YE’s Donda Sports strikes when the Aaron Donald is hot

When LA Rams All-Pro defensive lineman Aaron Donald signed with YE’s Donda Sports, the reaction by fans was mixed at best. Perhaps it was the fact that Donald was the first NFL player to sign with the company? Perhaps it was the public perception of a company run by Kanye West and newly hired president Antonio Brown? Whatever the case, the timing of the announcement was, as we will soon see, very strategic.

You can say plenty of things about fashion and entertainment mogul Kanye West, but one this is certain. He remains one of the most astute business minds in the sports and entertainment industry, and he continues to raise the bar all the time. But perhaps one of the savviest aspects of his business ventures is the fact that he has impeccable vision and timing.

In any marketing firm, the key to premium business lines is to affiliate with the best in the industry. In the NFL, that means signing up Aaron Donald. How good is he? Well, this is the tip of the iceberg:

But getting it done on the football is the stuff that excites fans. For NFL players, it’s about winning Super Bowls, earning playing time, and getting paid to do it. So what does that mean in terms of NFL salary? Well, since winning Super Bowl LVI, everyone knew that the LA Rams would ante up for Donald.

So how does this all tie into YE’s Donda Sports? Well, it was obvious to everyone that Aaron Donald was on a collision course to reset the bar in terms of NFL compensation for a non-quarterback. On Monday, June 6, that happened, and in a huge way.

And now that Aaron Donald has everyone’s attention? Well, the world is abuzz with the news about Aaron Donald. What better time to cash in on the new affiliation than now, while the Aaron is hot? (pun intended)

And so, here we go. Rather than spend millions of advertising dollars. YE’s Donda Sports signed up a premier NFL player, knowing that Aaron Donald’s newest contract would set records and headline NFL news for days. And now that everyone is talking about Aaron Donald, the timing has never been better to roll out products, apparel, merchandise, and a host of commercial endorsements by Aaron Donald.

For LA Rams fans, this is a good thing. Ultimately, earnings by any professional athlete come in two forms: NFL compensation or endorsement deals. Until now, Donald has relied upon NFL compensation. But now, by signing with YE’s Donda Sports, that other half of the revenue stream can kick in, and that will ease the financial pressure on the Rams to drive Aaron Donald’s family budget.

Donda Sports has signed Rams DL Aaron Donald and Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown so far, and are rumored to be seeking to sign a professional female athlete as well. The group so far appears to be a small but elite group of professional athletes who are peaking today.

For Donald, some endorsement deals are rumored to include his own signature football cleats, exploring opportunities to debut in acting, and athletic wear. Now that Aaron Donald’s contract is completed, look for Donda Sports to piggyback the news with an Aaron Donald announcement of their own.

Some believe that Aaron Donald may be distracted by signing with Donda Sports. I think the reverse may be true. Donda Sports wants the best athletes, which means that the affiliation with Aaron Donald implies that Donald will take care of his business on the football field. I think this could all prove to be a solid confederation of separate but aligned interests going forward. How do you see it?