the need for genuine concern for their well-being in these engagements.

This exact situation transpired last year when former Florida Gator Gervon Dexter signed an NIL deal with Big League Advance Fund II, agreeing to a payment of over $400K. The deal required him to pay 15% of his pre-taxed NFL earnings for the next 25 years. Dexter, drafted by the Chicago Bears, is now suing to void the agreement. His legal team cites violations of Florida’s NIL laws, lack of licensing in the state, and failure to notify the University of Florida within 72 hours. This case underscores the importance for all student athletes to be aware of potential negative situations that could impact their future. 

While NIL is an undeniable financial asset for student athletes, the rule book is still being written. As we dive into the new year, we’ll see the structure of NIL continue to evolve. New regulations may come into play with NCAA’s recent proposal to allow schools to pay athletes in ways not directly tied to educational resources. The NCAA claims these new rules can help create a model for greater governance over NIL in the future. The proposed changes seem like good news for student athletes, but only time will tell if this developing structure works in their favor.

Sources:

  1. https://iconsource.com/everything-about-nil/
  2. https://www.businessinsider.com/olivia-dunne-nil-earnings-brand-deals-collective
  3. https://sports.yahoo.com/top-nil-earners-ncaa-153252893.html
  4. https://www.alligator.org/article/2023/09/former-gator-gervon-dexter-files-lawsuit-over-nil-deal#:~:text=Dexter%20signed%20with%20the%20group,NFL%20earnings%20for%2025%20years.
  5. https://www.theshorthorn.com/sports/nil-symposium-offers-student-athletes-glimpse-into-their-future-after-college/article_90bda846-8f3e-11ee-b14b-535034a937c0.html
  6. https://theathletic.com/5113559/2023/12/05/college-football-transfer-portal-entries-players/
  7. https://caneswarning.com/posts/miami-football-reports-on-staggering-cam-ward-nil-numbers-01hhta63kz1r
  8. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaw/2023/10/10/caitlin-clark-sign-nil-deal-with-state-farm/71131146007/#
  9. https://firstroundmock.com/2023/10/caleb-williams-partners-with-wendys-for-yet-another-nil-deal/
  10. https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/39047353/ncaa-proposes-rule-let-schools-athletes-enter-nil-deals

What NCAA Conference Realignment Means for Student Athletes

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Steven Maffiore

Athelo Group

Ever since major shifts in 2021, college football conference realignment has triggered a domino effect. The landscape of college football as we know it continues to transform as conferences look to boost profits, expand media rights deals, and diversify match-ups. Fans shouldn’t be so surprised, as the seismic shift in the NCAA has been in motion for the past decade. The last two years have drastically altered college football’s future as Texas and Oklahoma are set to join the SEC; USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington will be joining the Big 10; Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah are the newest members of the Big 12, and Cal, Stanford and SMU are joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. With the rise of name, image, and likeness, college athletes are taking advantage of the realignment to help benefit their own personal brands, but new challenges may be on the horizon.

By 2024, the Big 10 will consist of eighteen teams. The Big 12 will have sixteen teams, and the ACC will make its expansion into the west coast. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 could face dissolution: the conference has dwindled down to two teams as colleges begin to favor coast-to-coast competition over regional rivalries. Many are wondering what impact this has on college athletes and their respective conferences. 

college football conference realignment

Conferences stand the most to gain here, as the driving force behind college football realignment is sheer revenue. Media rights are quickly growing in value and realignment sweetens the deal. In 2020, the SEC signed a $3B television deal with Disney, and the Big Ten followed up by signing a $7B deal with Fox, NBC, and CBS just last summer. According to U.S.A. Today, the Power 5 conferences combined raked in over $3.3B of total revenue in 2022. Colleges received their fair share as well, with the Big Ten distributing close to $60M per school. The SEC came in close second, giving nearly $50M per school. 

The realignment has benefits that reach beyond just the schools. Passed in 2021, the NIL rule change has allowed college athletes to monetize their name, image and likeness through endorsement deals and sponsorships. In the first year of the ruling, NIL netted an estimated $917M for student athletes. Players in dominant conferences like former University of Alabama quarterback Bryce Young had NIL valuations easily exceeding $2M. The potential earnings involved for the players have changed the way schools recruit as well as how the transfer portal may look going forward. Just as schools are joining conferences to help generate new revenue, athletes are looking for schools that will give their personal brand the most recognition. Thanks to expansive media rights deals, players in major conferences and universities can receive attention and exposure, ultimately leading to larger brand deals. 

In fact, athletes in recent years have deferred from entering the draft as they can make more money from collegiate NIL than signing a rookie deal. Players who leave school early for financial reasons now have the opportunity to remain in school, improve on their draft stock, and bring in a lucrative income. Talented Michigan running back Blake Corum chose to return to school for his senior year rather than go pro, and he now possesses an NIL evaluation of over $1.2M. Notre Dame transfer quarterback Sam Hartman, who was projected to be a late-round pick in last year’s NFL draft, boasts an NIL evaluation of $1.1M after signing a deal with Beats by Dre. 

college football conference realignment

As great of an impact NCAA conference realignment has on athletes and their personal brands, it does raise some concerns. Many worry how student athletes will be able to juggle the explosive NIL business with their mental health, training, and coursework. Considering NIL success largely relies on an influencer marketing business model, psychologists fear social media stressors could exacerbate an athlete’s mental health. Athletes in dominant conferences may become hyper-focused on social media performance as they look to hit it big financially. In reality, only a select few will hit the jackpot, and others may suffer from the stress of social media. 

Other issues of realignment and its impact on NIL include fairness and equity for those who do not play in large-scale sports such as basketball and football. With the majority of the realignment discussion focusing on football, other sports such as swimming, diving, volleyball and soccer won’t see the same benefits. While football players may receive greater exposure, the same cannot be said for more niche college sports. The students’ potential NIL earnings lessen as a result.

In addition, student-athletes will be required to travel much longer distances.  When an athlete commits to a university, they understand both the academic standards and travel requirements that come with their commitment. But now, new ACC members like student athletes from Stanford will find themselves traveling cross-country for away games. Depending on the sport, the percentage of these athletes going on to play at the professional level is less than 10%. This means that for the majority of college athletes looking to build a future career, classroom performance trumps on-field performance. The stress of constant long distance travel may divert and disorient these efforts.

No matter how divisive NCAA conference realignment seems, only time will tell if the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Student athletes in dominant conferences will take advantage of the greater media exposure to boost their personal brands. Colleges will benefit from the profits in growing media value. Die-hard fans will eventually come to terms with the new match-ups and rivalries. And of course, the future is still unfolding. In the coming years, we are likely to see even more changes to the NCAA conferences fans know and love.

Sources:

  1. https://www.sportico.com/leagues/college-sports/2022/does-conference-realignment-travel-benefit-college-athletes-1234682570/
  2. https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2015/3/6/estimated-probability-of-competing-in-professional-athletics.aspx
  3. https://frontofficesports.com/tv-money-built-power-5-then-destroyed-it/#:~:text=Last%20summer%2C%20the%20Big%20Ten,conference%20has%20been%20relatively%20stable.
  4. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-leads-power-five-conferences-with-845-6-million-in-revenue-in-2022-fiscal-year-per-report/
  5. https://iconsource.com/blog/nil-changing-the-landscape/#:~:text=The%20NIL%20rule%20change%20passed,even%20start%20their%20own%20businesses.
  6. https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-ten-leads-power-five-conferences-with-845-6-million-in-revenue-in-2022-fiscal-year-per-report/
  7. https://www.blackenterprise.com/no-1-nfl-draft-pick-bryce-young-reached-3-5m-in-nil-valuation-before-turning-pro/
  8. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2022/08/25/college-media-rights-what-has-happened-and-whats-next/50640697/

2023 World Baseball Classic Preview

Posted on by Athelo Group

By JT Mildenberger

Athelo Group

After a six-year pandemic-induced hiatus, baseball’s international championship returns this March. The 2023 World Baseball Classic is baseball’s version of the World Cup with 20 countries competing to be crowned world champions. The 20 qualifying countries will begin in competition in pool play. There are four pools consisting of five teams each, where the top two from each pool advance to the bracket stage of the tournament. The differentiating factor between the WBC and baseball’s Olympic event is the talent pool. The Olympics are played during the MLB season, meaning that MLB players do not participate in the event. Since the WBC occurs just before the MLB season starts, many of the MLB’s biggest stars will leave spring training early with the goal of helping their country become world champions. This year’s classic has a plethora of storylines to follow as the sport looks to make waves around the globe. 

Sponsors Capitalizing on Global Exposure

WBC’s global popularity presents a unique opportunity for brands to gain exposure worldwide. According to Sports Business Journal, “Sponsorship revenue is up 31% from the 2017 event, with 52 sponsors across 10 countries for the WBC, including four with global marketing rights: Kowa, Konami, THK, and NX Nippon Express.” The 2023 MLB season will see teams wearing jersey patch sponsors for the first time ever and the WBC will follow suit. Team USA will display DirecTV jersey patches and T-Mobile advertising on their batting helmets. Many sponsors expect this to be a breakout year for the competition because of the amount of superstar talent participating. Viewership should surge as Fox Sports takes over for MLB Network as the exclusive broadcasting home of the 2023 WBC. 

World Baseball Classic 2023

USA Looking to Defend Their Title

The United States are the most recent WBC champions after capturing their first title back in 2017. They enter this year’s competition with a loaded roster consisting of 19 MLB all-stars and 4 MVPs. Such a concentration of talent will create many tough decisions for manager Mark Derosa, as he is forced to decide which stars do not crack the starting lineup. One lock for the starting lineup is Center Fielder Mike Trout, a 3-time American League Most Valuable Player and one of the top hitters in the world. Pitching poses more of an unknown as two of the USA’s top starting pitchers, Nestor Cortes Jr. and Clayton Kershaw, had to withdraw from the competition due to injury concerns. The USA will not have an easy road to a championship repeat, as there is MLB talent stacked across the competition. The U.S. does, however, have a home-field advantage: they are the only squad that will not have to leave their country to play a game. 

The Dominican Republic enters the tournament as the odds-on favorite, and rightfully so. The D.R. has assembled a powerhouse team with all-stars at nearly every position, but the separating factor is reigning National League Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara. Alcantara is the best pitcher in the tournament and the Dominican squad will lean on him heavily to shut down opponents. Another major threat to the title is team Japan, who are led by phenom Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani, the reigning AL MVP, is widely regarded as the best player in the world because he is both a superstar hitter and pitcher. Japan has won the first two World Baseball Classics in 2006 and 2009 and are looking to regain their title as world champions. While these are the three most talented teams in the tournament on paper, anything can happen once they get out on the field. 

2023 World Baseball Classic

Czech Republic’s Unlikely Journey

The Czech Republic enters the tournament as one of the few teams without major league talent on their roster. In fact, there has not been a Czech-born major league player since 1952. They earned their spot in the tournament with a stunning victory over Spain in the qualifying round. A recent social media video featured members of the Czech Republic team discussing their day jobs as high school teachers, sales managers, and financial traders among other professions. The team’s schedule is more akin to a high school team than a major league squad. Each member works their job during the day and then heads to the field at 5:30 PM for practice. It is truly remarkable what this team has been able to accomplish so far, and they will have a chance to continue their Cinderella run as they match up with teams such as Japan and Korea in pool play.  

With MLB viewership on the decline in recent years, the sport is in desperate need of a bounceback season. Changes to the game have been made to increase audiences. Through new pitch clock implementation and the infield shift ban, viewers should expect a quicker, more aesthetic game. The WBC provides an opportunity to prepare fans worldwide for the upcoming season’s developments, with two full weeks of ultra-competitive international play as an alternative to the typically mundane spring training. The global exposure the sport receives could prove invaluable as the game looks to evolve for a younger generation. Fans from across the globe will watch in hopes that their country has what it takes to bring home the gold.

Sources:

  1. https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/SB-Blogs/Newsletter-Marketing/2023/03/01/wbc.aspx
  2. https://www.mlb.com/world-baseball-classic
  3. https://www.fox29.com/news/world-baseball-classic-to-air-exclusively-on-fox-networks
  4. https://www.usabaseball.com/news/topic/collegiate/usa-baseball-announces-2023-world-baseball-classic-roster
  5. https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/czech-republic-world-baseball-classic-underdog-stars

Brittany Weiss: The CrossFit Star’s Rise to the Top

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Devin Kelley

Athelo Group

Making a name for herself in the CrossFit industry and competing at her best level yet, Brittany Weiss is someone to keep your eye on.

Brittany Weiss CrossFit
@furyphotography

Born in North Carolina, Brittany Weiss spent much of her young life as a gymnast. Weiss fell in love with the sport at a young age and enjoyed 16 years of competitive gymnastics, but after high school, she knew that it wasn’t something she truly wanted to continue. Brittany did know that she wanted to keep that competitive spirit and love for fitness going. Fast forward 10 years later, she is now a 2x CrossFit Games athlete and trains full time chasing her dreams in San Diego, California. In this interview with Brittany Weiss, we will take a deeper dive into the mindset and workout regimen that has fueled so much of her success as a female athlete in the CrossFit industry.

Can you share with us an interesting story from the beginning of your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from it?

As I was first starting CrossFit, it really took me some time to understand that being strong is beautiful. I always loved the thought of having muscles and being defined, but coming from a sport where everyone wanted to be as skinny as possible, it was definitely difficult for me to be able to push all I’ve ever known off to the side. I now look at being strong as such a powerful beauty; it recognizes courage, strength, diligence, and grit. I want girls to know and encourage others that strong is the new beautiful.

Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview about the workout routines of professional athletes. Can you share with our readers a few of the workout routines that you use to help you perform at peak levels? Can you help articulate what each of those workouts achieves?

My workout routine stays relatively the same on a day to day basis. The training day consists of two sessions: Morning and Afternoon.

  • Morning Session: Machine work (running, rowing, assault bike, etc), followed by an accessory piece that’s normally a specific focus. This off season for me has been all about getting stronger so most of my accessory has been focused on lower body; posterior chain and legs.
  • Afternoon Session: Lifting (snatch, clean, squats, upper body pressing etc. This changes everyday), followed by a CrossFit style workout (more skill workout) and more accessory.

My training is pretty straight forward and there really isn’t a certain workout I do everyday which is why I love what I do. It’s constantly varied and there’s always something new to do. 

What do you do to prevent injuries during your workouts or during your competitions?

Warm-ups and cool downs are so important. I try to pay attention to every detail on how I’m feeling inside and out to make sure I’m doing all the things to keep my body feeling good.

My warm-up normally starts with an easy 10 minute bike to get some blood flow going. I then start firing the muscles that are being used in the session at that time so I can make sure they are awake and ready to get to work.

My cool down normally starts with an easy 10 minute bike to destress the body from all the intensity. I follow it with lots of stretching. My stretching sessions have a different focus depending on what I did each day. 

What type of workout regime has helped you to rehabilitate from injury?

Thankfully I haven’t had many injuries in my life but I do try to destress my body through sauna and ice. I’m a firm believer of hot/cold therapy and it always leaves me feeling refreshed mentally and physically. As professional athletes, our bodies go through so much and what you put into it is what you get out of it. Giving your body love is important and this is what I do to help mine perform at its best. 

What exercises do you do to strengthen your core?

Fun fact: Your core is what provides your body with the most strength. A strong core enhances balance and stability. I add a core piece into my training everyday. An example of a circuit I would do:

3 Sets

  • 30 Russian Twists (each side)
  • 30 Alternating Leg V-Ups
  • 30 Flutter Kicks (each leg)
  • Rest 30 seconds

As a successful athlete, which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

  • Hard Working: Work hard and you can achieve anything. Nothing beats one’s work ethic. I have never been a naturally gifted athlete. I have had to work really hard to get to where I am today. Sometimes it’s very difficult to see things come so easy to other athletes, especially if it took me years to accomplish. But the more I sit back and think, everyone’s path to success will be different and unique, and at the end of the day we can only pave the path of our story and it shouldn’t be through comparing ourselves to others.
  • Confidence: One of my favorite quotes; “It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to has power over you, if you allow it.” Your mind is such a powerful tool and your belief in your ability is so important. I lacked this for so long and it’s been hard to wrap my finger around why until I started spending my nights journaling and digging deeper and picking myself apart as an athlete. The belief is what I was missing and once I turned that around, I truly felt like my athletic performance took off. Every time I step out on the competition floor I remind myself that I don’t HAVE to do this but I GET to do this.
  • Trust in the process: I feel as an athlete, I am always wanting to do more and be more. I constantly feel like I’m not doing enough to get to where I want to be. It feels like the journey to the top is so far away. There are times I take 3 steps forward and then life throws me a curve and I take 5 steps backwards. It’s hard to understand in the moment, but everything happens for a reason. With every set back comes a learning opportunity. To learn is to grow, and growing is the point of life. There is beauty in the journey and no one becomes the best by taking the shortcuts.

It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your sports career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?

Sports are competitive. When you are out there grinding and working hard every single day, I can promise you that other people are out there doing the same exact thing. One of the hardest things that has happened to me throughout my career was not getting picked for the Games Team. I always felt like I was the hardest worker in the room that just never got picked. I used this as fuel going into every season after that. I put my head down, stopped looking for validation from my coaches, and just worked. Each day I continued to remind myself that my time was coming, I just wasn’t there… YET. But I would be for every other season after that.

Can you please share ‘5 Things You Need To Create A Successful Career As A Professional Athlete?‘

  • Write down your goals and never lose sight of them
  • Hard Work and Consistency
  • Confidence and Self Belief
  • Lean on your support system
  • Get enough sleep

As a person of influence in your community, if you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

If I could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people it would be to help educate and inspire women to appreciate their bodies and to understand what it is truly capable of. I feel so many women struggle with body image and keep so much inside. So being able to have a platform and create a safe space for people to share their stories and support one another through their struggles would be amazing.

What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?

Instagram: @Brittany_Weiss

If you are eager to see what secret projects Brittany is working on now, keep an eye out for her new YouTube content. On this platform Brittany plans to give viewers more insight on what her day-to-day looks like with training, food, life, and everything in between. Weiss is excited to start sharing her story and life in different ways, on top of finding more ways to help and guide others.

Major League Pickleball Continues to Turn Heads

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Devin Kelley

Athelo Group

Fun fact: There are over 4.8 million pickleball players in the U.S with a growth rate of 39.3% over the past two years. It is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for a second straight year, as noted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.

For many people, this sport is appearing more and more throughout their everyday life; on social media, in the news, and on television. Just recently, NBA stars made headline news for their newest business venture. LeBron James, Draymond Green, and Kevin Love are part of a group buying a Major League Pickleball team. These players are making the bet that pickleball will continue to become a household name for everyone in the future as the sport gains popularity across America. The Major League Pickleball, MLP, aims to grow pickleball to 40 million players by 2030 and recently announced that the league is expanding from 12 to 16 teams. This shows why the sport is growing so rapidly on a competitive level, as well. These NBA stars join a list of notable members who already own MLP teams like NFL champion Drew Brees, entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, and Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry.

 Pickleball is a court sport played on a badminton-size court with the net set to a height of 34 inches at the center. It is played with a perforated plastic ball and composite or wooden paddles. It can be played indoors or outdoors and is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players. In addition, the game has developed a passionate following due to its friendly, social nature, and its multi-generational appeal. 

Major League Pickleball is the elite pickleball league showcasing the world’s best professional pickleball players in a unique mixed-gender team format. The league plans to have all its players compete in six tournaments across the country with a prize purse of more than 2 million dollars in 2023. Currently, the world’s best players earn around $200,000 annually through prize money, sponsorships, and other revenue streams. Pickleball has evolved from a niche sport to a national sensation and the sport continues to receive national attention from both professional and recreational leagues. 

As the sport continues to grow as a whole and the MLP gains more fans, there will be more opportunities for brands and companies to get involved and find ways to sponsor the athletes and events. The first season of the MLP began in November of 2021 and the list of sponsors from the first season is impressive, it includes DUPR, Ranch Rider, Richards’ Rainwater (Official Water and Sparkling Water of MLP), Michelob ULTRA (Official Beer of MLP), Paddletek, Franklin (Official Ball of MLP), ProXR, Recess Pickleball, Medicileaf (Official CBD of MLP), CLEAN CAUSE, Varsity Pickle, Vuori (Official Apparel of MLP), StretchLab, Kendra Scott, and Civile Apparel. These sponsors all contribute to growing the sport in different ways by investing their time, money, and effort. As time goes on, more companies will find ways to create mutually beneficial partnerships for themselves and the pickleball world. The final tournament of this year’s pickleball season is coming up on October 14th in Columbus, Ohio. For this year, $100,000 will be awarded to the winning team, the largest prize money in pickleball history. These 3-day events are broadcasted on the CBS Sports Network as well as MLP’s own YouTube and Facebook channels.

One of MLP’s newest sponsors is Skechers. Skechers signed two of pickleball’s top players as brand ambassadors ahead of the 2022 championship tournament. USA Pickleball and MLP have also entered into multi-year partnerships that make Skechers the official footwear company of each organization. Skechers created an all-new sneaker called the Viper Court pickleball shoe which was met with an overwhelmingly positive response. People are clearly excited to play in Skechers’ new signature shoes and that is one of the reasons they are fully committed to this fun and exciting sport. Skechers President, Michael Greenberg, stated ”We look forward to helping promote and grow the sport together, and along with it, this new pillar in our business.” It will be interesting to see how the MLP grows from season to season as more companies, brands, and investors put their money into the game.

If you are looking to join in on the sensation sweeping the world and try playing pickleball, the U.S. currently has about 10,000 places to play. USA Pickleball compiles the most up-to-date list of places to play on a new dedicated website: places2play.org. This list continues to grow by several dozen every month so I’m sure very soon a court will be popping up at a park near you.

Sources:

  1. https://frontofficesports.com/lebron-james-nba-stars-buying-major-league-pickleball-team/
  2. https://frontofficesports.com/pro-archive/the-continued-growth-of-pickleball%EF%BF%BC/
  3. https://www.majorleaguepickleball.net/news/major-league-pickleball-season-one-finals-to-be-broadcast-live-by-cbs-sports-network
  4. https://www.ppatour.com/pro/ben-johns/
  5. https://www.majorleaguepickleball.net/news/major-league-pickleball-announces-season-one-sponsors
  6. https://usapickleball.org/about/annual-growth-report/

Scoring into the Olympics: Surfing

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Clair Baker

Athelo Group

How is surfing scored? In recent years, surfing has grabbed a foothold in the Summer Olympics. Though it is not an Olympic year, the sport of surfing is heavily on our minds during this week of the WSL finals, and we are going to get into the nitty-gritty of how athletes in such a niche sport score their way into the Olympics, as well as why the International Olympics Committee fulfilled the long overdue request of adding surf to the Games.

How Surfing is Scored in the Olympics

Surfing is scored by a panel that consists of five judges who score on a scale of 1-10. Every wave that is surfed by the athlete in their given heat, varying between 20 and 35 minutes, receives a score. The judge’s highest and lowest scores are thrown out on each wave and the surfer receives an average score of the three remainings. At the end of the heat, the surfers’ two highest scores from every wave surfed are combined to give them a total score – 20 points being the highest; a perfect ride.

As viewers, we are always in awe of what these athletes are capable of doing on the water, but the judges have a more critical eye and a variety of what they are looking for on the water. This includes, commitment and degree of difficulty, innovative and progressive maneuvers, variety of maneuvers, a combination of major maneuvers, as well as speed, power, and flow with a range of scores from 0.00 to 1.90 > Poor Wave Ride to 8.00 to 10.00 > Excellent wave ride. International Surfing Association technical director Erik Krammer says, ”Everything is really connected, together all the elements of the criteria just reflect what the general public thinks is good surfing. That’s what the judges want to see, what the athletes want to see and that’s what the contest wants to see.” Qualifying for the Olympics is determined by The World Athletics Rankings which are based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period.

Why Is Surfing Now in the Olympics?

The topic of introducing surfing into the Olympics has been in the conversation for over 100 years. Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian swimmer, and Olympic gold medalist was a big advocate for the sport to be added to the Olympic program. In 2016, the International Olympic Committee voted to add surfing to the program for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games as a way of appealing to younger viewers and fulfilling a long overdue request, and it did just that; making up 5 of the top 10 most viewed Olympic programs in Brazil during the first week of the Games. Becoming a part of the Olympics took the sport to a new level and upped the talent, drive, and exposure of these athletes; also bringing on the pressure for surfers who are now fighting for a top 20 spot in the Olympics. 

As a result of the adding surfing to the Olympics and the pandemic-inspired outdoor boom all occurring at once, outdoor activities, especially water sports, struck an interest in those wanting a way to remain active during the pandemic, and in the surf world, board sales rose a sharp 113%. 

WSL (World Surf League) surfer and Athelo Group Athlete, Brisa Hennessy, has first-hand experience with the pressures of scoring into the Olympics as she competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Clenching her spot in the WSL women’s final five, Brisa is sitting at a #4 ranking in the world. Placing in the WSL is part of the journey for surfers with sights set on the Olympics, and though It is not yet an Olympic year, time doesn’t mean downtime. Big waves or small, these niche athletes are on the water, working toward that gold goal. 

Surfing and the Olympics: What the Future Wave Holds

Becoming an Olympian is one of the top goals for many professional surfers, and after 100 years of fighting for a spot, they are facing their next opportunity in Tahiti; surfing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This next round of games means large opportunities for athletes to develop and spotlight their personal brand. As surfing in the Olympics debuted, the new Olympians made their mark in the media. These Games were referred to by some as “the most inclusive Olympics ever” and the “TikTok Games.” Major sharing platforms where athletes could give their audience a behind-the-scenes look into the Games initiated a huge spark in viewers, pulling them into the content and feeling as if they were a part of the experience. The Olympic year is the window in which these surfers have all eyes on them and they can share their personal brand and their story with the whole world. With two more years of social media evolution between now and then, we can’t wait to see what the next Olympic Games will bring.

Sources:

  1. https://olympics.com/en/news/surfing-explained-how-the-new-olympic-sport-is-judged
  2. https://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/how-surfing-is-scored
  3. https://kooksonlysurf.com/how-surfing-is-scored-in-competitions/
  4. https://olympics.com/en/news/miguel-pupo-courtney-conlogue-wsl-tahiti-pro-brisa-hennessy-finals
  5. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/07/21/surfing-new-sport-tokyo-summer-olympics/5263423001/
  6. https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/olympics-surfing-skating-boosts-viewership-lack-of-fans-has-zero-impact-says-ioc
  7. https://www.edelman.com/insights/olympics-firsts-what-brands-can-learn-tokyo-games

How to Become a NASCAR Driver

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Devin Kelley

Athelo Group

The process of becoming a NASCAR driver is a long and tedious road. Driving at top speeds of 200 mph is not something that the average person can imagine doing, but for some it is their entire life and not just the actual driving part of it.

NASCAR and global professional motorsports as a whole is a sport that continues to evolve at a rapid rate and continues to gain interest from several different stakeholders. As fascinating as the cars, on-track battles, and business side of this world can be, something almost every Driver is asked when meeting fans or strangers is “how did you get into this?”

Similar to other sports, most NASCAR drivers begin driving as children. They get exposed to the sport in their early life, racing go-karts. Eventually, they work their way up to cars as they get older and more comfortable with the vehicles. The cars get faster and more powerful as they get older in age and improve in skill. The ultimate goal of progression is to be racing under the big lights in front of thousands on the NASCAR stage. Through countless hours of training, driving and practice, only the best of the best will have what it takes to make it to the NASCAR stage.

There are four major national racing series which include the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series. Once they get recognition from high-level drivers, racing teams or companies that want to sponsor them, they can go to racing school and get a license. This is where the process towards professional NASCAR driving gets very competitive. 

The responsibility of growth both on the track but the business side weighs very heavily on the Driver which is different from many other sports. Few have the luxury of letting their talent lead them to the pearly gates of victory lane and top tier team benefits. The business side of motorsports is an ever evolving space that is far from crystal clear.

The interesting thing about obtaining a NASCAR racing license is that, according to many NASCAR drivers, there isn’t a definitive way to get into the NASCAR scene as a driver. While many follow the same route, NASCAR is not set up like many other sports. There is no path to NASCAR through college athletics so it is very important to make connections in the sport.

The most straightforward path to becoming a NASCAR driver is gaining racing experience as young as possible and winning important races to gain notice and create a buzz within the community. While getting a license is a must, many paths can be followed.

There are outliers in the pack like Frankie Muniz that have taken a different route in the pursuit of becoming a NASCAR driver. He was mostly known for his acting endeavors throughout the early 2000’s. Frankie Muniz has also quietly had a progressive career in racing that has stemmed from his passion for sports cars and motorsports racing. In late 2021, Muniz began putting the plans in place to go racing full time as a professional motorsports driver with his primary goal being full time NASCAR racing in 2023.  Muniz is licensed to race in the ARCA Menards Series and will make an announcement about his racing plans for the 2023 season soon.

Although there is not one straight path to becoming a NASCAR driver, it is possible for anyone with the drive and ambition to pursue a career in racing. NASCAR driving requires a lot of skill and it takes a certain mindset to achieve such high levels of driving. One thing is clear in every driver’s mind, their ultimate goal is to be racing in NASCAR Cup series going for gold.

Sources:

  1. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/sports/motorsports/2012/02/16/pit-road-money-pit-costs-field-nascar-team-are-staggering/15875590007/
  2. https://www.nascar.com/long-form/frankie-in-the-fastlane/
  3. https://www.softschools.com/facts/us_history/nascar_facts/3163/

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