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The Most Important Two Weeks of the Year for Mid-Major Athletes For mid-major college basketball players, March isn’t just about winning games, it’s about changing their futures. The conference tournaments and NCAA Tournament provide a rare opportunity for these athletes to showcase their talents on a national stage, often for the first time. Unlike players from Power 5 conferences, mid-major athletes don’t get the same level of exposure during the regular season. Their games are rarely broadcast on national television, and they don’t have the same built-in NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities that come with playing for major programs. But in March? The lights get brighter. The games matter more. And for many, it’s their one chance to turn heads. A Great Tournament Run Can Change Everything A strong performance in March can open doors that seemed impossible just weeks before. Take Pepperdine’s Moe Odum as an example. Odum, a 6’0″ guard, had a breakout performance in the West Coast Conference (WCC) Tournament, averaging 22.5 points and 10.5 assists per game while leading Pepperdine on a Cinderella run. His regular-season stats were impressive 13.1 PPG and 7.5 APG, but it was his tournament play that truly put him on the map. Now, Odum is entering the transfer portal, and after proving himself against high-level competition, he’s likely to draw interest from Power 5 programs. This means a bigger platform and most importantly, greater NIL earning potential. The NIL Effect: How One Game Can Lead to Big Deals Just last year, Oakland’s Jack Gohlke proved how much one big game can matter. Gohlke became an NCAA Tournament legend when he knocked down 10 three-pointers to lead Oakland to an upset victory over Kentucky. That single performance turned him into a household name overnight. And with that recognition came a wave of NIL deals. Following his March Madness heroics, Gohlke signed partnerships with: Before that game, Gohlke was a great mid-major shooter. After it? He was a marketable athlete with national name recognition. This is why March Madness is so much more than a basketball tournament, it’s a career-changing event. Are You Ready For Your Moment? For mid-major players, these next two weeks are the best opportunity to prove themselves. The transfer portal and NIL era have changed college sports, and March is the launchpad for so many athletes looking for their next step. If you’re a player, the question is: Are you ready for your moment? If you’re a brand, the question is: Are you paying attention? Because in March, one shining moment can truly change everything.

Super Bowl LIX will be jam packed with historic milestones, crazy plays, and celebrity girlfriends. While fans focus on game-winning plays and who the camera is panning to, a different kind of battle is unfolding behind the scenes. Surprisingly, this battle is trademarks. Over the past two weeks the NFL and both teams have been busy either protecting, filing, or licensing trademarks. From viral plays to iconic phrases, intellectual property has become a huge part of football. It all started in 1969 where the NFL was granted a trademark registration for the phrase “SUPER BOWL.” Since then, the NFL has made a conscious effort to protect the mark. To do so, the NFL sends cease-and-desist letters to alleged infringers, where no company or organization is safe. Famously, in 2007, the NFL sent a cease-and-desist letter to an Indiana church group for advertising a “Super Bowl” viewing party charging a $3.00 entry fee to cover snacks. The NFL may seem unreasonable for going after such tiny organizations, but they have no choice but to defend their trademark. The trademark owner must actively protect their mark or else the mark would be abandoned. This would mean they have given up their rights to the trademark by ceasing to use it without any intention of resuming use, potentially allowing others to use the mark freely.  To avoid cease and desist letters many companies say, “The Big Game,” “Football’s Favorite Day,” and “The Big Matchup” to infer the Super Bowl and not to infringe on the Super Bowl trademark. A company is allowed to use the phrase “Super Bowl” in their ads when they have a license agreement. A license agreement is a legal contract that gives one party the right to use another party’s intellectual property (trademark) or physical property. Through all these agreements the NFL makes a massive amount of money. To keep the license agreements, the NFL must defend their trademarks. If they do not defend their trademarks, then they will diminish in value. This strict enforcement ensures that only official partners and sponsors can capitalize on the name, reinforcing the exclusivity and prestige of Super Bowl-related marketing. The NFL’s trademark enforcement isn’t just about legal compliance, it’s a core part of their business strategy, ensuring the Super Bowl remains one of the most commercially valuable sporting events in the world. Conversely, Philadelphia’s dominance on the field has been powered by their controversial yet effective “Tush Push” play where a quarterback sneak has become nearly unstoppable. The team took things a step further in December 2023 by filing a trademark application for “Tush Push.” If registered, the Eagles will own the right to use the phrase on apparel, ensuring no competitors profit from the viral name. This move isn’t just about protecting a phrase; it’s about turning on-field success into off-field business ventures. By receiving a trademark registration for their signature play, the Eagles are proving they are just as strategic off the field as they are on it. On the other sideline, the Kansas City Chiefs are on the verge of trademark history. If they secure a third consecutive championship, they will officially achieve a “Three-Peat” which no NFL team has done in the Super Bowl era.  However, the NFL and Chiefs can’t freely market the term because it doesn’t belong to them. Pat Riley, the legendary NBA coach, received a trademark registration for “Three-Peat” back in 1988 when he was coaching the Lakers. Since then, he has earned royalties by licensing the phrase for championships across multiple sports. Anticipating the Chiefs’ potential three-peat, the NFL struck a licensing deal with Riley to use the term on official NFL merchandise. This highlights how trademarks aren’t just short-term plays, they can hold value for decades, especially when tied to historic sports moments. Even established stars recognize the power of trademarks. Saquon Barkley, one of only nine players in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season, capitalized on this milestone by filing a trademark for “2K SA.” Meanwhile, rookie Quinyon Mitchell, after a regular season with no interceptions, made headlines with two clutch picks in the playoffs and followed up by filing for the trademark “Quinyonamo Bay.” Philadelphia Eagles center Cam Jurgens also joined the trademark movement, filing for ‘JURGY’ just days before the Super Bowl to protect his line of beef jerky and related merchandise. Jurgens originally launched the business during his time at the University of Nebraska as an NIL venture, and now he’s ensuring his brand grows on the national stage. These filings demonstrate how players at all stages of their careers are seizing key moments to build their personal brands and extend their influence off the field. The Super Bowl isn’t just about touchdowns, highlight plays, and championship moments, it’s also about trademarks, branding, and business moves that extend far beyond the field. As the final whistle blows, and one team lifts the Lombardi Trophy the smartest organizations and athletes are leveraging their intellectual property to secure their legacies long after the season ends.