Zone In

Two NIL Experts Talk Strategy and Resources to Empower Athletes at Any Level

In this episode of Zone In, two former college athletes that have now found themselves on the other side of the playing field join hosts Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chase Griffin. Travelle Gaines is Kayvon’s mentor, longtime friend and business partner, coordinating his name, i...

In the fourth episode of Zone In, hosts Chase Griffin and Kayvon Thibodeaux are joined by Jordan Chiles, an Olympic gymnastics medalist who’s also a UCLA athlete. The three discuss how a strong foundation of financial literacy can start with family at home and set an athlete up for future success.

Jordan has been a member of the U.S. Women's Natio...

Tennis phenom Gianna Pielet sits down with hosts Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chase Griffin to discuss how she navigated athletic stardom at an early age and learned to be true to herself.

Gianna started paying tennis when she was five, and by age eight she was winning national tournaments. At age 14, she signed a deal with Adidas, one of 15 female athletes the brand signed to repres...

In this episode of Zone In, Rayquan Smith, track star at Norfolk State and the 2022 Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) Hustle Award winner, sits down with hosts Kayvon Thibodeaux (former Oregon Duck and current New York Giant) and Chase Griffin (UCLA quarterback and two-time NIL Athlete of the Year). The three discuss Rayquan’s NIL deals – which number more than 80, including partnerships with Bodyarmor, Arb...

Welcome to Zone In, a podcast that explores the importance of financial health through the lens of college athletes, especially as they grapple with the implications of NIL (name, image and likeness) laws. In 2021 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the NCAA could not prevent student athletes from using their celebrity to receive some forms of compensation. For athletes, this has opened the door to sponsorship opportunities, brand de...

When a 2020 Supreme Court ruling allowed college athletes to finally earn money for their name, image, and likeness (NIL), many star players suddenly found themselves flooded with sponsorship offers and brand deals – and new potential pitfalls. In this episode of Zone In, hosts Kayvon Thibodeaux and Chase Griffin discuss navigating this new territory, and offer tips on personal branding, creating a support team and lifetime wealth ...