NFL PLAYER ENTREPRENEURS JOIN INDUSTRY EXPERTS & INVESTORS AS JUDGES AT 7TH ANNUAL NFLPA PITCH DAY

Conversation with StatusPRO Co-Founder & President Andrew Hawkins; Brandon Copeland and Ricky Jean Francois Join Jessica Pacheco and Jason Marshall as Judges; Brennan Scarlett Leads Panel on Diversity in Sports Licensing with NFLPA Driven Playmakers

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WHO: 10-year NFL veteran, Ivy League professor, philanthropist and entrepreneur Brandon Copeland along with retired NFL player, business owner and investor Ricky Jean Francois join Horizon Strategies CEO and Fortune 500 executive Jessica Pacheco and Jason Marshall, CMO of PitchBook Data, Inc., on elite judges panel at the 7th annual NFLPA Pitch Day on Wednesday February 8, in Phoenix.

Hosts of the acclaimed podcast, Earn Your Leisure, financial advisor Rashad Bilal and educator Troy Millings will serve as the event moderators.

WHAT: Hosted by the NFL Players Association, Pitch Day provides an opportunity for six diverse-led early-stage companies to pitch their products to an all-star panel of athletes, industry experts and investors. The companies – Champions Round, Culina Health, For Days, LootMogul, Noggin Boss and Puzzle Huddle – will contend for access to funding, mentorship, and NFLPA assets, which may include player marketing and group licensing rights. Participants' business categories range from Web3, games and human performance to apparel, hardlines and sustainability. The companies will demonstrate to judges how their products connect to consumers and leverage the marketing influence of NFL players. Judges will draw from their own expertise to evaluate the pitches and determine the winner.

Adding to the experience are discussions with players on collaborating with athletes in a conversation with StatusPRO Co-founder/President and retired NFL player, entrepreneur and entertainment executive Andrew Hawkins. A panel on how the NFLPA Driven incubator can level the playing field in licensing for diverse entrepreneurs will feature NFL linebacker, entrepreneur and Driven advisory board member Brennan Scarlett as moderator and Playmakers Jacquelyn and Shaun Rodgers, founders of Greentop Gifts and Kuda Biza and Lauren Cecchi, co-founders of Signables.

The winning pitch will receive a package that includes:

  • PitchBook - the premier data provider for the private and public equity markets, – has joined as official Prize Package Partner and will offer the winning company access to its platform, analyst team and research on venture capital, private equity and emerging technology. Leading investors and professionals rely on PitchBook to inform dealmaking and business development strategies.
  • $25,000 from the NFLPA in marketing services and player activations.
  • $25,000 in services from OneTeam Partners, which specializes in group licensing, athlete marketing and media.
  • Consultation and one-year membership from Products of Change, a global educational hub driving sustainable change across consumer product markets and beyond.
  • Player marketing strategic consultation from students of the Arizona State University Master of Sports Law & Business sports entrepreneurship class.

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 8, 3-5pm MST