WASHINGTON, D.C., – The NFL Players Association and OneTeam Partners are proud to announce that basketball legend and successful entrepreneur Earvin “Magic” Johnson will host the fifth annual NFLPA Pitch Day on Wednesday, February 3.
The event will be held virtually and provide a platform for minority and women-led early-stage businesses to present their innovative products and services to an elite group of athletes, industry experts and potential investors. Participating startups are competing for access to funding, mentorship and the NFLPA’s unique assets which may include group licensing rights. Registration to access the event can be found here.
The competitive drive that made Mr. Johnson a 12-time NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer is powering his success in the business world as Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. The investment conglomerate provides high-quality products and services that focus primarily on ethnically diverse and underserved urban communities. Still a commanding presence in the sports world, he co-owns the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Football Club, and the eSports franchise Team Liquid.
NFLPA Pitch Day is exclusively for women- and minority-led businesses positioned to disrupt the marketplace in categories across consumer goods, experiential, entertainment, gaming, tech, health and safety, human performance, youth sports and athlete-led business. The six companies selected to pitch will be announced the week of January 25. Each will present how their business aligns with the sports industry as well as their plan for leveraging NFLPA resources.
The NFLPA and OneTeam Partners leveraged their relationships to create an all-star panel of athlete judges who will join Mr. Johnson on the virtual stage while touting their own business acumen. Pitch Day judges include entrepreneur and former NFL Pro Bowler Brian Orakpo, U.S. Women’s National Team champion Crystal Dunn and WNBA All-Star and WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike, among others to be announced.
Additional pro athletes will contribute to panel discussions around investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and diversity. Among those participating include members of the NFL Players Inc. Advisory Committee, a group of former and active players who lend their expertise and advisement to the licensing and marketing arm of the NFLPA. Ryan Mundy, Isaiah Kacyvenski, Kelvin Beachum, Marshall Newhouse, Dhani Jones, Marques Colston and Mark Herzlich are all members of the committee who have participated in NFLPA Pitch Day.
OneTeam Partners, a joint venture between the NFLPA, MLBPA and RedBird Capital Partners, harnesses the collective marketability of athletes across sports and connects them to business partners through licensing, marketing, media and investing.
