Earvin “Magic” Johnson to Host Fifth Annual NFLPA Pitch Day
Virtual Event Provides Minority and Women-Led Startups the Opportunity to Compete for Funding, Mentorship & NFLPA Group Licensing Rights
Athlete Judges Include Former NFL Standout Brian Orakpo, U.S. Women's National Team Star Crystal Dunn & WNBA All-Star Nneka Ogwumike
WASHINGTON, D.C., January, 13, 2021 – The NFL Players Association and OneTeam Partners are proud to announce that basketball legend and successful entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson will host the fifth annual NFLPA Pitch Day on Wednesday, February 3.
The event will be held virtually and provide a platform for minority and women-led early-stage businesses to present their innovative products and services to an elite group of athletes, industry experts and potential investors. Participating startups are competing for access to funding, mentorship and the NFLPA’s unique assets which may include group licensing rights. Registration to access the event can be found here.
The competitive drive that made Mr. Johnson a 12-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer is powering his success in the business world as Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. The investment conglomerate provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Still a commanding presence in the sports world, he co-owns the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Football Club, and the eSports franchise Team Liquid.
NFLPA Pitch Day is exclusively for women- and minority-led businesses positioned to disrupt the marketplace in categories across consumer goods, experiential, entertainment, gaming, tech, health and safety, human performance, youth sports and athlete-led business. The six companies selected to pitch will be announced the week of January 25. Each will present how their business aligns with the sports industry as well as their plan for leveraging NFLPA resources.
The NFLPA and OneTeam Partners leveraged their relationships to create an all-star panel of athlete judges who will join Mr. Johnson on the virtual stage while touting their own business acumen. Pitch Day judges include entrepreneur and former NFL Pro Bowler Brian Orakpo, U.S. Women’s National Team champion Crystal Dunn and WNBA All-Star and WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike, among others to be announced.
Additional pro athletes will contribute to panel discussions around investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and diversity. Among those participating include members of the NFL Players Inc. Advisory Committee, a group of former and active players who lend their expertise and advisement to the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA. Ryan Mundy, Isaiah Kacyvenski, Kelvin Beachum, Marshall Newhouse, Dhani Jones, Marques Colston and Mark Herzlich are all members of the committee who have participated in NFLPA Pitch Day.
OneTeam Partners, a joint venture between the NFLPA, MLBPA and RedBird Capital Partners, harnesses the collective marketability of athletes across sports and connects them to business partners through licensing, marketing, media and investing.
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About the NFL Players Association
The National Football League Players Association (“NFLPA”) is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement (“CBA”) with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 NFL season.
About NFL Players Inc.
NFL Players Inc., the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA, connects businesses to the power of NFL players. NFL Players Inc. creates customized business solutions for partners, through licensing, marketing strategy and player activations. For more information, please visit nflpa.com/players.
About OneTeam Partners:
Formed in November 2019, OneTeam Partners is a joint venture between the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and RedBird Capital. OneTeam helps athletes maximize the value of their name, image and likeness rights by transforming the way in which athletes interact with businesses across four verticals: licensing, marketing, content and investing. OneTeam represents a range of commercial business interests on behalf of the NFLPA, MLBPA, Major League Soccer Players Association, United States Women’s National Team Players Association, Women’s National Basketball Players Association, and United States Rugby Players Association.