SBJ Marketing: Will Octagon stick with talent representation business?

Trusted industry sources say that ad/marketing agency monolith Interpublic Group has been quietly shopping the talent side of Octagon for months.

Octagon spokesman Alex Rozis rejected that notion in a strongly worded statement. "Octagon has absolutely no plans or interest in selling our Talent and Properties division. Our Talent and Properties work has been a pillar of the company for more than 40 years , and will forever be a key component," the statement read.

Octagon’s current talent roster includes headliners like Simone Biles, Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Over the years, it has repped notables like Moses Malone, Sheryl Swoopes, Michael Phelps, Apolo Ohno and Michael Vick. The agency has won SBJ's Best in Talent Representation award at the Sports Business Awards multiple times, most recently in 2021 .   

There’s been an increasing move toward consolidation among agencies, and IPG has been looking to better manage or possibly consolidate its collection of sports marketing shops -- Jack Morton, Octagon, and Momentum.

Outside of global agency holding companies, the increasing amount of private equity ownership behind so many sports marketing shops and marketing agencies per se has been -- and will continue to drive -- consolidation. Whether the talent rep side of the business is as attractive as consulting and sales is the question posed to me by some agency types.

"That side of the business is entirely based on relationships, and more so than the rest of the business," said a 25-year agency veteran. "So, while you could see some of the other talent firms looking at it, anyone would do so with caution."

Sources also indicated there was some disagreement within IPG whether it made sense to sell off parts of Octagon or keep it whole.

Echoing a trend across the industry, the Ravens' new high-end "Black Wing" suites at M&T Bank Stadium are sold out -- as is all the team’s suite inventory. The 24-person, all-inclusive suites, serviced by Levy , were the most expensive ever offered by the team and were sold with five-, seven- or 10-year commitments required.

"I’ve never seen a hotter hospitality market," said Ravens Chief Sales Officer Kevin Rochlitz, who declined to reveal pricing. "Demand for an ultra-VIP experience is at an all-time high." The Ravens are building 11 additional end-zone suites for the 2025 season; five are already sold.

Also in the offing is a rooftop deck, a 7,500-foot team store and at least three additional club areas.

Veteran agency and property marketer Todd Parker has joined Playfly as VP/corporate partnerships after some months of consulting there. He’ll be based in New York and focus on selling assets for Playfly’s handful of local 2026 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee clients. "I’ve kept a passion for the game," said Parker, who was director of marketing for the 1994 World Cup Organizing Committee. "And the World Cup as an event has grown to where it’s got to be considered the biggest sports event in the world." Parker will report to Playfly Consulting co-head John Kristick. For the past five years, Parker has been managing partner at Overtime Sports and Entertainment. He's also had sales and marketing roles at Endeavor/IMG, Professional Bull Riders, Premier Partnerships (purchased by Playfly in early 2022 ), Genesco Sports Enterprises, the USTA, NHL, Clippers and the 1984 L.A. Olympic Organizing Committee.

Meanwhile, at Legends, Sean Wallis moves from SVP for Notre Dame global partnerships to a new position as SVP/global partnerships, where he will manage sponsorships across college, golf, tennis and other special projects. Wallis has been with Legends since 2020, with prior stops at W Partners and The Marketing Arm. He’ll continue to be based in Chicago and report to Global Partnerships President Chris Hibbs.

Texas QB Quinn Ewers, projected by some as a Heisman Trophy candidate, starts his junior year with the Longhorns with a handful of NIL deals totaling several million dollars, negotiated by Rubicon Talent.

Among the deals are national TV spots for Dr Pepper and Hulu. Quinn also was one of three footballers on the cover for the long-awaited return of EA Sports College Football 25 video game . He also has deals with Rhoback apparel, Athletic Brewing, C4 Energy, Hulu and Gold’s Gym.

"Fox NFL Sunday" insider Jay Glazer starts the season supporting a new deal with Super Patch, which markets what it terms "drug free solutions for pain relief, improved sleep and overall well-being." So far, Glazer has been on a Times Square out-of-home ad for Super Patch, and supported with social and digital content.

Other Glazer endorsements are with Jimmy Bars (protein bars), Supernus Pharmaceuticals and Yaamava Resort & Casino.

Maury Gostfrand at The Montag Group reps Glazer.

• The biggest addition at this year's Tour Championship is The Georgian, an all-inclusive F&B offering set behind the eighth green and to the right of the ninth tee, and PGA Tour Superstore is aboard as presenting sponsor for the climate-controlled space, which has a capacity of 750, reports SBJ's Josh Carpenter.

• The overall domestic beer category is shrinking, and the rise of nonalcoholic beers is its biggest growth area. However, nonalcoholic brands will need to convince big sports properties that nonalcoholic beer can be carved out as a separate category from traditional beer. 

• The Army-Navy Game has a new sponsor in the American Legion, the country's largest veterans service organization, which will join presenting sponsor USAA and participating partners Chevrolet, Exchange, Duke Cannon Supply Co. and Palantir, notes SBJ's Ben Portnoy.

• Naming rights to the Commanders' stadium have been sold Northwest Federal Credit Union (an existing team sponsor), which steps in after a 24-year run for FedEx and a brief interregnum without a corporate sponsor since FedEx ended its contract in March, reports SBJ's Ben Fischer.

• Jefferson Health is the new sponsor of the Eagles' practice jersey ad patch. The team’s last practice patch was with Rothman Orthopaedics, which remains a sponsor at the “proud partner” level.

• Jim Millman, president of Incuvate and founder/CEO of Millsport from 1975 to 2003, wrote a piece this week's SBJ remembering his former colleague, Bob Basche.