Athletes × Technology × Brands
I operate at the intersection of professional athletes, enterprise technology, and global brands — building divisions, brokering deals, and creating market-defining platforms across the sports and entertainment ecosystem for 25+ years.
"I can teach you technology. What I can't teach you is what you already know — an understanding of people and markets."
— Oracle Executive to Kenyon Rasheed, 1998. The advice that launched a 25-year career.
I'm a business accelerator who helps technology companies, brands, and organizations win in the sports and entertainment vertical.
I build compliant entry strategies that align product features and value propositions with the unique business models of college and professional sports organizations. I've opened doors at every level — from athletic departments to league offices to stadium ownership groups.
I design and execute sports marketing campaigns that leverage athlete endorsements, media tours, event sponsorships, and talent agreements to drive demand, brand awareness, and ROI. From talent identification to activation across digital, radio, print, and on-site events.
I secure complex, high-value deals — from stadium-level technology partnerships to multi-year licensing agreements. I identify buying influences, develop compelling use cases, and structure deals that create lasting value for both sides.
I take products from concept to league-wide adoption. I've built HIPAA-compliant medical records systems, AI-powered recruiting platforms, and interactive betting technologies — identifying the need, building the solution, and selling it in.
I built Global Payments' Sports & Entertainment division from scratch — establishing fintech and payment technology within the sponsorship divisions of professional sports. I build new verticals, not just new accounts.
As a Managed Service Agency for martech and athlete partnerships, Pro Club provides deal analysis, audience reach, NIL valuation, and market insights — connecting brands with athletes through data-driven storytelling and authentic activations.
My work is built on relationships with athletes who don't just endorse — they partner, activate, and open doors. From Hall of Famers serving as business partners on Edge3 to current and retired pros driving brand campaigns through Pro Club, the athlete network is the competitive advantage no technology alone can replicate.
I recruited and managed 300+ current and retired professional athletes for the Opendorse social media endorsement platform. I leverage NFL Alumni Association chapters across 13 regions for on-the-ground talent activation — from tailgating events and charity golf tournaments to Sirius XM radio appearances and digital content campaigns.
Through Pro Club, I structure talent agreements and athlete partnerships that connect brands with the right athlete voice. Whether it's business partner Warren Sapp activating a franchise development campaign at a stadium, or leveraging Gary Payton's audience for a product launch, every engagement drives measurable business outcomes — not just impressions.
These relationships aren't a contact list. They're built from 30 years of shared locker rooms, business deals, and trust. When I call, they pick up.
From franchise development to fan engagement, I build athlete-powered marketing programs that drive revenue, brand awareness, and customer acquisition.
Activated Super Bowl Radio Row media promotion with Snoop Dogg for Xbox 360. Designed and executed high-visibility talent activation connecting Microsoft's gaming platform with one of the biggest cultural moments in sports — driving national press coverage, social buzz, and brand engagement during Super Bowl week.
Landed marketing partnership with Under Armour and created the "Heads Up" advertising campaign for USA Football — driving brand awareness at the intersection of youth athletics, safety, and national sports culture.
Created and managed national marketing campaigns featuring celebrity athlete media tours that drove brand awareness and customer acquisition for sports betting platforms. Structured talent agreements and managed activations across digital, broadcast, and on-site channels.
Led IBM/Edge3 Super Bowl promotion with business partners Brian Jones and Warren Sapp — showcasing the Edge3 Watsonx AI partnership on the biggest stage in sports. Delivered a featured keynote at IBM THINK, presenting the Edge3 athlete intelligence platform and the vision for AI-powered college sports recruiting to IBM's global technology audience.
Designed, managed, and published a consumer study with a 100-member focus group of retired NFL players. Delivered measurable data and insights that optimized market strategy and product positioning for CBD company targeting the athlete and wellness markets.
Helped Jael Martin through the college recruiting process — sitting in on home visits and helping the family navigate the process from evaluating programs to making the right decision. Assisted Ty Benefield with his transfer process by providing the family risk/fit reports with curated questions for each school, giving them the data and framework to make an informed choice.
Kenyon Rasheed captained the University of Oklahoma football team — earning All-Big 8 Academic honors four straight years — before playing three NFL seasons as a fullback, starting 10 games for the New York Giants and later joining the New York Jets. When a neck injury ended his career, a chance meeting on a plane with an Oracle executive changed everything.
At Oracle, he achieved 200% of revenue goal. But the bigger insight was recognizing that sports is a vertical — and nobody understood its processes better than he did. In 1999, he bet on himself.
At 27, he walked into NFL offices and introduced a real-time play-by-play betting system — and was told the league would never touch it. Two years later, he'd brokered a $250 million licensing deal for that technology with Kirch Media overseas. At 28, he was presenting a HIPAA-compliant EMR system to Commissioner Tagliabue — a system all 32 teams adopted that transformed how the NFL Combine operated.
He went on to build Global Payments' Sports & Entertainment division from scratch — securing the Mercedes-Benz Stadium Founding Partner deal alongside Coca-Cola, IBM, and The Home Depot, and establishing payment technology within the sponsorship structures of professional sports. He pioneered the first direct venue deal minus Ticketmaster.
In 2021, he co-founded Edge3, an AI-powered athlete intelligence platform built on IBM Watsonx — acquired by Next League in 2025, where Kenyon now leads the College Sports Practice.
Positioning technology for direct sell-in to professional and collegiate sports organizations.
Concept to league-wide adoption — EMR systems, betting platforms, AI recruiting tools, athlete valuation dashboards.
Built Global Payments' entire Sports & Entertainment division. Established fintech within sports sponsorship.
Talent agreements, endorsement campaigns, media tours, and event activations across NFL, NBA, and college athletics.
Deal analysis, athlete valuation, audience reach, and brand-athlete matching powered by data and firsthand knowledge.
30 years of relationships across NFL, NBA, NCAA, broadcast media, and technology — from locker rooms to boardrooms.
From Oracle to the NFL offices to founding companies that reshape how the sports industry operates.
A career built on identifying white space, building solutions, and closing deals that create lasting value.
Transformed Interactive Systems into a major market player. Negotiated a 15-year licensing agreement powering SkyBet and pioneering interactive sports wagering overseas — years before the U.S. legalized.
Built the entire S&E division from scratch. Secured Mercedes-Benz Stadium as a Founding Partner — the first stadium to execute a direct commerce deal minus Ticketmaster. Established fintech within sports sponsorship industry-wide.
Leveraged Pro Club's network to secure a major security services contract. Generated over $480K in billable revenue in 2025, contributing to $1.5M+ in total revenue over three years.
Created the Player Record Library System — the NFL's first HIPAA-compliant EMR. Secured sign-off from all 32 team trainers. Presented to Commissioner Tagliabue and the medical council. Transformed how the NFL Combine operated.
Co-founded platform, secured IBM Watsonx partnership, assembled Hall of Fame business partners, signed Will Anderson Jr. — leading to acquisition by the premier digital consultancy in global sports.
Analyzed payment processing infrastructure and identified optimization opportunity delivering half a million dollars in annual savings.
Reimagining college recruiting, NIL valuation, and athlete advisory with AI, data, and the intelligence of those who've lived it.
Edge3 is a data-driven athlete intelligence platform co-founded with Brian Jones, CBS Sports analyst and fellow NFL alumnus. The platform leverages IBM Watsonx AI to help athletes, families, and schools make smarter decisions about recruiting, agent representation, financial planning, NIL opportunities, and transfer portal navigation.
Rather than relying on media-generated star rankings, Edge3 uses machine learning to match athletes with programs based on real performance data, system fit, roster composition, and career trajectory. The platform also serves as a B2B tool for schools, conferences, and brands — providing predictive dashboards, athlete valuation models, and audience data for sponsorship ROI.
Everyone's got access to the same data. It's how we look at it. Warren Sapp watches multiple college games with a Telestrator, sending clips of what a defensive tackle isn't doing. That's intelligence you can't replicate with algorithms alone.
— Kenyon Rasheed, Sports Business JournalEdge3's first client was Will Anderson Jr. — national champion at Alabama, NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year with the Houston Texans. In 2025, Edge3 was acquired by Next League, where Kenyon now leads the College Sports Practice — building technology solutions for the modernization of college athletics.
Founded and leads 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with 18 high schools to offset athletic program costs — keeping sports accessible for student-athletes who need it most.
Mentors current and former NFL players during retirement and career transition — helping athletes navigate the same crossroads Kenyon faced after his own playing career ended.
Coaches numerous youth and amateur athletic teams across several sports — investing directly in the next generation of athletes and leaders in the community.
Whether you're a technology company entering the sports vertical, a brand seeking athlete-powered marketing, or an organization navigating the changing landscape of college athletics.