NFLPA and opendorse Extend Partnership To Empower NFL Players To Grow & Monetize Social Media Influence

The partnership will provide NFLPA brand partners with an easy activation solution for NFL player-driven social media campaigns

LINCOLN, Ne., April 27, 2016 — The NFL Players Association (NFLPA), via its licensing and marketing arm NFL Players Inc., and opendorse have announced the renewal of their partnership agreement that will cement opendorse as the social media activation partner of the NFLPA. opendorse provides an easy activation solution for NFLPA partners to build and execute NFL player-driven social media campaigns.

In two-plus years of the parties’ prior agreement, opendorse acted as the NFLPA’s partner behind the Activate marketplace, securing player participation, building and activating social media campaigns for NFLPA partners. The new partnership agreement will eliminate use of the Activate brand, instead operating directly through the opendorse marketplace.

To date, NFLPA and opendorse have activated NFL player-driven social media campaigns with:

• 400+ NFL players?
• 1,100+ NFL player-driven social media campaigns?
• For 60+ NFLPA brand partners??
• Reaching over 125 million NFL fans on social media??

“NFL players influence more than 250 million social media followers every day, providing brands a more direct way to reach and engage fans,” said Ahmad Nassar, President of NFL Players Inc. “We’re delighted to again work with industry leaders in social media activation at opendorse as they help maximize the players’ growing digital power. By providing an efficient, effective way to build and execute social media campaigns, the opendorse platform helps connect brands directly with players and their fans.”

“opendorse has made it easy for me to get more social media deals by connecting the Gronk brand with top brands,” said New England Patriots Tight End Rob Gronkowski. “It’s a win for the Gronk brand. opendorse connects us to the people similar to our brand so the content we share is appealing to our audience.”

“Social media has transformed the sports marketing industry, creating a world where players, not properties, control access to sports fans,” said opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence. “Together with the NFLPA, we’re proud to provide a solution that helps athletes capitalize on their digital influence. By renewing this partnership, the NFLPA has validated what we’ve known for years – forward-thinking sports properties must provide marketers easy access to social media assets in the digital marketing era.”

About opendorse

opendorse connects sports properties and marketers with athletes to build social media campaigns. With a network of over 3,500 professional athletes worldwide, opendorse works with top-tier brands like Gillette, Courtyard Marriott, USAA, and Head and Shoulders and sports properties like Clemson Athletics, Detroit Lions, WTA, UFC and USA Rugby to engage sports fans online. opendorse has helped the NFLPA grow and monetize the social media presence of NFL players since 2013.

About the NFL Players Association

The National Football League Players Association 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 with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through 2020.

About NFL Players Inc.

NFL Players Inc. is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFLPA. NFL Players Inc. has been a trusted resource since 1994, delivering access to the influence, power and personal stories of NFL players. NFL Players Inc. is a “one-stop shop” for businesses seeking licensing rights, access to players through hospitality and events, marketing strategy and player procurement. For more information, please visit nflpa.com/players.

Media Contacts:

David Cooper for NFLPA, dcooper@coynepr.com 212-938-1299

Sam Weber, sam@opendorse.com 402.413.0766