Driven

Accelerating Diverse Playmakers, Products and Pathways

Driven is the NFLPA-led business accelerator designed to provide access, mentorship, resources and opportunity to diverse entrepreneurs. The program will help guide companies from product development through go-to-market stages to ensure they are set up for strategic growth and long-term success with an NFLPA license.

OUR MISSION

  • Address the diversity gap in licensing by creating opportunities that advocate for the inclusion of diverse entrepreneurs and their consumer products.
  • Bring awareness to sideline culture, which is how we at the NFLPA define the systemic and inequitable reality that diverse entrepreneurs continue to experience daily.
  • Accelerate diverse Playmakers by providing access to some of the most influential personalities and businessmen in sports--NFL players, including their intellectual property and marketing potential.
  • Create a pathway and pipeline in licensing for the products of Playmakers, ensuring that all fans are represented through product offerings in the industry.

Playmakers” are how we recognize diverse business entrepreneurs -- specifically those who are people of color, women, and/or individuals from underrepresented groups.


BENEFITS

This two-year program provides participants with an NFLPA license and the tools necessary for growth, from product development with officially licensed products through go-to-market strategy.

An NFLPA license delivers rights for more than 2,000 current NFL players through its group licensing program. The group license is for six or more players to be featured on products and campaigns. Assets include name, number, likeness, signature and voice.

We will deliver the following through Driven

  • NFLPA license for product design
  • Funding
  • Business coaching and mentorship
  • Player marketing & activation consultation
  • Special event access
  • Go-to-market strategy consultation

ARE YOU A PLAYMAKER?

APPLY IF:

  • You are a diverse entrepreneur--specifically a person of color, woman or an individual from an underrepresented group--who has an early-stage consumer product-driven business.
  • You specifically have consumer products under the category of apparel or hardlines (non-gaming or tech).
  • You want to grow your product offerings through sports licensing.
  • You are ready to answer questions about you, your company and its progress, as well as your goals for participating.

APPLY


Three Playmakers will be selected to participate in the program, which kicks off in March 2022. All applications will be reviewed by a panel of experts to determine qualifications and fit into the program. Application closes December 14 and applicants will be notified of status by January 14, 2022.

OUR PROGRAM PILLARS


Access

Playmakers will gain access to licensing rights for 2,000+ NFL player names, images, likenesses and more to develop new products and leverage NFL players in marketing.

Mentorship

Playmakers will receive dedicated business coaches, consultation from strategic partners and players, and educational sessions to help them navigate licensing.

Action

Playmakers will be led through a two-year curriculum designed by the NFLPA to accelerate their business with funding, mentorship, licensed product development and distribution, and go-to-market strategies.

Connection

Playmakers will have the opportunity to engage with strategic partners, NFL players and the licensing community to help establish a solid business foundation for long-term growth beyond Driven.