Network Advisory Is The Sports Marketing Agency Guiding Athletes NIL

College sports finds itself at a muddy crossroads. Athletes are getting paid directly by universities. Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) has shifted player endorsements into the limelight. The transfer portal allows for free movement of labor, and private equity firms are beginning to see college sports, especially football, as a realistic investment prospect. Now more than ever, college athletes looking to become professionals need good advice on how to navigate the shifting landscape.

Founded in 2020 by University of Florida (UF) graduate Justin Giangrande, Network Advisory is seeking to guide high school athletes through college and to professional sports, building their brand and giving them financial wisdom along the way. Network defines itself as “a sports marketing agency, brand studio and entertainment production company that manages elite athletes.”

Giangrande attended UF during the glory years of Billy Donavan and Urban Meyer, where he witnessed multiple NCAA basketball and football national championships. After graduating Giangrande interned at Priority Sports, before starting his own business, NCLUSIVE. From 2010 to 2016 he ran his own agency, until he joined the Vaynerchucks at Vayner Sports. By 2020, Giangrande says he “missed running his own shop,” and after some opportunities arose to work with notable hip hop artists, he left Vayner Sports and founded Network Advisory.

With offices in L.A., New York, Miami, Charlotte, and Dallas, but just fifteen full-time staff, Network is a lean, adaptable company in comparison to the heavyweight sports agencies like CAA, Wasserman, and Octagon. Network also relies on the reach of its Advisory Board — which includes AJ Vaynerchuck, former UFC Champion Vitor Belfort, and angel investor Lauren Jarvis — to extend its reach across different industries.

Network’s prime focus is on elite high school athletes and current college stars, whereas many of the heavyweight agencies are having to retrofit their services to account for athlete needs in the rapidly shifting college sports landscape.

Each athlete that signs with Network is offered brand advisory, talent management, and content production services. Network’s objective is to guide each player through the college recruitment process and the complexities of the NIL era, delivering them the best financial and career opportunities.

Network’s current roster of stars includes University of Florida starting quarterback DJ Lagway, former number one high school recruit Malachi Nelson, Syracuse University football coach Fran Brown, and Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis.

The agency’s point of difference is its holistic understanding of the NIL space. Giangrande has always had a single-minded focus on college sports and has been putting the majority of Network’s resources towards NIL deals for his athletes.

“Justin has a far better understanding and plan for NIL than any other agency out there,” Network investor and advisory board member Gordon Whitener told me over the phone. “I don’t think there is even a close second.”

Whitener was a graduate assistant for Oklahoma State in the 1980s under head coach Pat Jones. He eventually became a recruiting coordinator and helped ensure that the legendary Barry Sanders became a Cowboy. He has a good eye for football and a strong understanding of what makes a strong financial asset.

Now the president of his own investment firm, Whitener says he was introduced to Giangrande a few years ago in Los Angeles, and was “immediately drawn to his energy and charisma.” He calls Network the unquestioned leader in NIL, which is one of many reasons he invested in the company.

“The college sports landscape is a mess,” says Whitener, noting that it will probably remain that way for the next three or four years. With players able to profit from Name, Image, and Likeness endorsements, new financial investors are circling, and not always with the best intentions.

“There are some people who just want to make money off of these young people,” says Whitener. “Justin and his team have a sincere, legitimate interest in them getting their value.”

Current UTEP quarterback Malachi Nelson was once the number one high school recruit in the country. He could have signed with any agency he wanted, but chose to work with Network after being introduced to Giangrande by some of his coaches.

“My family met with Justin. We hit it off, and it was a snowball effect from that point on,” Nelson told me over the phone. Despite a less-than-straightforward collegiate career, which has seen him transfer from USC to Boise State before finding a permanent home at UTEP, working with Network, Nelson has signed endorsement deals with Culture Kings, FazeClan, Leaf, and other large brands.

Nelson says Network is “a lot more than just business,” describing the company as family.

Nivie Broussard, mother of Syracuse-committed wide receiver Calvin Russell, feels similarly. Letting her boy move from Miami to central New York to play football requires a lot of faith in external advisors. Still, Broussard says her experience with Network has been “smooth,” adding that Giangrande’s team always “keeps you up to date and makes you feel like you are part of the process.”

Broussard says Network has never overcrowded her and her son during the school selection process. In fact, the company encouraged them to do their own research on university programs and coaching styles. “Something Justin taught me was, parents handle the school visits and Network can help handle the financials,” Broussard told me over the phone, adding, “that’s one less thing you have to worry about.”

However, just because Network handles the financials for players, it doesn’t mean the athletes or their families are left out of the loop. According to Broussard, Giangrande and his staff are constantly forwarding NIL and college sports-related articles to parents to keep them informed about policy changes in the space.

“Network has a tremendous first-mover advantage,” says Whitener. The firm’s understanding of what brands are looking for and how to develop relationships between them and athletes makes it unique. The fact that Network has found ways to partner its athletes with major brands like Adidas, CVS, EA Sports, Lululemon, Rolls-Royce, and Nike is a testament to Giangrande’s college sports business acumen.

Giangrande says finding the right partnerships for athletes is about being patient. Anytime he signs a new athlete, he designs and defines a strategy with them. Countless hours go into understanding what brands the athlete likes, and how to make fans and potential partners fall in love with them.

Giangrande feels a big sense of responsibility to educate the kids and their parents as they make life-altering decisions. And it’s his personal touch and desire to foster their brands that he believes are helping Network find such high-profile clients.

Network has worked through ten cycles of the college transfer portal and has delivered successful brand partnerships for each of its athletes. The trick is investing in players early. That’s why Giangrande and his team scout high schools and teach student athletes how to do business before college. This early investment requires Network to operate on a deficit initially, but the sense of safety this extra level of care gives players and families is worth it to Giangrande.

Knowledge, results, and word of mouth have helped Network become what it is today, arguably the most successful boutique sports agency operating in college sports. The agency focuses on the main issues: predominantly building brands and connecting players to financial opportunities. Network Studios also helps with storytelling by curating and posting social media content and launching athlete and coach IPs.

Looking ahead, Giangrande wants Network to maintain its leadership role in college sports. Despite receiving plenty of enquiries about Network, he is not looking to sell. “I could fight with the big giants or be an innovator in the space I’m passionate about,” Giangrande says.

Network expects the college sports chaos to continue to unfold in the coming years. Giangrande says there needs to be a hard look at the importance of education in collegiate sports. Moreover, questions will arise about players having too much leverage and about how to maintain the existence of non-money-making sports programs like volleyball, gymnastics, and other Olympic sports. What Giangrande is clear on is that college sports will continue to affect professional sports and that athletes will continue to need guidance as they mature into adult professionals. In that instance, he hopes they will seek out Network Advisory.