The Business of NIL: Parents, Brands, and the Power Behind College Sports | Justin J. Giangrande

Ryan Alford sits down with Justin J. Giangrande, Founder and CEO of NETWORK, for a wide-ranging conversation on how NIL is reshaping college sports from the inside out.

Justin explains what athlete representation actually looks like in the NIL era, why schools, conferences, and brands are all still figuring out the rules in real time, and why the real power in college sports now sits with a handful of decision-makers who still have not fully aligned. He also breaks down how his firm approaches school negotiations, why the best deal is not always the biggest one, and what parents need to understand before trying to navigate this world alone.

Ryan brings the business and brand lens, Justin brings the operator and agent lens, and together they unpack why NIL is both a mess and a massive opportunity. This episode is especially useful for parents, athletes, marketers, and anyone trying to understand where the business of college sports is actually headed.

Topics Covered

• NETWORK’s role in collegiate sports marketing and NIL

• Why regulation still has not caught up

• The tension between athlete opportunity and roster chaos

• How brands should think about NIL and athlete partnerships

• Why high school NIL may be the next big unlock

• What parents need to know before picking representation

• How schools can create more real endorsement value

• Why some sports still have massive untapped upside

Connect with Justin J. Giangrande / NETWORK

• NETWORK: thenetworkadvisory.com

• Justin J. Giangrande bio: thenetworkadvisory.com/team/justin-j-giangrande

• Justin on Instagram: @jg.network

• NETWORK on Instagram: @thenetworkadvisory

Connect with Ryan Alford / Right About Now

• Right About Now: ryanisright.com

• Right About Now YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCc8gmekIb1SS1s216ASNT_w