The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) recently
launched Think450, its new internal marketing rights group. The
current collective bargaining agreement gives the NBPA, not the
NBA, the right to control the licensing rights of players (i.e.,
the ability to use players' names, numbers and images in groups
of three or more for products and sponsorships). While a select
number of superstars have agencies and business teams working on
their behalf daily, Think450's efforts are targeted towards
discovering the best business opportunities for the players as a
collective group. As a symbol of commitment to every player, the
number 450 represents the number of active players in the NBA. When
the new collective bargaining agreement was agreed to in 2017, the
NBPA was the only major sports union not in control of its
licensing rights. The NBPA is obviously very excited about its
ability to market its players. NBA players are very recognizable
personalities and active social media users, attributes which would
make brand partnerships easier to come by. Think450's goal of
providing opportunities for all players to maximize opportunities
in and out of the game is an extremely useful one, as players'
careers and earnings can vary widely. Having the NBPA, an
organization charged with representing the interests of all
players, charged with maximizing player opportunities also seems
like an ideal fit.
https://www.fastcompany.com/40527883/nba-players-union-unveils-new-group-for-player-marketing-rights
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