From Product Seeding to PhenomU: Playing the Long Game the Right Way
There’s a lot of noise around NIL right now.
Big numbers. Big promises. Big guarantees.
But every once in a while, a story unfolds that reminds you how this is supposed to work — grounded in product, patience, and trust.
This is one of those stories.
It Started With a Camp — Not a Contract
Earlier this year, Phenom Elite sponsored a Rivals 5-star camp.
No checks. No post requirements. No strings attached.
We simply provided our gloves and gave athletes the choice. Most chose to wear Phenom.
That mattered to us.
Real product seeding only works when the product earns its place — not when it’s forced.
Performance Did the Talking
One of the athletes who chose Phenom made a big play during the camp.
The clip traveled.
Organically.
It reached around 150k views.
We collab-posted it. And then we moved on.
At that point, there was no NIL deal to chase — and no reason to pretend otherwise.
Ohio didn’t allow high school NIL at the time.
So we didn’t push.
We didn’t look for loopholes.
We respected the rules and let the relationship stay what it was.
Then the Rules Changed
Months later, Ohio updated its NIL regulations to allow high school athletes to participate.
Almost immediately, that same athlete reached out.
“What can we do?”
By then, his senior season was nearly over — but he had already signed with Ohio State.
That changed the conversation.
Not into something rushed.
Not into something bloated.
Just into something appropriate.
From a Pair of Gloves to PhenomU
Fast forward, that athlete is Favour Akih:
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Incoming true freshman
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Four-star running back
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Power Five, blue-blood program
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First full PhenomU marketing campaign — photo and video
No shortcuts.
No manufactured hype.
Just a relationship that started early and stayed intact long enough for the timing to make sense.
What This Reinforced for Us
This experience reaffirmed a few core beliefs at Phenom:
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Product always comes first. Athletes know immediately if something works.
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Seeding is about trust, not transactions. The best relationships start before money is involved.
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Timing matters. Not every opportunity is meant to be acted on immediately.
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Patience compounds. What looks small early can turn into something meaningful later.
This wasn’t about chasing a name.
It was about building the right foundation — and letting the rest unfold naturally.
The Long Way Is Often the Right Way
We’re proud of this one.
Not because it’s flashy.
Not because it’s loud.
But because it’s honest.
Sometimes the long way really is the right way.
And when it works, it works because it was built on something real.
Phenom Elite® — For the Next Generation.