IMG Licensing to Represent Retired NFL Players

August 15, 2013

The Pro Football Retired Football Association (PFRPA) has announced that IMG Licensing has been selected to manage the marketing and licensing rights of the organisation’s members. 

This announcement follows a federal court settlement between retired NFL players and the NFL, which established two entities to be exclusively controlled by a board of directors composed of retired NFL players. The first entity is a licensing agency to be run with IMG Licensing that will create, develop and manage new revenue streams through commercialising the group rights of retired players’ name, likeness, autographs and images. The second is a ‘Greater Good Fund’ (GGF) to support health and welfare programs for retired NFL players.

Jim Brown, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PFRPA, said: “The Board is supremely confident that we will maximize all business opportunities available for retired players.  We are creating an official clearinghouse for potential endorsers, sponsors, licensees, and fans to connect with retired players on a national, regional, and local level. Companies who become partners with the licensing agency will be part of an historic enterprise and will be contributing to the wellbeing of all retired players.”

“The fact that the world’s leading sports marketing agency is interested in representing our members validates the opinion of the NFL and our Board that there is an untapped market for retired players,” said Ron Mix, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PFRPA. “We believe IMG Licensing will develop programs that will benefit all players, whether they were All-Stars or not.”

Wesley Haynes, Senior Vice President of IMG Licensing, said, “IMG Licensing is excited for the opportunity to work with the members of the PFRPA.  Given the broad scale opportunity to create revenue streams, we will utilize the resources of multiple IMG Divisions to build on the history and legacy of these former players.  IMG is uniquely qualified to lead such an effort and looks forward to working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA to reconnect football fans with the great players and legends of the game.”