From NFTs to crypto, future NFL star Trevor Lawrence is pushing endorsement envelope

In many ways, Trevor Lawrence is an athlete endorser fit for the modern era. At age 21, the Clemson junior star quarterback and likely first pick at Thursday’s National Football League Draft is a departure from the typical all-American quarterback, with his signature long locks and outspoken nature among the traits that have endeared him especially to Gen Z sports fans. Likewise, his endorsement deals thus far have been anything but cookie-cutter, running the gamut from the buttoned-down and traditional to the avant-garde and futuristic. Lawrence is currently a 100-1 favorite to be selected first overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars—and to the marketing world, he appears to be an equally sure bet. He has already locked in multi-year deals with Gatorade and Adidas, been featured in a retro Topps trading card collection and this week announced a new partnership with Blockfolio, a cryptocurrency company. In almost every case, he is breaking new ground. Lawrence is the first-ever NFL rookie to officially endorse Gatorade, for example. But it is in the latter deals where he is truly pushing the envelope. The traditional exclusive box set of Topps trading cards sold out, so Lawrence and company on Tuesday released what Topps described as its first first football-related NFTs (non-fungible tokens) that were put up for sale during a 24-hour period using the Mintable blockchain. Crypto is both a calculated business risk and a personal passion for Lawrence, whose name and likeness will be used to encourage adoption of cryptocurrency payment via the Blockfolio mobile app. Welcome to the new world of athlete marketing, 21st Century style. Entrusted with the responsibility of building Lawrence’s brand is New York-based Excel Sports Management, which has represented Peyton Manning, Derek Jeter and Tiger Woods, and currently works with stars of the National Basketball Association (Nikola Jokic), Major League Baseball (Freddie Freeman) and the PGA Tour (Justin Thomas). Alan Zucker, partner at Excel, says that while Lawrence is a “true generational talent” with an obvious “it” factor, he is not consumed with his exposure or the number of endorsement deals he lands. “Trevor lives by two mottos: Football first and less is more,” says Zucker. “We’re not trying to change him or get him to fit a certain mold. He understands his objectives and goals in life. He knows how much money he wants to make and the direction he wants to take his brand.” Lawrence expresses an unusual level of interest in the strategy behind the partnerships and often initiates meetings with company executives, adds Juliette Daley, director of marketing at Excel. “Trevor has been a part of our creative development from the beginning,” she says. “He brings a notebook with him wherever he goes and pays close attention to what’s happening around him. Brands take notice and appreciate that.” At Gatorade, Lawrence joins a roster that includes J.J. Watt, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jayson Tatum, Elena Delle Donne, Zion Williamson, Sydney McLaughlin and Serena Williams. The company introduced him last week in a series of posts on Twitter that featured quotes from Manning, his past coaches and his father, Jeremy Lawrence. What’s left to be said about @Trevorlawrencee? Those who know him best gave it a try. 👇 pic.twitter.com/1UH1SRZed9— Gatorade (@Gatorade) April 23, 2021 Gatorade will initially focus on performance and sports nutrition by connecting Lawrence and the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, while future advertising plans remain in the works, according to Jeff Kearney, global head of sports marketing at Gatorade. “Trevor is an incredibly gifted quarterback. The leadership skills he has, both on and off the field, show incredible maturity at such a young age,” says Jeff Kearney. “Trevor has a really solid understanding of the importance that sports nutrition has on his game. He’s been using Gatorade for years, and we’re really looking forward to working together to refine his nutrition even further.” Despite all the buzz surrounding Lawrence (who is considered a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year and already drawing longshot odds for MVP), those who depend on his success on the field say they are not concerned about setting unrealistic expectations. “None of the marketing deals that are in place were contingent on Trevor going first overall in the draft,” says Zucker. “We’ve started to build Trevor’s brand around his personality and performance, not the market he may or may not end up in.” Kearney agrees. “Our biggest concern is ensuring that we’re supporting Trevor in any way we can. The accolades are incredible, but our role in Trevor’s career is made up of all of the moments around those accolades: in training, on game day, working out in the offseason, etc.” Lawrence has a personality that seems just right for this time. On the one hand, he does not shy away from controversy (he has expressed public support of Black Lives Matter on more than one occasion). At the same time, his close family ties help balance his persona with a wholesome image that could draw a host of additional marketing suitors (and yes, Excel is looking into the men’s hair care category). Those relationships inspired the Topps collection, which was designed in collaboration with his artist brother and sister-in-law. “Trevor is his own person and he’s comfortable in his own skin,” says Zucker. Some sports marketing experts say Lawrence’s ascent signals a new phase in which athletes take a more direct role in the financial aspects of the companies they endorse. “Lawrence will need to balance short term, endemic marketing opportunities with those beyond traditional sports, as well as opportunities that have a much longer tail to them—such as negotiating for equity in the emerging brands he endorses or creates,” says David Carter, associate professor of sports business at USC and principal of The Sports Business Group. Zucker says that Lawrence arrives at a time of booming demand for endorsement talent across not only sports but also music and entertainment. “Our hope for Trevor is that we’ve provided a great base—financially, a stable marketing plan and a great way to give back to his communities,” he says. “Now it is up to him to do well on the field so we can continue developing plans for him.” In good company NFL stars are not the highest paid athlete endorsers (Tiger Woods is believed to make more than $50 million annually from endorsements, and Roger Federer earns roughly twice that amount), but they can still take in quite a haul with the right combination of brands. Below is a ranking of top NFL endorsement figures and incomes based on estimates from various public sources. Player Team(s) Income Advertiser(s) Odell Beckham Cleveland Browns $50 million Nike, Adidas Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos (retired) $15 million Buick, DirectTV, Gatorade Drew Brees New Orleans Saints (retired) $12 million Nike, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo and Wrangler Cam Newton Carolina Panthers $10-12 million UnderArmor, Dannon and Gatorade Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks $10 million Alaska Airlines, Bose, Braun and Duracell

From NFTs to crypto, future NFL star Trevor Lawrence is pushing endorsement envelope

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