“It’s important to start early and build something authentic,” says Doug Sanders who has established a place for himself in the vast terrain of sports marketing and brand building. These words aren’t just business advice—they’re a mantra for success, especially in today’s world of brand deals and marketing. And who better to break down this powerful insight than Sanders, the President of Sanders Sports & Entertainment? With years of experience shaping some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, Sanders knows the value of authenticity in building a brand.

Getting brand deals and endorsements is a desire for many NFL athletes out there but the one to stand out must inherit some exceptional skills. In an exclusive interview with our esteemed host Trey Holder for the latest episode of Essentially Sports Think Tank, Sanders opened up about one such person who shaped his philosophy, offering a rare peek into the mind of someone who’s built a successful career on and off the fields and it’s none other than Boby Wagner. 

Sanders, who has devoted his life to managing and overseeing NFL and NBA elites revealed that the sport of a player does not matter for him during partnerships. Sanders shared that becoming worthy of a brand does not always mean gaining visibility on social media but also standing out from others in an exceptional manner. He explained that he was mesmerized by the boggling business perspective that Wagner displayed last year. 

One of the best linebackers in the NFL, Wagner has tasted the elixir of ‘rich’ success through some great advice from the best that none of the players could do. His incredible ideas could not help Sanders become a fan of him and heap praises on the star athlete. When quizzed about his interest in other sports by Holder, Sanders elaborated himself and said, “I think it’s a matter of looking at those folks that wanna build a brand and wanna build something special long term.” He was quick to highlight how grateful he has been to work with the likes of Wagner and said, “Bobby is one of the most brilliant minds and I’m Lucky to work with them.” To substantiate his claim, Sanders recalled a story from last summer. 

Elaborating his praise for Wagner, Sanders shared, “Bobby, decided that he wanted to shadow Roger Goodell. No player has ever shadowed Roger Goodell and Bobby represents himself. He’s represented over 100 million worth of his own contracts. He was like I want to go and shadow Roger Goodell because I want to understand the business of the NFL.” While reaching out to Goodell is in itself a bold step, Sanders believes that it is no less than a masterstroke. 

Roger Goodell is the NFL’s Best Business Brain, per Doug Sanders

Roger Goodell has worked under the tutelage of Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and was appointed assistant to the president of the American Football Conference, Lamar Hunt, He has filled various Business Operations roles before eventually, going on to set up his own empire and becoming the NFL’s executive vice president and chief operating officer in December 2001.

He is also serving as the commissioner of the National Football League and the amalgamation of his sports and business knowledge makes him an incredibly qualified person to seek guidance from. Sanders believes the same and highlights that it is indeed an incredible idea to learn from the best in the business. 

Discussing Bobby Wagner’s idea further, Sanders said, “Who better to ask about the business of NFL than Roger Goodell? To me I’m like dude that’s so brilliant right, like anyone’s gonna do that, wanna be smarter in business. But that’s Bobby’s brand.”  Wagner has some potential stakes in several brands like Tonal, Therabody, and other health-focused brands. Thus Sanders highlights that improving business analytics is not just about making apt use of the opportunity but also creating more opportunities for oneself. 

This exclusive from Doug Sanders is just a sneak peek into the EssentiallySports Think Tank’s initiative to gather the best minds in sports and bring them directly to our esteemed audience. Want to know what else did Sanders deliberate on? Tune in quickly to watch the complete episode with Doug Sanders at EssentiallySports Think Tank—Where Sports Meets Smart Content.