Players Health, a sports tech company providing digital risk-management services, reporting tools and insurance products to sports organizations, is adding an all-star name to its team.
Longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski is serving as a brand ambassador for Players Health, joining the company’s NIL advisory board, he told SBJ.
The arrangement began at the Final Four in San Antonio, where Wojnarowski appeared on behalf of the company and moderated a pair of panels during the Silver Waves Media Global NIL Conference.
“I don’t know how we could compete right now without this,” he said, referencing the insurance policies Players Health has provided for the Bonnies.
Wojnarowski, who spent the better part of two decades as the preeminent NBA insider and redefined the news breaking business in the process, shelved his cellphones and frequent flyer miles for a role working as the general manager of the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team in September. Katherine McConnell at CAA represented Wojnarowski in this deal.
Now he’ll further embed himself into the evolving college basketball landscape with the Players Health deal. His ambassador role will include driving strategic initiatives for the company, participating in educational panels and representing the group at various industry events.
“We’re trying to find all these other ways to bring in revenue through other kinds of partnerships, but the donor model is still significant,” Wojnarowski said. “For them to know that if they make contributions -- big and small -- that it’s not just down the drain if a player gets injured -- which is going to happen in sports -- you’re in a position with these partnerships with paying a premium to get back that money.
““I have found with those who would donate to us, it gives them peace of mind that, ‘Hey, it’s not just money lost,‘” Wojnarowski said. “We’re not NBA teams who have a billionaire owner who’s just gonna bankroll it. Your owners are the people who support your program and give. You’ve got to show them that you’re handling those resources responsibly. It’s an inexact science. It’s not perfect, but you want to show them that it’s just not going into some black hole.”
Players Health also recently closed a $60 million Series C funding round to accelerate expansion of its athlete safety and insurance solutions.
