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GAINESVILLE, FL – SEPTEMBER 07: Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) is one of Network Advisory’s star athletes. The Florida QB trusts Justin Giangrande’s team to find him the best NIL deals.<\/p>\n
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/p>\n
College sports finds itself at a muddy crossroads. Athletes are getting paid directly by universities. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has shifted player endorsements into the limelight. The transfer portal allows for free movement of labor, and private equity firms are beginning to see college sports, especially football, as a realistic investment prospect. Now more than ever, college athletes looking to become professionals need good advice on how to navigate the shifting landscape. <\/p>\n
Founded in 2020 by University of Florida (UF) graduate Justin Giangrande, Network Advisory<\/a> is seeking to guide high school athletes through college and to professional sports, building their brand and giving them financial wisdom along the way. Network defines itself as \u201ca sports marketing agency, brand studio and entertainment production company that manages elite athletes.\u201d <\/p>\n Giangrande attended UF during the glory years of Billy Donavan and Urban Meyer, where he witnessed multiple NCAA basketball and football national championships. After graduating Giangrande interned at Priority Sports, before starting his own business, NCLUSIVE. From 2010 to 2016 he ran his own agency, until he joined the Vaynerchucks at Vayner Sports. By 2020, Giangrande says he \u201cmissed running his own shop,\u201d and after some opportunities arose to work with notable hip hop artists, he left Vayner Sports and founded Network Advisory.<\/p>\n With offices in L.A., New York, Miami, Charlotte, and Dallas, but just fifteen full-time staff, Network is a lean, adaptable company in comparison to the heavyweight <\/a>sports agencies like CAA, Wasserman, and Octagon. Network also relies on the reach of its Advisory Board \u2014 which includes AJ Vaynerchuck, former UFC Champion Vitor Belfort, and angel investor Lauren Jarvis \u2014 to extend its reach across different industries.<\/p>\n Network\u2019s prime focus is on elite high school athletes and current college stars, whereas many of the heavyweight agencies are having to retrofit their services to account for athlete needs in the rapidly shifting college sports landscape<\/a>. <\/p>\n Each athlete that signs with Network is offered brand advisory, talent management, and content production services. Network\u2019s objective is to guide each player through the college recruitment process and the complexities of the NIL era, delivering them the best financial and career opportunities.<\/p>\n Network\u2019s current roster of stars includes University of Florida starting quarterback DJ Lagway, former number one high school recruit Malachi Nelson, Syracuse University football coach Fran Brown, and Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis. <\/p>\n The agency\u2019s point of difference is its holistic understanding of the NIL space. Giangrande has always had a single-minded focus on college sports and has been putting the majority of Network\u2019s resources towards NIL deals for his athletes. <\/p>\n \u201cJustin has a far better understanding and plan for NIL than any other agency out there,\u201d Network investor and advisory board member Gordon Whitener told me over the phone. \u201cI don\u2019t think there is even a close second.\u201d <\/p>\n Justin Giangrande has deep roots at the University of Florida and has gone from cheering on Tim Tebow to representing current Gators quarterback DJ Lagway.<\/p>\n Courtesy of Justin Giangrande<\/p>\n Whitener was a graduate assistant for Oklahoma State in the 1980s under head coach Pat Jones. He eventually became a recruiting coordinator and helped ensure that the legendary Barry Sanders became a Cowboy. He has a good eye for football and a strong understanding of what makes a strong financial asset.<\/p>\n Now the president of his own investment firm, Whitener says he was introduced to Giangrande a few years ago in Los Angeles, and was \u201cimmediately drawn to his energy and charisma.\u201d He calls Network the unquestioned leader in NIL, which is one of many reasons he invested in the company. <\/p>\n \u201cThe college sports landscape is a mess,\u201d says Whitener, noting that it will probably remain that way for the next three or four years. With players able to profit from Name, Image, and Likeness endorsements, new financial investors are circling, and not always with the best intentions. <\/p>\n \u201cThere are some people who just want to make money off of these young people,\u201d says Whitener. \u201cJustin and his team have a sincere, legitimate interest in them getting their value.\u201d<\/p>\n Current UTEP quarterback Malachi Nelson was once the number one high school recruit in the country. He could have signed with any agency he wanted, but chose to work with Network after being introduced to Giangrande by some of his coaches. <\/p>\n \u201cMy family met with Justin. We hit it off, and it was a snowball effect from that point on,\u201d Nelson told me over the phone. Despite a less-than-straightforward collegiate career, which has seen him transfer from USC to Boise State before finding a permanent home at UTEP, working with Network, Nelson has signed endorsement deals with Culture Kings<\/a>, FazeClan<\/a>, Leaf, and other large brands.<\/p>\n Nelson says Network is \u201ca lot more than just business,\u201d describing the company as family. <\/p>\n Nivie Broussard, mother of Syracuse-committed wide receiver Calvin Russell, feels similarly. Letting her boy move from Miami to central New York to play football requires a lot of faith in external advisors. Still, Broussard says her experience with Network has been \u201csmooth,\u201d adding that Giangrande\u2019s team always \u201ckeeps you up to date and makes you feel like you are part of the process.\u201d<\/p>\n Broussard says Network has never overcrowded her and her son during the school selection process. In fact, the company encouraged them to do their own research on university programs and coaching styles. \u201cSomething Justin taught me was, parents handle the school visits and Network can help handle the financials,\u201d Broussard told me over the phone, adding, \u201cthat\u2019s one less thing you have to worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n However, just because Network handles the financials for players, it doesn\u2019t mean the athletes or their families are left out of the loop. According to Broussard, Giangrande and his staff are constantly forwarding NIL and college sports-related articles to parents to keep them informed about policy changes in the space. <\/p>\n \u201cNetwork has a tremendous first-mover advantage,\u201d says Whitener. The firm\u2019s understanding of what brands are looking for and how to develop relationships between them and athletes makes it unique. The fact that Network has found ways to partner its athletes with major brands like Adidas, CVS, EA Sports, Lululemon, Rolls-Royce, and Nike is a testament to Giangrande\u2019s college sports business acumen.<\/p>\n Giangrande says finding the right partnerships for athletes is about being patient. Anytime he signs a new athlete, he designs and defines a strategy with them. Countless hours go into understanding what brands the athlete likes, and how to make fans and potential partners fall in love with them. <\/p>\n UTEP Miners quarterback Malachi Nelson was once the number 1 overall high school prospect. He chose to sign with Network Advisory and has signed a number of NIL deals with top brands a result.<\/p>\n Getty Images<\/p>\n Giangrande feels a big sense of responsibility to educate the kids and their parents as they make life-altering decisions. And it\u2019s his personal touch and desire to foster their brands that he believes are helping Network find such high-profile clients. <\/p>\n Network has worked through ten cycles of the college transfer portal and has delivered successful brand partnerships for each of its athletes. The trick is investing in players early. That\u2019s why Giangrande and his team scout high schools and teach student athletes how to do business before college. This early investment requires Network to operate on a deficit initially, but the sense of safety this extra level of care gives players and families is worth it to Giangrande.<\/p>\n Knowledge, results, and word of mouth have helped Network become what it is today, arguably the most successful boutique sports agency operating in college sports. The agency focuses on the main issues: predominantly building brands and connecting players to financial opportunities. Network Studios also helps with storytelling by curating and posting social media content and launching athlete and coach IPs.<\/p>\n Looking ahead, Giangrande wants Network to maintain its leadership role in college sports. Despite receiving plenty of enquiries about Network, he is not looking to sell. \u201cI could fight with the big giants or be an innovator in the space I\u2019m passionate about,\u201d Giangrande says.<\/p>\n Network expects the college sports chaos to continue to unfold in the coming years. Giangrande says there needs to be a hard look at the importance of education in collegiate sports. Moreover, questions will arise about players having too much leverage and about how to maintain the existence of non-money-making sports programs like volleyball, gymnastics, and other Olympic sports. What Giangrande is clear on is that college sports will continue to affect professional sports and that athletes will continue to need guidance as they mature into adult professionals. In that instance, he hopes they will seek out Network Advisory.<\/p>\n