In the evolving world of college sports, Everett Sports Management (ESM) is making waves. They’re shaking up how athlete representation works in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era.
Jeff Hoffman, a veteran college sports agent and ESM co-founder, leads the charge. His background in advertising and marketing has helped ESM land big deals for some seriously high-profile athletes.
ESM’s approach feels fresh, maybe even a bit bold, compared to the old guard. They’re not just following trends—they’re kind of setting them, especially when it comes to athlete representation and brand partnerships.
The Rise of Everett Sports Management
Based in South Carolina, ESM has shot up the NIL ranks in no time. In 2023, they landed a spot on the SBJ Power Players list.
They’ve negotiated deals for names like Haley and Hanna Cavinder, Mac Jones, Stetson Bennett, Sam Howell, Brock Bowers, and Ladd McConkey. Hoffman’s vision and knack for strategy have made ESM a standout in a crowded field.
Jeff Hoffman’s Innovative Approach
Hoffman doesn’t do things by the book. While bigger agencies sometimes treat marketing as an afterthought, ESM is unapologetically *brand forward*.
They focus on building real, meaningful partnerships between athletes and companies. Hoffman is all about avoiding those quick, reactive deals that don’t really fit anyone.
His secret weapon? A dry erase wall packed with more than 300 ideas for campaigns and collaborations. Only a few ever actually happen, but that’s where the magic starts.
Hoffman’s advertising chops, mixed with Dan Everett’s focus on player representation, make for a pretty sharp team. That combo is a big reason ESM keeps winning.
Navigating the NIL Landscape
When NIL rules kicked in back in 2021, a lot of agencies hesitated. The legal stuff scared them off.
ESM saw it as their moment. They jumped in, and on July 1, 2021—the very day NIL became official—they landed the Cavinder twins a deal with Boost Mobile.
Success Stories and Unique Partnerships
ESM’s way of doing things has paid off. Take Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, for example. He made over $1 million from deals with Shuman Farms, AARP, Synovus Bank, Topps, and The Dairy Alliance—thanks to ESM’s hustle.
They also pulled off a pretty unique partnership for Jaxson Dart with Nicholas Air, a private jet charter company. Nicholas Air was skeptical at first, but ESM’s data showed a strong overlap between their audience and college football fans.
Even though the partnership didn’t actually boost jet sales, it got Nicholas Air noticed in the private aviation world and highlighted their philanthropic side.
Expanding Influence Beyond Individual Deals
ESM’s reach goes further than just athlete deals. Clemson Ventures, the business arm of Clemson Athletics, brought Hoffman and ESM on board as their NIL strategist and execution agency.
They provide this service for all Clemson student athletes—at no direct cost to the players. Honestly, that’s a big win for the athletes, and it’s a testament to ESM’s creative thinking and brand connections.
Future of Athlete Representation
ESM’s profile keeps rising, and Hoffman’s got his eye on what’s next for both the agency and college sports. He’s especially interested in diving deeper into women’s sports and exploring new kinds of brand partnerships.
Consulting for universities is also on his radar. Hoffman’s convinced the sports marketing world is overdue for some real change, and ESM wants to be the group shaking things up and setting new standards.
For more on how Everett Sports Management is rewriting the NIL agency playbook, check out the full article on Sports Business Journal.
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