The Business of Sports: Inside Super Bowl Week With VaynerSports

On February 3rd, 2019 Atlanta played host the the Super Bowl, which according to some reports, cost the city a whopping $46 million.

If you’ve never been to a Super Bowl host city during the week leading up to the game, let me explain what you’re missing. It’s like Mardi Gras meets Burning Man and Spring Break -- for both sports fanatics and business executives.

In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, the NFL, its fans and sponsors take over the host city. That includes nearby hotels, nightclubs, and restaurants. It’s big business both on and off the field.

I spent 48 hours during Super Bowl weekend with Justin Giangrande, the Executive Vice President of VaynerSports (a full-service agency co-founded by serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk and his brother AJ). During that time, I got a glimpse into what a sports marketing agency does.

That includes the story of Green Bay Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison, who recently signed with VaynerSports, to Tyree Jackson, an NFL prospect and quarterback who was filming an ESPN feature.

There’s also the story of retired professional athletes like Walter Powell, who previously played wide receiver for the New York Jets. After stepping away from the game to pursue a new career path as a tech founder with his app Politiscope, Powell was in town for the Super Bowl to network and elevate awareness of his entrepreneurial endeavors.

According to Giangrande, having the backing of Gary Vaynerchuk and his influence along with the VaynerMedia roster of brand clients offers a competitive advantage compared to traditional sports agencies or agents.

“Helping clients accomplish things they never thought they would or doing things which are special,” Giangrade says, are critical to making VaynerSports grow organically by word of mouth amongst athletes.

During our interview, Giangrade shared a story of getting Carolina Panthers Quarterback Kyle Allen a custom Bird scooter to ride to practice and introducing Arizona Cardinals Defensive Lineman Robert Nkemdiche to famed guitarist Carlos Santana as examples of going above and beyond for their clients.

To view the interview in its entirety, watch above.