Photo by Ben Hensley | Frank Dalena works the crowd with his child at a recent Bring the Juice golf tournament, one of several events the sports media and representation brand has used to build its Central Valley following.
What originally started off as a media brand built on hustle and relationships has now grown into a full-service athlete marketing venture for Central Valley entrepreneur Frank Dalena.
Dalena, the founder of the popular podcast and brand Bring The Juice, recently launched Juice Sports Group, a company that is focused on connecting professional athletes with brands looking for authentic marketing partnerships.
“I figured, why not be the bridge that connects the professional athlete looking for brand deals with the brands looking for influencers,” Dalena said.
The idea picked up some steam after a breakout moment from one of Dalena’s close friends and UFC heavyweight Josh Hokit.
After Hokit beat Curtis Blaydes by unanimous decision in a high-profile fight that drew national attention and doubled his social media following, Dalena saw an opportunity.
Within 24 hours of a conversation Dalena had with Hokit, Dalena created Juice Sports Group, built its website and started making partnership pitches to companies.
Juice Sports Group’s model is centered on pairing athletes with brands and managing the creative execution of campaigns. Rather than acting like a traditional sports agency, Dalena wants the company to be a connector and content strategist and help athletes maximize their earning potential through their respective personal brands.
Dalena said that many athletes, mainly those outside of stardom, usually miss out on marketing opportunities.
“There’s guys who might benefit financially off of their athletic positioning that don’t maximize their profit because they don’t have good advice. They don’t have the right people in their corner,” Dalena said.
The group is exclusively focused on professional athletes due to the constantly changing and volatile nature of the name, image and likeness (NIL) era in college athletics.
“I think there’s a lot of agents out there trying to get their piece of the NIL era that’s going on right now,” Dalena said. “I don’t want that. I want brands to be connected with professional athletes who have the ability and the freedom to do what they want.”
In a month, they have expanded from a single client to a small roster and a growing team with a diverse experience with sports, media and business.
River Bruce, a former U.S. Air Force combat photographer and Syracuse graduate, leads digital media and client relations. Bruce helped grow the Bring The Juice’s social media presence and has experience managing platforms with more than 1.7 million followers.
Steven Comstock, a former Fresno State football player and commercial real estate professional, focuses on deal-making and client relationships.
The group also includes Slade Bolden, a former Alabama wide receiver who played in the NFL, and Mac Hereford, another former Alabama player and brand advisor with experience in athlete marketing and partnerships.
Dalena said the team shares a common mindset rooted in competition and ambition. The slogan for the company is “The Hungry Dog Runs Faster.” He said that all members of the team he assembled have a dog mentality and always strive to be better.
Dalena said the long-term vision is growth without sacrificing organization or quality.
“If we have four athletes, we want eight. If we’ve done six deals in two weeks, we want to build on that,” he said. “It’s about growing the right way.”
As athlete-driven marketing continues to expand, Dalena believes Juice Sports Group can carve out a niche by focusing on relationships, storytelling and execution.
“I’m excited to see what rooms this gets us into,” he said. “I’m excited to see the athletes in which we support and represent get the fruits they deserve.”