023. Justin Giangrande on NIL and Modern Athlete Marketing

Episode 23 of the Sports Business Leaders Podcast features Justin J. Giangrande — CEO and Founder of Network Advisory — for a powerful conversation on the evolution of athlete representation, sports marketing, and NIL strategy.With over 20 years of experience working with more than 100 professional athletes, including Mike Conley Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Alvin Kamara, Giangrande shares how his journey shaped the vision behind Network Advisory. Network Advisory is an innovative firm blending athlete management, brand building, and content creation. He also reflects on his time as EVP and Partner at VaynerSports, working alongside AJ and Gary Vaynerchuk.Topics include:The creation and challenges of building a fully integrated athlete ecosystemTransitioning from VaynerSports to founding his own agencyEarly NIL experiences with Bryce Young and Malachi NelsonMacro trends, long bets, and the future of athlete brand developmentThe importance of team culture, self-belief, and taking initiative in a fast-changing industryThis episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to understand the next wave of growth in sports business and NIL.