In partnership with Obsesh, the new sports marketing arm aims to further connect CSU student athletes with brands, businesses, and the community to bring value while they play at CSU and beyond.
Breaking News! Ft. Collins, CO – September 1, 2023 – Colorado State University’s Green & Gold Guard NIL Collective has teamed with Obsesh, the leading provider of NIL brand, marketing, and technology services, to create a new sports marketing agency arm. The mission is to connect Colorado State athletes to NIL marketing deals, including talent endorsements, corporate sponsorships, and charitable endeavors with both national brands and local businesses in the Fort Collins, Denver Metro and broader Colorado markets. Athletes can also participate in and benefit from the new Guard Unleashed fan club memberships.
“College Athletes today are incredibly influential in their communities, and in markets like Fort Collins, oftentimes the biggest celebrities are those who are on the university sports teams,” said John Weber, Executive Director of The Green & Gold Guard added. “The Green & Gold Guard is here to help these athletes with their own personal brand and prepare them for success in the business world after sports, which is something that I personally am most excited about. To elevate our expertise quickly for our community, we’ve partnered with leading sports marketing and technology group, Obsesh, who has more than 25 years in this athlete influencer space.”
The Green & Gold Guard is The Official NIL Collective of Colorado State University and is a proud partner of Colorado State Athletics. The group launched in 2022 to cultivate extraordinary athletes through empowerment, education, and economic opportunities and has supported more than 50 athletes to date.
Joe Parker, Colorado State University Athletics Director
“One of the great things that occurred two years ago was the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness,” said Joe Parker, Director of Athletics at Colorado State. “We are very thankful that we have The Green & Gold Guard, which has been a high integrity organization that has stepped up and come forward to really fill a gap that was there and find a way to engage the community around our student athletes and their personalities.”
Colorado State is home to some of college sports most exciting athletes, many of who have incredible stories, standout college careers, and fan bases. The Green & Gold Guard’s 2023-2024 Ambassador roster includes Wide Receiver Tory Horton, an NFL hopeful already garnering huge buzz, in addition to veterans like Defensive Back Chigozie Anusiem and Defensive Lineman Mohamed “Mo” Kamara, who had a standout senior year, Defensive Back Jack Howell, and Offensive Lineman Jacob Gardner. They are joined by Men’s Basketball Point Guard and NBA draft hopeful Isaiah Stevens, and Women’s Basketball Point Guard McKenna Hofschield, in addition to Colorado State Women’s Volleyball Middle standout, Naeemah Weathers. The Green & Gold Guard also expects to sign members of multiple teams in the coming weeks.
“As partners with The Green & Gold Guard group, we are excited to announce that the NIL group is taking a bold step forward in their commitment to the local community and the athletic community. We are now offering exclusive sponsorship opportunities for brands and organizations to work directly with our talented athletes through events, product collaborations, digital media, promotions, charity and retail appearances to boost your brand visibility through localized marketing campaigns. We believe that by bridging this gap and making it easy for companies and brands to have a single point of contact, we can foster meaningful connections that benefit all parties involved and further enrich our community and culture,” said Tracy Benson, CEO of Obsesh.
For more information on how to work with the Green & Gold Guard NIL Group and its roster of Athlete Ambassadors, visit https://www.theggguard.com/ or to join the Guard Unleashed Fan club, visit http://theguardunleashed.com.
About The Green & Gold Guard NIL Group
The Green & Gold Guard, The Official Collective of Colorado State Athletics as well as a Proud Partner of Colorado State Athletics, launched in 2022 to cultivate extraordinary athletes through community engagement, empowerment, education, and economic opportunities. Through The Guard Foundation, companies and supporters can get involved with our not-for-profit organization designed to promote and develop the growth of our Colorado community. The Guard Unleashed is for Rams Fans to get member-only exclusive access, personalized content, merch discounts, and connect with fellow State fans and alumni who share their passion.
For more information and to learn more, visit https://www.TheGuardUnleashed.com and https://www.TheGGGuard.com/.
About Obsesh
Launched in 2021 by industry veterans Tracy Benson and Jonalyn Morris, Obsesh is a sports marketing and technology platform specializing in Name, Image, and Likeness brand growth for collegiate and elite high school athletic programs. Headquartered in California, Obsesh is backed by key sports tech funds including Stadia Ventures, Underdog Ventures, and influencers, including Chad Hurley, YouTube Founder and co-owner of Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Football Club. Obsesh is dedicated to empowering athlete equity for all. For more information or to discover opportunities, visit https://go.obsesh.com/.