CSMG • Press Release – updated: Jan 11, 2021
Former NFL consumer products czar Jim Connelly is joining Collegiate Sports Management Group (CSMG) as the company’s first senior vice president of consumer products. The collegiate property representation company is looking to ramp up its licensing business in order to complement its marketing and media rights, content creation and distribution, and ticketing expertise. A key area will be finding licensing opportunities within the budding esports landscape.
“It’s largely untethered from athletics at most schools, which means it’s different, but I can see nothing but opportunity there, especially as NIL comes into play; the power of the social media audience gamers generally have; and the headway we [CSMG] already have made in esports, it seems like fertile ground,” said Connelly. His hiring follows CSMG’s recent funding round from Generation Capital Partners.
In addition to his 25 years with the NFL, Connelly has held licensing/merchandising titles with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, IMG College/CLC and World Wrestling Entertainment.