Sightful Invest
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Stock
Top Posts
Trump lashes out at Crockett, renews call for...
Trump goes after Zelenskyy over ‘land swapping’ dispute,...
Democratic whistleblower told FBI that Adam Schiff approved...
MORNING GLORY: Trump meets Putin amid an era...
‘Things need to change’: Senate Democrats sharpen criticism...
Mamdani zings Cuomo in rent-stabilized housing spat during...
Unearthed emails reveal White House nixed Biden visiting...
Strong drilling targets identified next to high-grade gold-copper...
Seymour Lithium Project Achieves Permitting Milestone
Acquisition of Silver Extraction Technology
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Politics
  • Stock

Sightful Invest

Business

How Fanatics is teaching business acumen to pro athletes

by admin June 25, 2025
June 25, 2025
How Fanatics is teaching business acumen to pro athletes

Sports merchandising giant Fanatics is aiming to build a training camp for athletes to prepare them for life off the field.

More than two dozen NBA, NFL and NHL players participated in the company’s Athlete Immersion Program this past weekend as part of Fanatics Fest in New York City. The program included three days of workshops on business, entrepreneurship, tech and more.

“This definitely opened my eyes,” said Cole Anthony, a guard for the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. “I’m already trying to do things on the business side with my partners, my family. It just motivates me more.”

The “coaches” for the business boot camp included Fanatics founder Michael Rubin, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, Apollo Global cofounder and Philadelphia 76ers managing partner Josh Harris, Raising Cane’s founder Todd Graves, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro and Boardroom cofounder and CEO Rich Kleiman.

Aaron Donald, who retired from the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams in 2024 after winning the Super Bowl, has already begun a new career in business, including an ownership stake in sports nutrition company Ready. But Donald, likely a future Hall of Famer, said he was blown away by the all-star team of business leaders.

“I think it’s one of hell of an opportunity,” said Donald. “I’m in a room with guys running companies worth billions of dollars. How many opportunities are you going to get to do that? You have to take advantage of all of those opportunities and knowledge.”

Fanatics launched the Athlete Immersion Program in 2023 and this year is partnering with Boardroom, a media and advisory company cofounded by Kleiman and NBA superstar Kevin Durant.

“I think it’s great to be able to give them a bit of a blueprint,” said Kleiman. “Being able to put them in the room with people that have the answers, that have done it, that lead industries. I think you get so much power and opportunity just from the information you get from watching, from learning and from being in these rooms and understanding how to move.”

Kleiman pointed to former NBA player Junior Bridgeman, who made less than $3 million during his 12-year career in the league, but built a net worth of more than $1 billion after retirement primarily through investments in Wendy’s, Pizza Hut and Chili’s franchises and then later through Coca-Cola distribution.

“What he did, he’s exceptional,” said Kleiman of Bridgeman, who died in March. “He wasn’t just a name. He actually built an operational team, built them up, oversaw them, and he was a tycoon of a business mind.”

Fanatics Chief People Officer Toretha McGuire said the program is focused on helping athletes use their playing days, what they describe as their “1.0 career” to fuel their “2.0 career.”

It’s an experience similar to a business school with lectures, case studies and projects, in which each athlete creates their own limited-edition clothing line with vintage sports apparel company Mitchell & Ness, a subsidiary of Fanatics.

“They go through a base business case, we teach them business fundamentals, we take them through the Fanatics business case where we bring them to 2021 where Michael [Rubin] did a final capital raise and we basically say, ‘What would you have done?’” McGuire said.

Most professional athletes retire from playing when they’re still young, she added.

“The opportunities they have in their 1.0 careers in terms of access and expanding their networks are going to be very critical,” she said.

Graves, who founded the popular fried chicken chain Raising Cane’s, spoke on a panel about the realities and challenges of entrepreneurship

“If you absolutely want to start a business, imagine how hard it is, multiply that by infinity to be able to make it work,” he said. “You have to be passionate, you have to be in the details 100%. And you have to know what you don’t know, right? So that is bringing in great people to try and grow it.”

The Athlete Immersion Program is meant to be a continuous learning opportunity through which players receive support, education and networking opportunities from Fanatics and Boardroom before and after they begin their business journey.

The next session will be held in December for WNBA, NWSL and MLB athletes in the offseason.

For Anthony, who was recently traded to the Grizzlies from the Orlando Magic, it’s also shown him the real parallels between competing in sports and competing in business.

“The common thing with everyone who has spoken to us and I’ve been able to talk to one-on-one is that every person I met here has been a grinder,” he said. “They make whatever it is they are passionate about, or what they are working on their priority. I think that’s just dope to hear from other people I can relate to in that sense.”

A decade ago, reports suggested 16% of NFL players ultimately filed for bankruptcy — a sign of the type of financial strain many professional athletes face and a cautionary tale of life after the game.

But today, many of the people participating in the Fanatics curriculum believe opportunities like the Athlete Immersion Program can change the narrative — and their financial future.

For Donald, who will be remembered as one of the greatest defenders in NFL history, the focus now is finding the greatest opportunities for the next chapter of his life.

“It would be silly for me to stop the hard work, discipline, the structure that got me to a certain point,” he said. “I’m trying to build generational wealth for my kids.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

previous post
Hakeem Jeffries demands Trump ‘justify’ striking Iran, but side-steps impeachment question
next post
CHARBONE Hydrogen Executed a Master Collaborative Agreement to Receive 1M USD to Support the Deployment of a Malaysian Green Hydrogen Project Development for a Local Partner

You may also like

Trump transfers all his DJT shares to his...

December 21, 2024

GM to invest $625 million in joint venture...

October 17, 2024

Walmart-owned Sam’s Club tests a future without checkout...

October 10, 2024

GM reveals redesigned GMC Terrain as brand’s entry-level...

August 13, 2024

Netflix ad-supported tier has 70 million monthly users...

November 13, 2024

On air, ’60 Minutes’ reporter says ‘none of...

April 29, 2025

Inflation picks up again in June as tariffs...

July 17, 2025

Amazon extends Prime Day discounts to 4 days...

July 10, 2025

Lara Trump to host weekend show on Fox...

February 7, 2025

Costco cracks down on membership card sharing

August 9, 2024

Recent Posts

  • Trump lashes out at Crockett, renews call for cognitive test
  • Trump goes after Zelenskyy over ‘land swapping’ dispute, lays out ‘feel out meeting’ with Putin
  • Democratic whistleblower told FBI that Adam Schiff approved classified leaks to target Trump
  • MORNING GLORY: Trump meets Putin amid an era done away with John Quincy Adams’ ‘abroad’
  • ‘Things need to change’: Senate Democrats sharpen criticism of Israel as humanitarian concerns grow

    Become a VIP member by signing up for our newsletter. Enjoy exclusive content, early access to sales, and special offers just for you! As a VIP, you'll receive personalized updates, loyalty rewards, and invitations to private events. Elevate your experience and join our exclusive community today!


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Categories

    • Business (867)
    • Investing (2,729)
    • Politics (3,369)
    • Stock (4)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: sightfulinvest.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2024 Sightful Invest. All Rights Reserved.