Pitt football partners with branding expert Jeremy Darlow
In response to the NCAA Board of Governor’s vote to allow athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL), Pitt football announced Tuesday a partnership with marketing consultant and best-selling author Jeremy Darlow.
Pitt’s football players will have access to Darlow’s online course, The DARLOW Rules, which is dedicated to helping student-athletes develop their personal brands.
Members of the football team can speak directly to Darlow, who also has partnered with West Virginia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas A&M and UCLA, NFL stars Aaron Rodgers and Von Miller, soccer’s Lionel Messi, auto racing’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. and rappers Kanye West and Snoop Dogg.
That’s in addition to Pitt’s current Cathy and John Pelusi Family Life Skills Program, which uses career counseling to help prepare athletes for several post-graduate initiatives, including graduate school and community service.
“At Pitt, the young men in our program are far more than just football players,” coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. “They are students, leaders, citizens and future professionals who will make their mark on the world in many different ways.
“We want to equip our student-athletes with skills and knowledge that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Jeremy shares our commitment to developing the total person, and I know our team is going to benefit greatly from his outstanding workshops and experiences.”
Darlow said existing opportunities in Pittsburgh and the Pelusi program make Pitt “an ideal place to not only play football, but to also build a plan for life after sports.”
Penny Semaia, Pitt’s senior associate athletic director for student life, said Darlow brings the appropriate knowledge and experience that aligns with the school’s mission.
“Jeremy’s program will help our student-athletes maximize their potential in preparing for life beyond sports,” Semaia said.
Darlow previously served as the director of marketing for adidas football and baseball and is the author of best-selling books “Brands Win Championships” and “Athletes are Brands Too.”
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Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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