As many of you know, the rules around athletes transferring schools have loosened over the years. Players can move more freely now. Though on the face of it it looks like optionality, the reality is more complex.

I’m going to keep the monetary aspect out of this for clarity.

WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS

The simplest explanation is, the transfer portal is a database. You enter your name, and it signals to programs that you’re available to talk.

That’s it.

It’s important to understand that entering the portal is a form of self-listing, not an offer from another school. It’s not a guarantee that you will land at another program, or even back at the program you’re currently at.

SOME BASIC RULES WITHOUT GETTING INTO THE WEEDS

• Under NCAA rules, other programs generally cannot recruit you until you’ve been permissibly entered into the portal.

• Entering the portal can jeopardize your place in your current program (roster spot, athletic aid, etc).

• Most scholarships are renewed year to year, not guaranteed for four years. Entering gives the school a clean, uncomplicated reason not to renew if they desire.

• There are windows. Specific days tied to your sport’s season when you’re allowed to enter.

• Many who enter the portal never land at a new school, or return to college.

• Of those who do land somewhere, most end up at a program equal to or below where they started. The portal is not a reliable upgrade machine.

**I recommend researching your specific sport. Here’s a good overall analysis Link →

Entering doesn’t automatically create a flood of options. It opens the possibility of them.

The roster math for coaches has also changed in recent years. In some sports they tend to build rosters season to season using the same portal you’re counting on as your exit.

Staying is often the safer bet — for your admission status, your roster spot, and your scholarship.

The portal cuts both ways. It’s more like a bet than an insurance policy.

HOW TO THINK ABOUT IT

Commitment with an exit already planned is dangerous. Let’s say you’re in high school, and you’re damn good at your sport. Awesome. The problem is, your recruiting process isn’t going as planned.

Some top programs recruited, then dropped you in the process. You find yourself considering programs that are solid, but not what you were projecting, or hoping for. So, you commit to one of them knowing you’re good enough to play at a more elite program.

This scenario is common.

Often, athletes commit with the mindset that they will go to option B with the intent of transferring to desire A after a year at option B.

Philosophically and mentally this is not an ideal way to think about it.

It’s not dangerous because plans change. It’s dangerous because your mindset changes. A “placeholder” mentality can show up in practice, in body language, in how you interact with coaches and teammates. They will likely feel it when you’re half-in. Even if you’re good at lying, you’re still living a lie.

As soon as anyone believes you’re not invested in them, they’ll stop investing in you.

Optionality you haven’t earned isn’t freedom. While in college, there’s a difference between being aware that other programs would love to have you, and you assuming you could leave if things don’t work out. The first is leverage. The second is a story you’re telling yourself.

There are ways to discover your potential value to programs you prefer (outside of some obvious things like having a record-breaking season, etc.). However, you want to tiptoe around how you find this out.

You can’t speak to other programs directly until you’re in the portal. But, you can still learn your market value before you enter it. People talk.

Remember, the portal is a resignation before employment.

The portal gives your value a market. It does not create that value. It doesn’t build anything for you.

One athlete spends years developing. Climbing. Building leverage.

The other spends those years frustrated, waiting for something to change.

The portal doesn't care which one you are. But everyone else will.

You exercise the option because it’s the highest-value decision available to you. Not because you’re tired, or bored, or upset about a depth chart.

Coaches can often tell the difference between someone leaving from a position of strength and another exiting from fear or frustration. They recruit accordingly.

A player leaving because they know there’s a litany of programs that would love to have them gets a very different reception than a player leaving because he’s buried on the bench, or having a not-so-solid season.

If you’re going to make your desire to transfer known, do it from a position of strength.

Your school doesn’t owe you, and you don’t owe it. A program can move on from you without hesitation the moment it stops making sense for them. A scholarship doesn’t guarantee a future roster spot, and a roster spot does not guarantee a renewed scholarship.

I see no problem in operating the same way. Your job isn’t blind devotion. Your job is to keep increasing your own value.

You maintain, or better yet increase your value to your current team, you’ve increased your potential value to other teams.

WHO’S DONE IT RIGHT

Though he never transferred, Arch Manning (current University of Texas quarterback) redshirted his first year. He then played backup the following season. He didn’t start until year three (technically his junior year).

He was the top recruit in the country coming out of high school. He almost certainly could have started as a true freshman elsewhere. And, if he entered the portal there’s little question he would have landed a new gig in a matter of minutes.

I’m aware that Arch is an anomaly in almost every way possible. If anyone in college football has had the resources and the team around him to make intelligent decisions, it’s him. Yet, even he (the athlete with more apparent optionality than almost anyone) chose development, patience, and continuity over immediate playing time.

At the end of the day the best strategy is to become valuable, wherever you land.

As Dr. Feynman said, “the easiest person to fool is yourself.”

So, don’t convince yourself that better options are going to arrive out of the blue. Go all in where you’re at. Let optionality find you. And if it does, feel free to leverage the shit out of it.

Onward and upward!

—Ryan

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

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If you’re a college or even a high school athlete with meaningful NIL opportunities, or you’re about to turn pro, you’re probably thinking about creating, or expanding your team.

Welcome to your first business venture. CEO of you.

Typically, the agent is the first go-to hire. Makes sense (and you likely already did this). Then, other roles begin to form in your little startup (i.e. you). Enter business manager.

I think it’s important to note that not every money-making athlete needs a business manager. But once things become more complex and you find yourself juggling sponsors, appearances, travel, content, etc., having someone focused on operations is nice.

(THE START) OF YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Your agent’s job is representation. Full stop. Think of them as the VP of Sales with a bit more power (legally and otherwise).

• Negotiates your contracts

• Finds and closes business opportunities

• Protects your legal and financial interests

• Sits across the table in negotiations, representing you directly

• Holds the appropriate licenses where required. This varies a lot by state. Some require registration. And unlike the major pro leagues, the NCAA doesn’t certify NIL agents at all, so “certified” isn’t really a thing to look for here.

In practice: sponsorships, endorsement deals, brand relationships, compliance issues in your sport and region, new opportunities as they surface.

Your agent’s whole job is to grow your value and protect it.

Your manager’s job is execution. Think operator, not visionary. Closer to a COO (Chief Operating Officer).

• Runs the day-to-day

• Coordinates your team (including you in many cases)

• Handles scheduling and communication

• Keeps projects moving

• Thinks strategically about your brand and career

• Also protects your financial interests

Your manager’s job is to make your career run smoothly.

WHERE THINGS BREAK

Your agent starts trying to make management decisions.

Your manager starts trying to negotiate on your behalf.

A manager can flag opportunities to your agent. That’s healthy. But your agent is the owner of the solicitation and negotiation process. They make the call.

There’s a big (and legal) difference between recognizing, and producing opportunities. Producing falls in the realm of solicitation. Recognition is simply awareness.

Similarly, there’s no problem with your agent making recommendations to your manager. Again, healthy. They hold the relationship with your sponsors and understands their expectations. But your manager should be making the final call with things like schedule and coordination.

Example: A sponsor wants a shoot on Tuesday. The agent negotiates the terms. The manager decides whether Tuesday fits your training schedule, travel, and existing commitments.

PROTECT THE LANES

Mix a few responsibilities if you want. In practice that’s more realistic. We’re humans, not robots. Outside input is generally a good thing. But you need a rule for what happens when responsibilities blur.

There needs to be accountability for when things go wrong.

• If a decision could create legal or financial exposure (contract terms, compensation, exclusivity clauses) > that’s your agent’s call, always.

• If a decision only affects your time and logistics (which day, which city, which slot on the calendar) > that should be your manager’s call.

• If it touches both (a sponsor wants exclusivity and a same-week shoot) > your agent negotiates the terms, your manager greenlights the timing, and neither moves without the other.

When responsibilities genuinely overlap, you need a tie-breaker type process or rule.

The simplest version: your agent has final say on anything with a signature attached. Your manager has final say on anything with a date attached. If it’s still unclear, it comes to you. After all, you are the CEO.

Agent: creates, negotiates, maintains brand relationships, leverages opportunities.

Manager: executes and maximizes the business (marketing, revenue, etc.)

You: own the vision, make the final call, and break ties when the first two disagree.

THE FRIEND TRAP

There’s nothing wrong with your manager becoming your friend. I think that can be a good thing. But, make a friend your manager and you could be in a world of hurt (unless, of course, it was previously their occupation).

Hiring friends usually starts with good intentions.

A friend begins helping with travel. Another offers to answer emails. Someone else starts talking to brands because “they know people.” Before long, responsibilities overlap, accountability disappears, and in some cases people begin stepping into areas that carry legal or contractual implications.

Obviously, you want to like the people you’re working with. But don’t make it the point.

Because your agent and manager play the biggest roles in your career, you want them to be true professionals.

BEFORE HIRING

There are a ton of business books that address the hiring process (best practices, what questions to ask, social Q’s to look for, etc.).

I’m certainly no expert in hiring, but friends (I seriously trust) have made some recommendations (none of which I’ve actually read):

• Who: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy Street (2008)

• Hire with Your Head: Using Performance-Based Hiring to Build Great Teams by Lou Adler (original ~1998, with later editions)

I hope they’re useful.

And, here’s a great episode around hiring great talent with Tim Ferriss and Graham Duncan. I simply enjoyed the conversation. But it’s obvious that Duncan is obsessed with the hiring process. Worth the listen.

LET’S WRAP THIS UP

The agent owns sponsorships, negotiations, and outreach. The manager owns operations. You own the vision.

Oh yeah, and there’s pay. Agents earn commission (upside). Managers are more often fee-based (flat rate).

Your goal shouldn’t be to build a large team. It should be to build a lean machine. Where every person owns a clear job. The tighter the lines, the better the collaboration, and the better the outcomes.

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

Connect: Website | Tiktok | Instagram | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | Store

Downloadable club team decision worksheet > bottom of article ↓

Club sports can be a valuable tool. It can also be an expensive mistake.

I’m first going to describe what is going on, then jump into some ways to navigate it.

IT’S A BUSINESS

Club sports exist because there’s demand.

Think of a club as a living organism. Its primary objective is survival. Everything else flows from that.

The incentives lead to keeping families engaged (like social media).

• More teams →

• More showcases →

• More travel →

• More revenue →

• Repeat.

I don’t believe that this was the intention of the “founding fathers” of club sports - it’s somewhat emergent. Still, it’s important to recognize that their incentives won’t always align with yours.

Marketing tends to outperform your instincts: Effective messaging influences all of us. Don’t pretend it doesn’t influence you.

Everything from highlight reels to college commitments, to savvy messaging promising a brighter future, has the potential to hijack anyone’s brain.

Antidote: recognize that you can be influenced, and learn some of the tricks of their trade. Once seen, you can’t unsee it.

Price tells you something, but it doesn’t tell you everything: More tournaments, more travel, and more showcases certainly means more money. But it’s usually inversely correlated with more/better development.

Clubs started out as a side gig for most coaches. Things have changed. Now, there are more full time coaches than ever before.

Businesses like growth.

FRAMEWORK

Club programs exist to serve you and your kid. FOMO is their greatest tool against that. Don’t let them infect you with it.

Most families think they’re buying both development and exposure. Very few clubs are exceptional at both.

If your objective is development, you’re looking for coaching, not constant competition.

Research participants: Ask to speak with a few families whose athletes are somewhere in the middle of the roster. Star players often have a different experience than everyone else.

Even better, ask to speak with athletes who used to be in the program and are now playing in college or elsewhere. They’ll usually be more candid.

Research: Coaches who genuinely love training often share. A lot. Youtube channels, blogs, etc. They can’t help themselves.

Events: “When you travel to tournaments, is the objective to win, or does everyone get roughly the same playing time?”

There’s no right answer. You just need to know what you’re buying.

Actions speak louder than words.

If they’re traveling every week, odds are they care more about their programs image than your kids development.

Exposure is about being seen by the right people. If a club attends the right events but your kid never gets meaningful playing time, mission-fail.

If the program attends events in which the scouts are from programs outside of your kids league (too high, or even too low of a level), mission-fail again.

Some clubs are exceptional at creating recruiting opportunities.

• They’re well connected.

• They understand the event circuit.

• They know where to be, and when to be there.

• College coaches listen when they pitch.

Again, talk:

• To middle-of-the-roster families.

• To former players.

• Research the program’s track record.

If a coach ever says they can get your kid recruited… Correct them. “You mean you can put them in a better position to be recruited.”

They should be able to prove it. Especially with the mid-tier players.

Pay attention to the events they attend. Not every showcase carries the same value.

Learn which events college coaches actually prioritize before writing a check.

You want both. Most families do.

That’s the challenge.

It’s possible, but rare.

Fortunately, club programs are more flexible than most realize.

If your kid is talented, exposure-focused clubs will often let them join for selected events without committing to the entire season - and at a discount.

Likewise, development-focused programs often allow athletes to train without participating in every tournament - again, at a discount.

Ask.

Programs negotiate more than people think.

The club landscape is highly competitive, and families have more leverage than they often realize.

Money changes your options. It doesn’t eliminate them.

The best solution to a tight budget is for your kid to be damn good at their sport. And the best athletes I’ve been around tended to develop in solitude - free of charge.

Scholarships, discounts, and financial aid are more common than realized—especially at programs built around winning and exposure.

Competitive clubs want competitive athletes.

THE YEAR-ROUND MYTH

Year-round participation is becoming more common. Hate it all you want, but the market isn’t just allowing it, it’s asking for it.

Many development programs and exposure-based programs participate year-round. Often, they expect you to commit for the year.

For some it’s great. For others it’s a scheduling nightmare. But the idea that you have to, or need to do it is 100% BS.

Remember what these programs need: talent and numbers.

Again, being really good gives you leverage. But, if a program is struggling with numbers, it’s another position to negotiate from.

If your kid is good and is a multi-sport athlete and a program is telling you full, year-round commitment is the only option, push back.

There are options. Join a training first program. And, if you believe it’s time to get exposure you can always attend a specific college’s camp. It doesn’t need to have “showcase” in the title for your child to showcase their skills.

Coaches most certainly recruit from non-recruiting-specific events.

Nothing tickles me more than when a kid comes out of nowhere to be one of the top recruits in the country in their sport. No club program, just a camp here or there, and bang. The family saved money, time, and their sanity. It’s more common than people think.

IT’S A TOOL, NOT A GOAL

Club sports are a tool. They’re not the goal.

The families who navigate club sports best understand the incentives of the system, understand their kid, and make decisions accordingly.

They don’t outsource those decisions.

They own them.

For parents

(parent) Club Sports Decision Planning Guide

112KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

For athlete

(athlete) Club Sports Decision Planning Guide

124KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

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One of the advantages I’ve had throughout my career is seeing athlete endorsements from both sides of the table.

I’ve been the one writing the checks. And I’ve advised those receiving the checks.

It’s good to understand and learn from those who’ve received endless deals. However, every athlete’s situation is unique and you’re often getting survivorship-bias (or failure-bias) information. Understanding the perspective of the person writing the checks is infinitely more valuable.

Companies don’t think like athletes.

They think like businesses.

And businesses think in numbers - return on investment.

It’s an Investment, Not a Reward

An endorsement deal is almost never a reward. It’s a third-party bet on your future.

The company isn’t paying you because they like you. They aren’t paying you because they think you’re a good person. They’re paying because they believe the money they’re investing in you will eventually come back to them in spades.

That’s it.
Nothing more.

I often hear athletes say, “I just want to get paid what I’m worth.”

That’s not how markets work.

You don’t determine your value.

The market does.

Companies think, “What is this athlete worth to us?”

Every endorsement starts as an expense.

Your job is to turn yourself into an asset.

Not Every Company Thinks the Same

Not all companies evaluate athletes the same way.

A local business doesn’t think like a regional company.

A regional company doesn’t think like Nike.

Every company has different budgets, different timelines, different angles, and different levels of risk tolerance.

A small business owner may have spent twenty years building that company. Assume that to them every marketing dollar matters. If they spend $15,000 sponsoring an athlete and nothing happens, they feel it.

A global brand can afford to experiment, and on longer timelines. They have larger budgets, more data, and a portfolio of athletes. One endorsement that doesn’t perform isn’t going to put a dent in their ship, let alone sink it.

Understanding who is writing the check matters just as much as understanding the contract.

Your First Deals Are an Education

This is why I advise younger athletes to view their early endorsement deals differently.

Most athletes think their first deal is about making money. Sure. But I believe it’s more about learning.

Most of you won’t begin with global brands.

You’ll begin with local dealerships, restaurants, banks, construction companies, medical practices, and regional businesses.

Good.

These companies can teach you how business actually works.

How meetings are run.
How campaigns are measured.
How professionals communicate.
How expectations are managed.

Take advantage of this. Use it as an chance to build business experience while getting paid.

That’s opportunity.

Nike likely won’t give you the time of day to learn their thought process. But smaller business owners often love talking shop. If you’re curious enough to ask questions, they’ll teach you how they think.

It’s also why I don’t believe athletes should obsess over squeezing every dollar out of their early deals.

I’m not suggesting you undervalue yourself.
I’m suggesting you understand leverage.

If you’re just entering the endorsement world, you probably don’t have much of it yet. That’s okay. View this stage as your apprenticeship.

You’ll have shorter contracts. This creates the opportunity to test, iterate, and learn.

Learn what types of companies you enjoy working with.

Pay attention to what actually creates value.

You may think companies want you because you’re scoring goals.

Later you might realize they hired you because you’re scoring goals and:

You’re authentic on camera.
Or because you’re exceptional with kids.
Or because you naturally build community.

Sometimes your marketing superpower has less to do with your athletic superpower and more to do with that superpower plus another trait of yours.

The earlier you discover what that might be, the better.

There Are Different Types of Athletes

Athletes tend to evaluate themselves based almost entirely on performance.

Companies don’t.

They evaluate both your performance and your marketability.

Some athletes are good.
Some are great.
The rare few are generational.

Separately, some athletes are entertaining.
Some are mysterious.
Some let their performance do all the talking.

None of these are inherently better than the others. They’re simply marketed differently.

An outgoing athlete with a large following is often an easier sell to executives because the strategy may be more clear.

A quieter athlete requires more imagination, but sometimes ends up becoming the stronger long-term play because the company gets to build the story alongside them.

Neither is right or wrong.

They’re just different.

Start thinking about where you sit in this equation.

Professionalism Is Part of the Product

All endorsable athletes should understand that companies have different levels of tolerance depending on who they’re sponsoring.

The more exceptional you are, the more mistakes people will tolerate.

But don’t confuse tolerance with immunity. Even the biggest stars eventually run out of second chances.

For the overwhelming majority of athletes, professionalism is part of the product.

Showing up on time matters.
Following through matters.
Being easy to work with matters.

If you’re not a unicorn (well, even if you are), reliability becomes part of your competitive advantage.

The Best Question You Can Ask

If you remember one thing from this article, remember this question: “How will you measure success?” or, “What’s the end game for you, or how do you view success in our situation?”

You do this, you’ve changed the relationship.

To them, you’re no longer potential asset receiving a check. You’re a teammate trying to help them succeed.

Questions like this break the ice and spawn conversations that will teach you more about business than any contract ever will.

Don’t Forget Why They Hired You

Finally, don’t lose sight of the reason any of this exists.

You’re being endorsed because you’re exceptional at your sport.

The second your image becomes more important than your performance, you’ve started attacking the very thing that got you there.

Never forget what created the opportunity in the first place.

Companies certainly won’t.

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

Connect: Website | Tiktok | Instagram | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube

From my perspective, a lot of athletes neglect their greatest strengths.

They spend most of their time fixing weaknesses instead of maximizing strengths.

I’m not saying athletes should never work on their weaknesses. However, most of the better athletes I’ve worked with focused a majority of their time on that which gave them a disproportional advantage.

Each athlete is typically better in one or two aspects of their sport. And usually, they never find out how good they could have been because of their desire to be well-rounded.

There are certain athletes who possess one or two extraordinary traits, and they discover them early. If that’s you, this is your permission slip to lean in.

Elite performance is asymmetrical.

Barry Sanders wasn’t great because he was balanced. He wasn’t. He was great because he was impossible to touch. Everyone knew what he was going to do, but not how. Didn’t matter. You can’t hit what you can’t catch.

Same with Jerome Bettis. Everyone knew he was running downhill. Through you. Didn’t matter.

Our world operates under power laws. The highest performers understand this.

A tiny percentage of their traits produce the overwhelming majority of their results.

A lot of coaches claim to love “well-rounded.” And perhaps they do (or think they do). But even they tend to bank on their asymmetrical players.

The most dangerous athletes tend to be uneven.

One has absurd vision.
Another has freakish speed.
Another scores from impossible angles.

For them, those traits ARE the thing. Everything else is minutia.

That doesn’t mean weaknesses should be blindly ignored. If a weakness keeps you off the field, fix it.

But if you’ve discovered the thing that separates you from everyone else, I strongly encourage you to spend the majority of your time there.

Because spending years sanding down your edges often destroys the thing that made you dangerous in the first place.

Don’t mistake high-agency traits for laziness.

The kid who hates conditioning but can’t put the hockey stick down? Maybe they’re lazy. Or maybe they have the best hands on the team.

That’s the part most systems miss.

Obsession is directional. Athletes naturally drift toward the parts of the sport they’re built for.

And usually, what athletes enjoy most is connected to what they’re best at.

The obsession creates the iteration-based reps. Those reps create the outlier.

Good CEOs understand this.

They hire marketers to market.
Builders to build.
Designers to design.
Salespeople to sell.

Nobody walks into a company and says: “We need everyone equally competent at everything.”

That would be ridiculous.

The best athletes eventually force reality onto the system. If they are dominant enough at one thing, the game bends around them. That’s just on the field.

From a business perspective, it can help shape your brand. It can become a large part of who you are off the field. An identifier of sorts.

Discover your natural proclivities and figure out where they are best utilized.

If you’ve found the thing that makes you different… Unapologetically lean in.

The rest will take care of itself.

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

Connect: Website | Tiktok | Instagram | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube

Sports has an originality problem.

Not a talent problem.
Not a resource problem.
Not an access problem.

For over half a century, every generation seemed to produce athletes who permanently changed their sport. They weren’t just great. They became reference points. Every kid wanted to imitate them, every competitor had to adjust to them, and every generation wondered who would come next.

Today we have more resources than ever before. More coaching. More science. More specialists. More information. More travel teams… More opportunity.

Yet the athletes who innovate or show us something wholly different have become increasingly rare.

We’ve become remarkably good at producing exceptional athletes—and surprisingly poor at producing transformational ones.

Perhaps the problem is that these athletes were never something we produced in the first place.

I. THE AGE OF OPTIMIZATION

The last twenty or so years have been a relentless pursuit of optimization.

Better training.
Better branding.
Better coaching.
Better media training.
Better analytics.

Optimization excels at producing exceptional athletes. But it doesn’t show us what’s possible. And it has a tendency to converge.

When everyone takes in the same information, follows the same developmental path, and chases the same metrics, they begin making the same decisions.

The outcome is predictable.
And fewer genuinely surprise us.

Somewhere along the way, sports confused optimization with innovation.

They’re not the same thing.

Optimization raises the floor.
Innovation raises the ceiling.

II. THE FACTORY

Modern athlete development increasingly resembles a factory.

Factories exist to reduce variance. To eliminate mistakes and standardize outcomes.

The modern athlete is expected to join all the same programs, go to all the same events, market themselves the same way, pursue the same partnerships, and often even speak the same way.

Everyone seems to be aping everyone.

Athletes arriving through increasingly similar experiences, making increasingly similar decisions, and becoming increasingly similar expressions of excellence.

Where is Bode Miller!?

III. THE ORIGINALS

The greats were never built from the same blueprint.

Their stories were wildly divergent.

Their childhoods were different.
Their personalities were different.
Their flaws were different.
Their career choices were different.

Michael Jordan didn’t remind us of someone else.

Larry Bird didn’t.
Muhammad Ali didn’t.
Wayne Gretzky didn’t.
Barry Sanders didn’t.

They didn’t become memorable because they perfectly executed someone else’s formula.

They became memorable because no one had ever seen anything quite like them.

They left legacies of permission.

Many of today’s greatest athletes often arrive trying to be like, or comparing themselves to someone else.

Perhaps the most gifted player of his generation entered the league wearing 23.

Signed with many of the same companies.
Followed the same branding playbook.
Even acted in a different version of the same movie.

Pretty hard to beat the OG-23 at his own game.

IV. THE HIDDEN COST OF SAMENESS

When everyone is chasing the same opportunities, using the same methods, the herd instinct kicks in.

They compete for the same scholarships.
The same roster spots.
The same endorsements.
The same attention.

They become interchangeable.

Originality is deceptively hard.
We’re hardwired to follow the pack.
But the pack is where competition is greatest.

Skipping out might be the beginning of a new way.
A better way.
Your way.

VI. THE LABORATORY

The future doesn’t belong to athletes who simply execute the current blueprint better than everyone else.

It belongs to athletes willing to explore beyond it.

Yes, sports needs discipline.
It needs methodology.
It needs universal truths.

But it also needs environments where curiosity is encouraged.
Where experimentation isn’t viewed as failure.
Where independent thinking isn’t always treated as an unnecessary risk.

Not just because every transformational athlete began as an experiment.

But because curiosity and experimentation has always preceded every meaningful breakthrough, and every unique career path.

New ways of performing.
New professional opportunities.
And sometimes new markets.

THE WAY FORWARD

I believe the best careers are self-authored.

The decisions athletes make during their careers shape the way they perform, the businesses they build, the relationships they foster, and the lives they ultimately lead.

There are principles every athlete should learn, but very few paths every athlete should follow.

No blueprint can tell an athlete who they are, what motivates them, or what they’re capable of becoming. It can only show them what worked for someone else.

Agency is the advantage.

Sometimes that means following convention. Sometimes it means walking away from it.

But it always means refusing to outsource judgment.

Knowing the difference is what separates athletes who simply participate from those who leave their mark.

If sports has become too eager to hand athletes blueprints, then the answer isn’t another blueprint.

It’s helping athletes understand the landscape well enough to chart their own course.

That’s the experiment I believe is worth running.

Because athletes with agency don’t just build better careers.

They make room for the originals the next generation is looking for.

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

Connect: Website | Tiktok | Instagram | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | YouTube

I’ve noticed that a lot of really good “amateur” athletes and their families are considering hiring agents.

An agent reaches out.

They have connections.
They have relationships.
They can help with NIL deals.

Sounds great.

Maybe.

The reality is most high school and college athletes do not need an agent.
At least not yet.

The sports industry (and especially agents) likes to pretend endorsements and sponsorships are incredibly complicated.

Most aren’t.

A local car dealership.
A restaurant.
A camp appearance.

These are often straightforward agreements in large part because local business owners built their businesses from the ground up. It was a simple but difficult process that dealt with a lot of local trust. They’re not big time CEO’s or reps.

You don’t need someone taking 15-20% of that.
If you have the resources, a fee-based attorney is often a better option.

Pay for the help upfront.
Keep the upside.

Hire when it hurts.
That’s the rule.

If opportunities are becoming difficult to manage, contracts are becoming complex, brands are reaching out constantly, and you’re spending significant time negotiating deals, then it may be time for an agent… maybe.

Not before.

Most NIL agents work on commission.

Professional contract agents often earn 3-5%.
NIL agents often earn 15-20%.

Partly because NIL is newer.
Partly because the deals are smaller.
Partly because nobody really knows what the hell is going on.

I believe these percentages are going to steer closer to professional contract numbers in the not-so-distant future.

So…

Shop around.
Talk to multiple agents.
Negotiate.

If you are one of the chosen ones, the first offer is rarely the only.

In fact, if only one or two agents are interested in representing you, that’s often a sign you probably don’t need one yet.

The market is giving you information.
But even that is often not a good enough barometer.

If you are one of the chosen ones, understand what agents actually do.

They help secure sponsorships.
Negotiate endorsement deals.
Manage brand relationships.
Handle compliance issues.
Help identify opportunities.

That’s it.

They are not your business partner (if you are under 18, the only business partner should be your legal guardian - more on that another time).
They are not your co-founder.
They are not entitled to equity in your future ventures.

Never give an agent ownership - that’s the equivalent to getting married.
Pay them for the work they perform.
Nothing more.

The contract matters.

Many athletes focus on commission or agent networks and ignore the most important part.

The exit clause.

Make sure the agreement holds the following:
A termination clause without cause with 14-30 days notice.
A sunset clause that limits post-termination commission on any deals the agent might have procured (harder to get - but push for it).
DO NOT be flexible with this.

Relationships change.
Circumstances change.
You need a clean exit plan.

One final point.

Compliance matters.
A lot.

NIL rules differ by state, school, conference, and governing body.
[these are the following states that currently have prohibitions, but the bylaws differ in each and things are rapidly changing: Alabama, Hawaii, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Wyoming]

A good NIL agent should know the rules in your region better than you do.
If they don’t, keep looking.

The best agent is the one who solves a problem(s) you actually have.
If you ever feel puzzled about what an agent can offer you, don’t go with them.

But, I will repeat myself.

You likely don’t need an agent.

Use common sense.
You’re (and your family are) smarter than you think.

Enjoy the ride.

And if/when it starts to really hurt, consider hiring one.

INNO ATHLETE

Helping athletes think clearly about performance, strategy, and business.

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