Should You Sign With a Boutique Sports Agency?

For most collegiate athletes, the future is a looming uncertainty. Whether it comes down to a question of playing time on the field, or advancing to the professional stage, or the obvious concern of financial stability, there are clear obstacles to success.

In the first year of NIL payments, collegiate athletes earned a combined total of $917 million, according to recent data shared by Opendorse. Through the 2023 calendar year, the number passed the $1 billion mark. The vast majority of NIL money paid to collegiate athletes lies in football.

And yet, the average football deal only comes out to around $3,400. Very few players, including the likes of USC QB Caleb Williams and Colorado QB Shadeur Sanders, hit the million-plus dollar mark.

NIL deals rarely happen without mutual benefit for both brand and player. In most circumstances, brands will distribute cash or gifts of complementary products to seal the deal.

But what most people overlook – athletes, more times than not – is that deals don’t come their way without a captivated audience. And that comes with developing a personal brand that shows the true YOU.

As competitive as play on the field is, cultivating a personal brand often needs the most practice. For anyone, that is, developing a profile that attracts a large viewing audience takes time. 

And can be quite difficult.

That’s where boutique agencies can help the most.

Specialized agencies like EAMG Sports provide endless value in establishing a personal profile. Keeping in touch with an athlete’s needs, interests, and desires make for a better client-agent relationship, a shared goal to grow and succeed, and endless opportunity to generate value.

EAMG Sports Marketing Agent Rycki Cruz specializes in creating both short-form and long-form social media content, even dedicating his own personal Instagram and TikTok profiles to introductory content for his viewers. 

For athletes specifically, Cruz believes that it’s crucial to utilize their media profiles and name-brand recognition to their advantage.

“[Social media] can lead to different revenue streams, whether that be merchandise, affiliate marketing, or even brands reaching out for an in-person opportunity. Never think you are just an athlete,” he acknowledged to those looking to build their audiences.

Working with boutique agencies gives you the chance to grow those intangibles. 

With that, you get people that know your persona and constant needs, not to mention have the tools and experience to help you achieve that. 

In turn, endless opportunities to grow a personal brand through a true, authentic voice can be unlocked.