News & Insight
NIL industry expert Nick Garner, appointed to lead the new business vertical
Two Circles has announced the creation of its new collegiate business vertical – Two Circles College – aimed at professionalizing the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape for student-athletes and their universities.
Two Circles College offers a proven solution to help student-athletes capitalize on their NIL marketing rights while providing universities and their athletics departments with a robust framework to support their players and enhance their programs through successful marketing and promotion strategies.
Nick Garner, former CEO of NIL marketing agency Every True Tiger Brands, LLC, will serve as Executive Vice President, leveraging his extensive experience and industry expertise to lead this transformative initiative.
With the rapidly changing NIL landscape, universities face numerous challenges and missed opportunities in supporting their student-athletes. Two Circles, leveraging our proven track record in professional sports, is uniquely positioned to address these issues. By combining our innovative use of content, data, and analytics with Garner’s expertise in the NIL space, Two Circles College will create unparalleled value for universities and student-athletes. Two Circles College will provide expertise in fair market valuations, effective promotional strategies, and world-class content creation, all within an athlete-centric playbook that connects administration, coaches, and players.
“Our goal is to professionalize the dynamic NIL landscape,” stated Garner. “By combining Two Circles’ data-driven strategies with my experience in this field, Two Circles College can establish a more structured and effective approach to NIL management. This synergy, complemented by our marketing capabilities, equips schools and their student-athletes with the expertise needed to fully leverage their rights. Our approach ensures that every stakeholder, from administrators to coaches and players, benefits from a cohesive and supportive environment, ultimately maximizing the benefits for all involved. I am incredibly excited to join Two Circles, leaders in their space, and work with the right company and expert team to advance NIL and truly help schools and their players.”
Two Circles’ entry into the collegiate NIL space is supported by success with powerhouse properties like the NFL, the College Football Playoff, Formula 1, and LA28, as well as other global leading rightsholders and teams.
“Our experience working with major rightsholders has enabled us to create a playbook that will elevate and transform the NIL experience in collegiate sports,” said Adam Davis, Managing Director, North America at Two Circles. “Two Circles College brings a wealth of expertise from the professional and collegiate sports worlds, and our approach to content, data, and marketing will be transformative for student-athletes and their schools. We are absolutely thrilled to have Nick on board. His proven model in NIL marketing, coupled with our expertise, makes this the perfect solution for universities. We are confident that with Nick leading the charge, we will provide the essential support and opportunities needed to help student-athletes and universities maximize potential and thrive in this new era of collegiate athletics.”
As CEO of Every True Tiger Brands, Garner designed and executed NIL activities for student-athletes at the University of Missouri, expanding the full-service agency and coordinating impactful campaigns. Previously, Garner spent 16 years with Learfield, where he launched the company’s NIL strategy and trained over 180 groups on its impact. He also served as General Manager of Mizzou Sports Properties and Grizzly Sports Properties at the University of Montana and held a leadership role with Sooner Sports Properties at the University of Oklahoma.