About Boardroom

Boardroom is a sports, media and entertainment brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and focused on the intersection of sports and entertainment. Boardroom’s flagship media arm features premium video/audio, editorial, daily and weekly newsletters, showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom’s ecosystem encompasses B2B events and experiences (such as its renowned NBA and WNBA All-Star events) as well as ticketed conferences such as Game Plan in partnership with CNBC. Our advisory arm serves to consult and connect athletes, brands and executives with our broader network and initiatives.

Recent film and TV projects also under the Boardroom umbrella include the Academy Award-winning Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER (Apple TV+) and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime).

Boardroom’s sister company, Boardroom Sports Holdings, features investments in emerging sports teams and leagues, including the Major League Pickleball team, the Brooklyn Aces, NWSL champions Gotham FC, and MLS’ Philadelphia Union.

All Rights Reserved. 2022.

2021 Heisman Trophy: How the 4 Finalists Have Cashed In

This year’s Heisman finalists have more to gain than just bragging rights. We look at how the four stars have embraced NIL.

It’s been a college football season to remember. From quadruple overtimes to seismic upsets, fans have gotten all they could want from their favorite teams, even before bowl season begins.

But an undercurrent of buzz surrounding NIL has persisted, regardless of what’s happened on the field. This year, fans have seen more of their favorite players beyond the gridiron, as they were able to cash in on their name, image, and likeness for the first time.

Stay Ahead of the Game, Get Our Newsletters

Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.

Through it all, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Kenny Pickett, and Aidan Hutchinson pulled together awe-inspiring campaigns, emerging as the four finalists for this year’s Heisman Trophy.

The official announcement will come Saturday during the ceremony at Lincoln Center, but for now, here’s a look back on how each athlete made their mark on the NIL landscape.

Bryce Young, Alabama QB (So.)

Agent: Ed Barry

Social Following: 145k IG; 33.4K Twitter

https://twitter.com/_bryce_young/status/1466459656797229058

NIL Deals:

  • Cash App
  • Logan’s Roadhouse
  • Subway
  • Netflix
  • B-Unlimited

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State QB (Fr.)

Agent: David Mulugheta

Social Following: 82.5k IG; 18.7k Twitter

NIL Deals:

  • Subway
  • Shell
  • Outback Steakhouse
  • Athletic Brewing (NA Beer)
  • Coughlin Cars

Kenny Pickett, Pitt QB (Sr.)

Social Following: 37.9k IG; 17.4k Twitter

Endorsements:

  • Fifth Season
  • Next Move Network®️
  • Oaklander Hotel
  • Bowser Auto

Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan DE (Sr.)

Social Following: 63.5k IG; 29.8kTwitter

Endorsements:

  • Dr. Pepper
  • PSD Underwear
  • The Players Trunk
  • Traeger Grills

While records conceal the full value of these deals, an educated guess would indicate that Bryce Young won the NIL race. In addition to his stacked portfolio of deals, he also hosts the Bryce Young Podcast produced by iHeartMedia. With the dawn of NIL, the sophomore quarterback and Heisman frontrunner laid the foundation early, signing with CAA’s Barry. And they made quick work. Before the season started, Young had amassed a suite of deals totaling what his head coach Nick Saban called “an ungodly amount,” estimated to be worth more than $1 million.

Of course, a Heisman win would only increase his value. By a lot. Don’t be surprised if we’re having this same conversation about him next year…with some bigger estimated numbers and a longer lists of endorsements.

Bernadette Doykos

Bernadette Doykos is the Senior Director of Editorial Strategy at Boardroom. Before joining the team, her work appeared in ELLE. She previously served as the head of evaluation for a nonprofit where she became obsessed with systems and strategy and served as the curator of vibes and extinguisher of fires for the design thinking firm Stoked. She is constantly plotting a perfect tunnel ‘fit and a playlist for all occasions.