Celebrating Our 30th Annual Rookie Premiere
The 30th annual NFLPA Rookie Premiere is in the books. Forty players from this year's star-studded draft class got a whirlwind introduction to the business side of professional football in Los Angeles. The Premiere event serves as a unique opportunity for rookies to interact and connect with some of the industry's most influential brands to build on their budding NIL (name, image and likeness) careers and leverage the power of group player rights through their union.
Thirty NFLPA partners participated this year, including Sleep Number, Lowe's, Panini, FedEx, Fanatics, EA Sports and Gatorade. Their creative activations provided the rookies with significant exposure and content for upcoming marketing campaigns that will allow fans to get to know the player behind the helmet.
Gifting Experience
This year's Rookie Premiere class received exclusive and memorable gifts from NFLPA parrtners to acknowledge their hard work and celebrate their entry into the league. Top brands such as Homage, Oakley, ProStandard, WHOOP and many others helped to make the event special by gifting team shirts, custom jackets and games to the incoming pros. Luxury product brand Jewelmark presented the players and their families with customized rings and necklaces from their True Fans Fine Jewelry collection.
Former NFL Players Offer Insight
Solidarity is key, and the NFLPA always strives to bridge generations of players and build meaningful relationships within the NFL player community. This year, rookies were welcomed by Michael Vick, Ryan Clark, Kurt Warner, LeSean McCoy, Todd Gurley and Emmanuel Acho, who came to share their wisdom with this next class of locker room leaders about the importance of the union and what it takes to make it as a pro.
Fanatics Jersey Reveal
This year's rookie class have worked their whole lives to see their name and number on an NFL team jersey. The Jersey Reveal, presented by Fanatics, was an unforgettable night for them to celebrate this accomplishment as a collective and enjoy an exclusive performance by rapper Quavo.
Creating New Content: Field Work
Players were given the opportunity to don their new threads and suit up in their full team uniforms for photo shoots and other activations on the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum field. The weekend was capped off by gathering for their official Rookie Premiere class photo -- a symbolic, viral moment that encapsulates their collective star power as the newest faces of the union and the business of football.