What should I do with my life? Like an age-old question in our minds, Blenders founder Chase Fisher also had the exact thoughts after he graduated from San Diego State University. But he never knew what destiny had in store for him. If you go back and tell Fisher, ‘Hey, Deion Sanders will change your life forever,’ he probably would have called you crazy. Well, right now, he wouldn’t dare do that. Why? Let’s hear it from the man himself.

In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Fisher couldn’t stop praising Coach Prime’s impact on his sunglasses brand, Blenders. Sitting down with our host Andrew Whitelaw, Fisher called Sanders’ influence on his brand a “game-changing partnership.”

Chase Fisher: “Oh man, that was a game-changing partnership… It’s far beyond just a viral moment on the internet, that was a truly transformational shift in culture and shift in the brand direction. As a whole, collegiate sports were always something that I was passionate about, but never really had the angle to attack it until the Deion Sanders’ approach, and then coupled with the whole NIL explosion.”

So, what happened that led Sanders to take Fisher’s brand to the moon? Well, it started with his dad, who constantly pushed him to pursue Deion Sanders.

As Fisher once recalled what his dad said, “Chase, you gotta look at what Deion Sanders is doing. You gotta check him out. What he’s doing for college football and for leadership is groundbreaking. He’s gonna be big; you better get on his radar.” See, at the time, Sanders was still coaching Jackson State in Mississippi. But he used to have a signature style with sunglasses, a cap, and jewelry. So, Fisher thought, why not take a chance? And against all odds, he found out, “Deion was in the market for a sunglasses deal, and he was very passionate about getting a sunglasses deal for the season.” 

After discovering his interest, Fisher wasted no time sending Sanders a few samples of his Blenders. And guess what? He absolutely loved it! On his first game as head coach for the Buffaloes, Coach Prime even gave away a pair of shades to everyone on the team. Given his massive fan following, Fisher’s Blenders had no idea what was coming. And as fate would have it, his company only had 16,000 units ready for their exclusive collection with Sanders. Now, anyone who follows football knows what level of popularity Sanders enjoys. So naturally, it was a logistical nightmare for Fisher.

His Blenders needed to prepare more than 75,000 units just to cope with the pre-orders that were coming through. Just imagine- someone who didn’t know what to do after college now owns a company with a valuation of over $90 million. Simply gargantuan impact from Deion Sanders.

But Fisher didn’t stop there; he took his partnership with Sanders to the next level by throwing a NIL deal to a 99-year-old Boulders superfan, Peggy Coppom. And it was just to pave the way for what was to come. After all, we are aware of the massive changes student-athletes had to sit through, which was brought about by NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) on July 1, 2021. The NCAA interim rule allowed athletes to pursue NIL opportunities- sponsorships, brand deals, endorsements, etc.

And well, the rest is history…

Chase Fisher redefines the world of NIL deals

When you hear NIL, you probably think of college athletes or coaches like Deion Sanders. But Chase Fisher had ideas that had never even crossed anyone else’s mind. He thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be a great idea to offer a first-of-its-kind NIL deal to a superfan?’ Actually, not just any superfan, it’s 99-year-old Buffaloes superfan Peggy, whom Fisher had in mind.

Once this crazy idea crossed his mind, he even discussed the matter with the 57-year-old first, “Hey, what do you think about us signing Peggy as the first-ever fan to get an NIL deal?” Guess what? Sanders loved it! So, Fisher wasted no time in contacting Peggy and her team. Just like that, before turning 100, Peggy landed herself an NIL deal and a place in college football history. For every sleeve she sells, Blenders Eyewear will send her $1.

At 100, what more could you want than having the team you have supported since childhood come home and give you an opportunity to earn? If that’s not the true definition of Prime Time, then what is?

These exclusive interviews from EssentiallySports aim to bring the finest minds to discuss strategy or share a unique perspective that no one knew before. So, stay tuned for more such exclusive interviews on our website.