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Inside FaZe Rug’s Signing With Excel Sports Management

Last Updated: April 26, 2023
The prominent FaZe Clan content creator sat down with Boardroom to discuss this next move in his evolving career.

Brian “FaZe Rug” Awadis has inked a deal with Excel Sports Management to manage his endorsements, marketing, licensing, and business and brand development. He sat down with Boardroom at his home to discuss how this move is pivotal to propelling his brand forward.

Awadis is a co-owner of FaZe Clan, the only publicly traded gaming and esports company on the market. He kicked off his professional gaming career in 2012 when he began uploading his video game highlights on YouTube. A decade later, Awadis has attracted an audience of over 21 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 40 million followers across all his social platforms.

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Nikhil Jayaram, former talent manager at FaZe Clan and current director of basketball partnerships at Excel, will oversee Awadis’ business deals. Darren Yan, an executive in FaZe Clan’s in-house talent management team, will continue leading day-to-day management for Awadis.

Awadis is the first content creator to sign with Excel. The sports management and marketing agency usually works with talent across basketball, baseball, golf, football, and brands in the hospitality industry; in welcoming FaZe Rug to its talent pool, the company is signaling an interest in expanding its management scope to capitalize on the growing esports and gaming industries.

This isn’t the first “first” of his career. Last summer, Awadis graced the cover of Sports Illustrated alongside Bronny James, Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, and FaZe Clan pro gamers Nicholas “Nickmercs” Kolcheff, Thomas “Temperrr” Oliveira, and Kris “Swagg” Lamberson. This was the first time an esports organization was featured on SI’s cover, a moment Awadis pegged as the best in his career.

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Michelai Graham

Michelai Graham is Boardroom's resident tech and crypto reporter. Before joining 35V, she was a freelance reporter with bylines in AfroTech, HubSpot, The Plug, and Lifewire, to name a few. At Boardroom, Michelai covers Web3, NFTs, crypto, tech, and gaming. Off the clock, you can find her producing her crime podcast, The Point of No Return.

About The Author
Michelai Graham
Michelai Graham
Michelai Graham is Boardroom's resident tech and crypto reporter. Before joining 35V, she was a freelance reporter with bylines in AfroTech, HubSpot, The Plug, and Lifewire, to name a few. At Boardroom, Michelai covers Web3, NFTs, crypto, tech, and gaming. Off the clock, you can find her producing her crime podcast, The Point of No Return.