If you’re looking for a way to increase sales and improve overall brand awareness, prominent sports figures are attractive options. Their athletic prowess gives them instant credibility to any product, particularly anything related to those geared towards athletes. With that being said, their celebrity alone will influence fans to want to be like them and be associated with the same products or services. Your business would most likely benefit from this association, and this is true whether it’s a big name or not and for pretty much any type of product, service, or business.
While the actual influence celebrity athletes have regarding advertising is a matter of debate, a Harvard University professor and Barclays Capital conducted a study that indicated sales growth compared to their previous numbers and overall placement in the market as well. The study showed an average increase of around 4%, with more considerable gains from those with higher status. Fans of a particular team or specific athlete will be more inclined to purchase a product or use a service endorsed by them.
One key aspect of growing your brand is making people aware of your brand. Attaching a local or national athlete quickly raises awareness for anyone who’s a fan of that individual or the team for which they play. Once people are aware of your brand’s products or services, they would be more likely to purchase from you. A potential customer’s favorable feelings towards the celebrity athlete can and often will translate to your company. Aaron Rodger's State Farm commercials and Brett Favre's Wrangler commercials are just a couple of examples.
Social media promotion by an athlete can increase that awareness even more. According to Opendorse, athletes on social media drive 4.8 times the engagement of media accounts, 3.6 times the engagement of league accounts, 2.4 times the engagement of team accounts, and 2.1 times the engagement of influencer accounts. It just goes to show how associating your brand with an athlete can push awareness and engagement through the roof.
Keep it local, and consider using a celebrity athlete from your home team. A small business that uses a local athlete of any profile brings much-wanted attention and awareness to your brand and business. For example, in Green Bay or anywhere in the state of Wisconsin, having any member of the Green Bay Packers at your event or endorsing your product will generate interest and get more eyes on you. Sticking to someone who is known and admired or associated with a known and admired team, locally and with your target market, pays huge dividends.
Once you’ve decided to utilize a celebrity athlete to help market your product or service, you need to know how to utilize a celebrity athlete. There are various ways to do so, and whichever way you choose will depend on what’s the best fit for your business and your products or services. The first way would be to have them endorse your brand. An endorsement could be digital, radio, print, television, etc., advertising depending on where you’re most likely to find your target market.
If you have an event coming up, having a celebrity appearance will bring more attention and most likely increase attendance. You can add an autograph signing session as part of your event or even have the signing be the event that you’re hosting. Either way, associating the celebrity athlete with your brand is the key. You can also sponsor a celebrity athlete to do a motivational speech for a local school or organization. Approaching your relationship this way gives the double whammy of giving back to the community as well as associating you with the athlete.
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
Since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, much of what we do today has gone virtual. Whether it is working from home, meetings, ordering food and supplies, viewing webinars, etc. many things we used to do in person are now done virtually. With social distancing, quarantines, and safer at home measures one cannot simply host events like conventions. However, like most other things you can do this virtually as well, and doing so can provide many of the same benefits as does an in-person convention. And like many other things that have gone virtual, even after the pandemic is over, are virtual conventions the wave of the future? They may indeed be so here are some of the hows, whys, benefits, and pitfalls of doing a virtual convention.
First thing you should probably do is set up your virtual conference website. Depending on which platform(s) you ultimately use (discussed below) this could merely be a registration form on your current website. This is a good way to get people registered and provide a survey so you can get to know your attendees a bit better. This form should include attendee contact information, demographics, employment, or whatever pertinent information you need. Also on this form should be convention information such as speakers, schedule, and your social media links.
Now choose the platform you wish to use that offers the features and capabilities you need. Some popular examples include Zoom, BlueJeans Events, EasyWebinar, WebinarJam, and GoToWebinar.
This part is relatively simple and will be handled by the platform you choose to host your virtual convention on. Your attendees will be given a link to the event and will simply login in order to participate. For security and logistical reasons, make sure to add a waiting room in order to verify the attendees, as well as muting them upon entrance so there is no background noise. Offer a way to “raise their hands” so that they can be unmuted to contribute or ask questions. Either of these will be available in the settings of the platform you choose. Most platforms either offer or integrate with various chat clients so you can engage with the attendees in real-time.
One of the greatest benefits of a virtual convention, besides possibly being the only way to have conventions during the pandemic, is cost. With far lower overhead costs, you can reduce the price to attend your convention thereby increasing the potential number of attendees. In addition to the lower ticket price, people from all over the world can attend without having to incur travel expenses of their own. A virtual convention also makes it easier to get speakers as they do not have to travel themselves and commit as much time to their appearance. You could even use a pre-taped video presentation if that is what is preferable to yourself and the speaker. Also, the recording of the virtual convention becomes a product in and of itself that you could sell or use as a marketing tool.
One downside to the virtual convention is that the networking opportunities suffer a bit. You cannot meet up in person and make a connection like you can at a physical conference. This can be mitigated by offering breakout sessions where all participants are on the screen and communicating with each other or even a simple chat room where attendees can engage in group or individual discussions. Distractions can be more prevalent when attending a virtual convention due to the fact they are most likely at home where a myriad of things could vie for their attention. With so many ways on the various platforms to engage and include the attendees in discussions, and activities and having interesting content and speakers will help alleviate this as well.
With numerous partnerships with athletes, company peers, and speakers across the country, contact Mayfield Sports Marketing and ask about speakers such as Desmond Howard, Nick Saban, Jerry Kramer, Charles Woodson, and Brett Favre, Mayfield Sports Marketing can connect you with the perfect individual for your virtual convention.
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
Celebrity autographs have been sought by sports fans since pretty much the dawn of professional sports. Over the years, this has evolved into a big business, including certified signed memorabilia. It’s no longer just kids waiting outside after a game or a chance meetup in public. Recently, the sports memorabilia industry has hit a boom period so let’s look at why that might be and how this can benefit your memorabilia business.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, people’s spending habits changed. Bars, restaurants, movie theaters, etc., all took a hit financially. Some people may have had disposable income that no longer had a destination. As a result, other businesses thrived during the pandemic. Sports memorabilia, specifically autographed sports memorabilia, is one of those industries that hit a boom.
You would either buy a ticket or line up to have your item signed or purchase an item to have signed in normal times. Sometimes only one or the other, although at times both were acceptable. Things have evolved a bit with social distancing, and so many of these have moved to virtual events. This can often be done very similarly, just an online meet in which the athlete signs your item while in a virtual conference with you, and the item is shipped to you. The types of items can vary from pictures, mini-helmets, footballs/baseballs/basketballs (depending on the athlete’s sport), jerseys, t-shirts, and so on.
During in-person events, you often have an option to purchase something on-site or bring a personal item from home. The neat thing about bringing a personal item with you to the signing is that sometimes it can spark a conversation about the item if it has a special meaning or a cool story behind it, adding a little something extra to the experience. Also, in-person events will often allow selfies to be taken with the player, which, in essence, becomes like an autograph in and of itself.
If you are in the sports memorabilia industry yourself and are interested in doing your own autograph session, Mayfield Sports Marketing can help! For several years now, MSM has contracted athletes for big and small businesses both locally and nationally.
Some of the athletes we have contracted include:
We have had the pleasure of working with numerous clients such as Radtke Sports, FanDuel, Oakley, Citgo, Cousins Subs, ESPN, Kohler Companies, Waukesha SportCards, Legends of the Field, E5 Sports, Jeff’s Sports, and Great Sports, among others. Contact us today to get a quote, get your autograph session planned, and see how it can help your business!
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
Throughout most of its 100-year history, success was the norm for the Green Bay Packers. After a solid trouncing of rival Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in the 2020 season finale, the Packers not only earned another trip to the playoffs but the first overall seed as well. Meaning the road to the Lombardi Trophy goes through the Hallowed Frozen Tundra of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Here’s a look at the playoff history of the Green Bay Packers.
While the NFL was established in 1920, there was no postseason until 1933 as the championship was decided exclusively by win-loss record. The Green Bay Packers still managed to acquire their first three NFL championships in consecutive years 1929-1931 with records of 12-0-1, 10-3-1, and 12-2-0, respectively. They also finished as runners up in 1927 and 1932. From 1933 - 1969 the NFL split into two divisions with the two best records in each division playing each other for the championship.
In this era, the Packers won 8 NFL Championships in 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961-1962, and then finally the 1965 season. They also played in two other NFL Championship games in 1938 and 1960 seasons, coming up on the short end. In this pre-Super Bowl era, the tenure of the legendary Vince Lombardi began, starting in 1959.
Prior to the full AFL/NFL merger in 1970, from 1966-1969, the AFL Champion played the NFL Champion in what was called the Super Bowl. With three NFL Championships with Lombardi at the helm, he would keep his winning ways, defeating the Dallas Cowboys for the NFL Championship. The Packers then faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl I becoming the first-ever Super Bowl champions with a 35-10 victory.
The following year they beat Los Angeles in the conference championship and the Dallas Cowboys in the infamous Ice Bowl for the NFL Championship. The Packers won Super Bowl II over the Oakland Raiders, marking the end of the Lombardi era and the beginning of an extended dry spot.
They didn’t make an appearance in the postseason until 1972, losing the divisional playoff game. A decade would pass before making another appearance winning their first-round game and then losing in the second round to Dallas. Another decade plus one year until their next postseason appearance after the 1993 season, winning the wildcard game against Detroit and losing, again, to Dallas in the Divisional playoff. The Packers finally put together consecutive trips to the postseason but suffered the same results as the prior year, beating the Lions in the Wildcard and losing to Dallas in the Divisional round.
After the 1995 season, the playoffs saw the Packers build upon their successes of the prior two years by beating Atlanta in the Wild Card round, the 49ers in the divisional round, and losing the NFC championship to (yep, you guessed it) the Dallas Cowboys. The next season would see the Brett Favre-led Packers continue to build upon previous success, defeating the 49ers in the Divisional round, Carolina in the NFC Championship, culminating in ending the Super Bowl drought by winning Super Bowl XXXI over the New England Patriots.
After victories over Tampa Bay and winning the NFC Championship at San Francisco, a repeat as Super Bowl Champions was not in the cards, losing to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII.
After the 1998 season, they would make the playoffs for a sixth consecutive year but lost in the opening round at San Francisco. After a three-year absence from the playoffs, they made the playoffs for four consecutive years. In 2001, beating San Francisco at home in the wildcard game and losing at St. Louis. Then again, in 2002, they saw a home loss to Atlanta in the Wild Card round. 2003 brought about a Wild Card home victory over Seattle and ended with a loss at Philadelphia. Finally, 2004 was an early exit with a rare home loss to the Vikings in the Wild Card round.
After another three-year dry spell, the 2007 Packers advanced to the NFC Championship game, losing at home again, this time to the Giants. After an ugly divorce from star QB Brett Favre, the 2008 Packers led by Aaron Rodgers would miss the playoffs. 2009 Packers traveled to Arizona for a Wild Card matchup, losing that game in a shootout in another overtime contest. After narrowly making the playoffs, the 2010 Packers became road warriors, winning at Philly, at Atlanta, at Chicago, and culminating with another Lombardi trophy defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
That would mark the last time the Packers would make it to the Super Bowl. They would continue to make the playoffs each year through the 2016 season, giving them eight consecutive postseason trips. In that span, the Packers would reach the NFC Championship game in 2014 and 2016. After a two year drought that led to Mike McCarthy’s ousting, the Packers would again make the playoff last year under rookie head coach Matt LaFleur, culminating in a loss at San Francisco in the NFC Championship game.
After the questionable decision to pass on more weapons for the aging Hall-of-Famer, Aaron Rodgers, and instead of drafting for the future, the Packers went on a tear in the 2020 season. The “declining” Aaron Rodgers responded to the perceived slight with vigor putting together what’s likely to be his third MVP season leading the league in completion percentage. The 2020 Packers finished 13-3 to clinch the lone bye in the NFC playoffs. The team’s 509 points and 66 touchdowns were both league leaders and the second-highest in team history.
There were some more phenomenal stats from this season. Rodgers threw more touchdown passes (48) than JK Scott punted (47), only the fourth team in the history of the NFL to do so. Also, 47 punts is the least ever in franchise history. Along those lines, Davante Adams caught more touchdowns (18) than Mason Crosby kicked field goals (16), leading the receiver to outscore the kicker 108 to 107, which is extremely rare. Oh, and Crosby was also 100% on field-goal (16/16) tries.
Performance in the red zone is crucial to any team’s success, and the Packers converted 60 red-zone trips (gold zone as the team now refers to it) into 48 touchdowns, giving them an 80% conversion rate, which is a whole 5% better than the second-place team. No team has had a higher percentage of red-zone touchdown conversions in the last 40 years. Rodgers set new team records with 48 TD passes and 51 total touchdowns on the topic of touchdowns. He also tied for third-most in NFL history with seven games of four touchdowns.
More records fall for Rodgers with a passer rating of 100.0 or more with fourteen, games with 3+ TDs, and a minimum rating of 100.0 (10).
Among other records was Robert Tonyan’s 11 TD receptions, tying for the lead in the NFL among tight ends and tying the team record for tight ends. In spite of some highly publicized drops, Marquez Valdez-Scantling led the NFL in yards per catch at 20.9, hauling in 33 catches for 620 yards. He tied for most in the NFL with six catches of forty or more yards and averaged 43.7 yards per catch on his touchdown receptions.
In a season in history, the two best passer ratings now belong to Aaron Rodgers after finishing with a season rating of 121.5, just one point behind his own record of 122.5 set in 2011. Davante Adams also put up impressive numbers this year, breaking the team record for receptions with 115 (formerly 112 held by Sterling Sharpe and set in 1993), tied the season touchdown reception record (18 set in 1994 also by Sharpe), and fell just short of Jordy Nelson’s reception yardage record of 1519 (2014) with 1374 yards. All after missing almost three full games.
With team chemistry at an incredible high, and Rodgers and Adams, and Rodgers and LeFleur, all being perfectly in sync, this is the best chance the Packers have had to make a run and bring the Lombardi trophy home. The elite play by the Hall-of-Fame quarterback and his all-world receiver bolstered by excellent offense line play and a defense that has become stalwart over the last half of the season certainly fits the recipe for a championship. Let’s hope that comes to fruition, and we can add another championship to the legendary and storied history of the Green Bay Packers.
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
We all heard it at the draft prior to the 2020 season-what on earth are the Green Bay Packers THINKING? The first ballot hall-of-fame quarterback is beginning to decline; they should’ve drafted more weapons in one of the deepest receiver classes in recent history. It was a huge mistake to draft Rodgers’s eventual replacement and a running back when we already have a stacked backfield. They’re wasting his talent and giving up on the present to plan for the future...or were they paving the road to Super Bowl 2021?
With the benefit of hindsight being 20/20, perhaps the Packers’ staff knew what they were doing all along? Maybe they knew just what they had already and knew they could plan for the future AND win now. That’s precisely what they’ve done and done so in a dominant fashion. Heading into the bye week, after one of the best seasons in franchise history in which records were approached, met, or outright broken, what appeared to be foolhardy turned out to be genius.
We know all about Rodgers and Davante Adams, they were a given, but this season’s success comes down to those players who were discounted at draft time and became hidden gems that were not so hidden after all.
In a season somewhat plagued by injuries, Kevin King finished strong. When you have All-Pro shutdown corner Jaire Alexander, on the other side of the field, you have to expect a lot of attention your way. The final game against the Bears was a good microcosm of that sentiment as they stayed away from Alexander, focusing their attention on King’s side of the field. He stepped up with a career-high ten tackles, seven solo, and had two pass deflections as well.
While not a flawless day, he did not allow a reception longer than 23 yards while hitting double-digit tackles for the first time in his professional career. King showed he cannot be taken lightly and will not go quietly into the night if teams choose to avoid Alexander.
Darnell Savage, along with the defense in general, took about half the season to find his groove, but find it he did. The 2019 first-round free safety clicked midway through the season, culminating in a career-high eight solo tackles and two assists in the season finale. This was a fitting end to a November and December in which he made an immense impact, garnering 43 tackles (34 solo), one sack, four picks, and 10 pass deflections in the final eight games. Quite a groove indeed.
The other half of the impressive safety duo, strong safety Adrian Amos, followed a similar trajectory as his safety brethren. In the first half of the season, Amos registered 35 tackles (27 solo), one pass deflected, and no interceptions. Over the final eight games, however, was a much different story with 48 tackles (39 solo), eight pass deflections, and two interceptions.
Not that an NFL player needs motivation, but playing against the team who essentially didn’t see your value can certainly spark the fire. Playing against his former team, the Bears, in the final frame, he hit season highs with nine tackles, seven solo tackles, and one interception. If the Bears hadn’t regretted their decision at the time, they certainly do now. The defense grew in leaps and bounds over the latter half of the season. Amos and Savage are very big reasons for that growth.
While Pro-Bowler Aaron Jones gets a lot of deserved attention, Jamaal Williams’s impact cannot be dismissed. Whether playing a backup role when Jones is healthy or taking over in his absence, the offense never misses a beat. Williams could easily start on most teams in the league and makes the most of every opportunity he is given.
The energy he brings to the team, whether it’s his pre-game dancing or his energetic celebrations on big plays, gets the team going. No matter what his role is or what is asked of him, the man brings it to the maximum each and every time. Having him back from injury going into the playoffs certainly bolsters the Packers’ chances.
Drops. Unfortunately, that’s what stands out most to the general public when it comes to Marquez Valdez Scantling, and that’s a shame. His occasional drops have overshadowed the incredibly positive impact he has on the offense. A big-play threat that can spread the field wide open, making far more big catches for significant gains than he misses. He doesn’t bring a polished overall game like Adams or fellow receiver Allen Lazard, finding his niche as a deep threat, but what a niche it is.
MVS ranks ninth in the league in deep passing yards (over 20 yards in the air), and with three deep touchdowns, he is tied for third in the league. However, in week 14 versus the Lions, MVS hauled in all six targets in more low and mid-range areas, indicating a potential beyond the deep threat. His missteps may garner more attention, but the Packers are by far a better team with him.
It all boils down to an improbable run by a team that didn’t have the weapons, didn’t have the coaching, didn’t have whatever to be a Super Bowl contender. Yet, here we are at the end of the season, with the Packers clinching the number one seed, making sure the road to the Super Bowl 2021 goes through Lambeau. Almost like the Packers’ staff knew what they were doing all along.
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
Even though there won’t be a physical Pro Bowl game played this year, the honor for being selected as a 2021 Pro Bowlers does not change. Athletes are chosen for the Pro Bowl by coaches, players, and fans, with each contingent making up one-third of the vote. We here at Mayfield Sports Marketing would like to celebrate the seven of our home state Packers who were selected along with a few other players across the league.
After being snubbed last year, Za’Darius Smith gets the selection he rightfully deserves for the 2021 Pro Bowl. After 15 games this season, Smith is tied for third in the NFL with 12.5 sacks and tied for fifth in tackles for loss as well as 34 solo tackles and 16 assists. Over his two seasons with the Packers, Smith has garnered 26 sacks, the first Packer to have 11+ sacks in back to back seasons since Aaron Kampman accomplished the feat in 2006.
NFL Network’s pre-season list of the top 100 players in the NFL featured Smith at number 48. USA Today’s touchdown wire had him ranked as the number one edge defender, and Pete Prisco of CBS Sports had Smith as number 28 overall of all NFL players.
For an amazing fourth consecutive year, Davante Adams has been selected to the 2021 Pro Bowl. With separation ability second to none with a lightning-fast release and rapid footwork along with an uncanny ability to make contested catches deep down the field, Adams has placed himself among the elite receivers not just of this season but in history. He finished the season with 115 catches and 18 touchdown receptions, only the third ever to exceed 100 catches and 16 touchdown receptions in a single season.
While all three Packer’s single-season receiving records were in range going into the last game, Adams was able to break the receptions record of 112 previously held by Sterling Sharpe in 1993. He tied the receiving touchdowns record, also set by Sterling Sharpe in 1994. He came up just shy of Jordy Nelson’s reception yards record of 1519 yards set in 2014. Adams ended the season with 1374 yards.
The fact that he broke one record, tied another, and got so close to another is made even more incredible by the fact he missed nearly three full games to injury. There are no guarantees, of course, but it would certainly seem very likely that all three records would have fallen if Adams had a full season to work, but it’s an amazing feat nonetheless.
If you have been watching the Packers closely, you know that Jaire Alexander is a star. Becoming widely-known as a shutdown corner, currently ranked number two by Pro Football Focus, Alexander is getting the attention of opposing quarterbacks. Last season, Alexander was targeted 6.9 times per game. This year that number dipped to about 5.5 targets per game. After allowing a quarterback rating of only 85.8 last year, he has improved that number to 71.3 this year.
Currently sitting at number two on Pro Football Focus’s ranking of offensive tackles, David Bakhtiari has been selected to his third pro bowl. Widely regarded as one of the league's best tackles in the game, Bakhtiari has continued to build upon those accolades. A big reason for the Packers’ success this season has stemmed from the stellar protection of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers. David Bakhtiari, as the blindside tackle, is a huge reason for that. Unfortunately, after a freak injury at a non-contact practice, the Packers will be forced to make their Super Bowl run without Bakhtiari, putting a damper on their chances.
Versatility. That is Elgton Jenkins to an absolute T. Officially, he’s a left guard, but he possesses the scarce ability to not only play anywhere on the line but excel at all three positions. This year has seen him play guard, tackle, and center while only allowing a single sack overall. Usually, an offensive lineman is played on a single position, occasionally playing their position on the other side of the line, not so with Jenkins, who will move around to cover any position based on injury and those available to fill in. When center Corey Lindsey was injured, Jenkins moved to that spot to more easily fill the guard position. And again, Jenkins excelled.
Currently sitting fourth in rushing yards, twelfth in rushing touchdowns, and first on runs of 40 plus yards, Aaron Jones was selected to his first-ever Pro Bowl after many feeling that he was snubbed last year. With one game remaining, he has accrued eight rushing touchdowns this season. If he can get two more, he’ll become only the second Packer ever, Jim Taylor the other, with consecutive seasons with double-digit touchdowns and over 1,000 rushing yards.
In a Hall of Fame career with many amazing seasons, Aaron Rodgers is putting together one of the best in 2020, comparable only to his MVP season in 2011. A front runner to win the MVP again this year was selected to his ninth Pro Bowl for 2021, tying the Packers record for Pro Bowl selections. Currently, he sits sixth in passing yards, second in completion percentage, first in quarterback rating, first in touchdown to interception rating with an incredible 8.8 TDs per interception thrown, first in touchdown passes, and first in interception percentage.
After leading the fan voting for the top NFC running back, Dalvin Cook will return to the Pro Bowl for the second straight year. Cook is currently second in the NFL in rushing yards and tenth among RBs for yards per carry. He’s also leading the league in yards from scrimmage, rushes for first downs, and tied for the lead for rushing touchdowns.
In his fourth season, Alvin Kamara has again been selected to the Pro Bowl, making a Pro Bowl nod for each season he’s been in the league. On Christmas Day, Kamara rushed for 155 yards and tied the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns in a single game with six, a record established and never touched in 91 years.
Despite a historic rookie season in 2018, Darius Leonard did not make the Pro Bowl that year. He has, however, been selected the past two years. Currently, he is sitting tied for ninth in the league in tackles. Displaying an incredible knack for making game-changing impact plays, look for Leonard to make many more Pro Bowls to come.
Xavian Howard is leading the league in passes defended and interceptions and in contention for Defensive Player of the Year. Being selected to his second Pro Bowl, the other being at the conclusion of the 2018 season, he’s one of the best players on one of the top defenses this year. He needs one more interception to tie the franchise record set in 1967.
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Even without a physical game being played this year, making the Pro Bowl is really more about the honor of being selected as one of the best at your position. Fans get to enjoy watching the players compete for this year’s Pro Bowl via Madden ‘21. Congratulations to all the players who made it this year, especially the ones listed above.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
Already having a stellar night against the Titans, Davante Adams celebrated his second of three touchdowns with his teammates in an unusual way, an impromptu coronation. Allen Lazard took a plastic crown that he had procured and placed it upon the head of the seated Adams. A gesture that was befitting for the king of wide receivers.
Over the last four seasons, no NFL player has more receiving touchdowns than Davante Adams. He has arguably the best separation of any current wideout with shifty footwork and quick releases. To complement that, Adams has shown he can make tough catches with tight coverage even deep down the field. With 109 receptions and 17 touchdowns as of this writing, he’s only the third ever to surpass 100 catches and 16 touchdown receptions in a single season. He currently sits fourth in the league in receiving yards, third in receptions, first in yards per game, and first in receiving touchdowns.
And he did all of this even after missing nearly three full games this season. Another accomplishment amongst the many is Adams being selected to his fourth straight pro bowl. The Packers possess a talented array of other receivers but none that stand out like Adams does. The defense knows that Davante is where the ball is going most of the time, but yet most are powerless to stop it.
Photo Credit: Green Bay Packers
Adams and Aaron Rodgers have been at this for a while. They are the best QB/WR tandem in Packers history after passing Brett Favre and Donald Driver for the most pass receptions. Adams is in reach of completely resetting the Packers’ receiving records. With one game left in the 2020 season, he has 109 receptions, 1328 receiving yards, and 17 receiving touchdowns.
The team records are 112 receptions by Sterling Sharpe in 1993, 1519 receiving yards set by Jordy Nelson in 2014, and 18 receiving touchdowns achieved by Sterling Sharpe in 1994. In one season, Adams could potentially break all three records. Oh, and did we mention he missed nearly three entire games? And yet Adams could rewrite the receiver record books for the most storied franchise in NFL history.
Early this year, Adams signed an official endorsement deal with the Jordan Brand. When Adams was asked for his feelings about joining the brand, he had this to say: “Pure excitement, man. It was a long time coming. It’s something that I’ve always dreamt about, especially with how exclusive it is. It’s the number one shoe brand I’ve been attracted to my whole life. My cousin worked at Foot Locker, and I could never get Jordans until we got his discount."
On that note, a young Davante (whose birthday falls on Christmas Eve) got one Air Jordan for his tenth birthday. The other naturally showed up on Christmas morning. “I was young, so it wasn’t that funny to me then,” the Green Bay Packers all-world receiver said. Presumably, just so thrilled to have a pair of Air Jordans of his own that one shoe per holiday was just fine by him. And what does the newest team member of the Jordan Brand do for his entire team on Christmas? Well, he supplies them with all-new Air Jordans, of course!
With only one game left as of this writing, Davante Adams is definitely the player to watch in the final week of regular season football. Will he break even more records this Sunday against the Bears? We know that we’re rooting for the king of wide receivers!
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
Disclaimer:
Mayfield Sports Marketing acts only as an athlete broker for corporate events, private events, and speaking engagements. Mayfield Sports Marketing does not claim or represent itself as the athlete’s agent, speakers bureau, manager, publicist, assistant, PR firm, or management company. Mayfield Sports Marketing is a full-service player and athlete booking agency representing organizations and groups seeking to hire athletes for motivational speakers, athletes for private corporate events, athlete endorsements, personal athlete appearances, spokesperson campaigns, and autograph sessions.
Clinching scenarios for Packers
1.GB win + ARI loss or tie, OR
2.GB win + LAR loss or tie, OR
3.GB win + SEA win or tie, OR
4.GB tie + ARI loss, OR
5.GB tie + LAR loss + ARI tie, OR
6.GB tie + SEA win or tie + ARI tie
The Packers actually have multiple ways to clinch this week; out of all of these, I'd say this easiest scenario is No. 3. In that situation, the Packers would clinch a spot if they beat the Lions AND if the Seahawks beat the Jets.
The Packers could also clinch the NFC North title with a win combined with a Vikings loss or tie to the Buccaneers. If the Packers tie the Lions, they would also clinch as long as Minnesota lost to Tampa Bay.
Why Green Bay Packers Will Win
This didn’t go all that well the first time around for the Lions.
The Packer offense was almost perfectly balanced in the 42-21 win, the defense didn’t allow much on the ground, and there weren’t any real issues. That’s how the team has played over the last several weeks – at least outside of an overtime loss to Indianapolis.
Aaron Rodgers has been unstoppable, the defense hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer all year, and Detroit’s defense has been awful at giving up deep passes.
Green Bay is expecting a great game from their stars: Jaire Alexander, Aaron Jones and Davante Adams
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau, connecting companies with Davante Adams booking agent and others. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
In that iconic Jerry Kramer voice I can hear, "There he is, the Golden Goat. We have all heard the stories about Paul: Lombardi, gambling, Notre Dame and The Kentucky Derby. I had the luxury over the last years to hear those stories from Paul, Kramer, Robinson, Dowler and more. Whether over a steak dinner, a glass of wine, breakfast, in the backroom at an autograph show, the airport or in a box at Lambeau, you listen. Many know I love to talk. When with these legends, you listen to every detail.
The Golden Goat
Paul was very nice, always willing to sign an autograph for the fans. I got to hear untold stories. He lived 2 lifetimes I think. You could hear the excitement, fast paced lifestyle, good or bad, and all the experiences come through in each story.
I am humbled to have the opportunity with Mr. Kramer to hear those stories. Rest easy Mr. Hornung, "The Golden Goat."
It’s often asked who is the best “fill in the blank,” and the NFL is certainly no exception. When the question of who is the best WR in the NFL, Davante Adams doesn’t just think he should be in the discussion, but instead, he is the entirety of the discussion. When asked if he was the best wide receiver (WR) in football, his answer was as humble as it could be while still being honest, “I think that's fair to say.” Quite an understatement for someone who’s having the caliber of year that Davante Adams is having.
After catching his league-leading 8th touchdown reception despite only playing in six of the Packers eight games, Adams continues to make his case as the NFL’s best WR not with words or bold proclamations but actions on the field, as it should be.
Davante Adams the first player in NFL history to record three games of 10 plus receptions totaling over 150 yards in the team’s first eight games of the season. Adams is only the second player; Calvin Johnson is the other, to achieve that in an entire season. On top of that, he’s the first player in the Super Bowl era to have over 50 catches for over 600 yards and eight or more touchdown receptions in his first six games.
It’s unfortunate in any year, but especially in a year with astronomical stats, to be hampered by injury. Adams was slowed after an impressive start, sitting out the third and fourth games with a hamstring injury. After the bye in week 5, Adams racked up six catches for 61 yards in his return. A great stat line for sure, but a down week for him. Didn’t take him long to get back into the swing of things with 13 catches for 196 yards and two touchdowns against the Houston Texans the very next week, picking up right where he left off.
The main criticism regarding the Packers offense is a lack of weapons beyond the trio of Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, and Davante Adams. It certainly seems that as long as Adams is around, the rest is nearly irrelevant. Rodgers and Adams have connected on 76% of attempts this season. Adams has more receptions (53) and touchdowns catches (8) than the rest of the Packer’s wide receiving corps combined.
In the Thursday night game versus the 49ers, Rodgers completed four passes over 25 yards, three of which were to, you guessed it, Davante Adams. To paraphrase Rodgers, he possesses the speed to make it challenging to play him low. He has an uncanny ability to gain separation and can make any necessary adjustments on the ball to create unbelievable catches.
Adams is on pace to finish the season with 1575 yards, which would surpass his career-best season receiving yards of 1386 yards. Even with all the impressive numbers he’s putting up the season, he tries very hard to remain confident, not arrogant, stating as much in his interviews.
After the game against the 49ers, Adams was asked if he was the best wide receiver in the NFL. His response was humble yet honest. “Yeah, I think that’s fair to say. I think that’s not being conceited. That’s just confident.” Adams went on to add, “ It’s what I expect to do. It’s just about emptying the tank, man. I’ve got a lot to give. I’m relied on a lot in this offense, and I’ve got a very talented quarterback.” Adams has put up the numbers to prove his position as one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. It will be fun to watch Adams continue to put up gaudy numbers for the rest of the season.
Adams has earned endorsements from Pepsi, Amazon, and U.S. Cellular. With numbers like these, along with his humble nature, it’s easy to understand why companies would be clamoring to add his face to their name.
Mayfield Sports Marketing is a leading sports marketing agency and speaker bureau, connecting companies with Davante Adams booking agent and others. Whether your company is small or large, our team can search our network of current and retired celebrity athletes available based on appearance fees, team, location, or sport. With access to hundreds of athletes available for corporate appearances, keynote or motivational speeches, and product endorsements, we work within your budget to match your goals with an athlete’s appearance.
By working with the player directly, player agent, marketing agency, and more, Mayfield Sports Marketing has negotiated deals for numerous current and retired sports figures for speaking engagements, VIP Meet & Greets, autograph signings, product endorsement deals, and media opportunities.
