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Fashion and sports have been connected for decades, evolving from simple brand deals for shoes and shirts to becoming a way for some of the world’s biggest agencies to leverage their clients’ love of wearing elaborate and extravagant outfits. From the biggest players in the space such as CAA, Klutch and Wasserman, to independent agencies such as Priority Sports, agencies are increasingly making more moves into fashion as a long-term play for clients and, ultimately, cultural capital.

“Obviously, fashion helps lead pop culture and sets a tone for the zeitgeist in the entertainment community,” said CAA fashion agent Elizabeth Mitchell. “So we help make the connectivity between [clients] and the actual fashion platform — whether that be a product line, capsule, runway show, all of those types of things — just to help identify a conversation between parties and so, ultimately, everybody can monetize it.”

CAA Sports features clients including active NBA players Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets, Jaren Jackson of the Memphis Grizzlies and Kyle Kuzma of the Milwaukee Bucks, as well as retired legends Dwyane Wade and Venus and Serena Williams. CAA provides access to marquee brands and big events, often finding connective tissues between divisions under the CAA umbrella.

In a similar vein, Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports has begun diving deeper into fashion with the addition earlier this year of a dedicated individual to lead that department in-house, though it asked that her name not be made public. It’s a shift from resorting to using outside firms to advise on deals and collaborations. Those employees at Klutch often work closely with United Talent Agency, a Klutch partner, and its fashion division. Most recently, Klutch client and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts attended the 2025 Met Gala on behalf of British luxury fashion house Burberry.

“You look at someone like Jalen and he’s incredible for us,” said Eric Eways, head of marketing for Klutch. “He had a lot of creative freedom in that event for picking out his outfit, and it’s another way to show him without the helmet and a little bit of his personality, especially with his significant other. It was still him, just in a different light.

“But [fashion] is something that he also just frankly enjoys. It’s not about necessarily a marketing play tied to it, but more about expressing himself.”

The rise of social media deserves some credit for the increased connection between brands and athletes. Brands can get a quick bump from athletes repping them on game day, and athletes can cultivate their own images through social media platforms, especially Instagram.

“All everyone is talking about is the tunnel walk. Athletes have created an environment for them to be special and branded, and some are really intentional with their look. They work with stylists amd tag brands on social media,” said Circe Wallace, Wasserman executive vice president of Women’s Sports, Olympics and Action Sports. “You’re even seeing brands reach out for opportunities in the tunnel.”

When it comes to forging brand deals and collaborations, it starts with authenticity. Sometimes, athletes will wear fashion items without an official deal with a particular brand, making it easier for agencies to pitch a partnership.

Priority client and 76ers guard Miles McBride had been interested in apparel from luxury fashion house Acne Studios long before he joined the NBA in 2021. By the time he was finally in the league, he had begun wearing Acne products through tunnel walks, which helped the agency reach out about teaming up.

“Miles loves Acne Studios,” said Alex Shaw, Priority Sports’ marketing manager. “Sometimes the players won’t even tell us. But if I see that he’s wearing something a lot, I’ll reach out to that brand, send it to their PR group and show them that he’s been wearing them authentically and spending his own money.

“That then builds the relationship. Some opportunities do come across our desk, but we’re usually pretty intentional and aggressive about trying to get out there.”

December 2017

Major League Baseball and Gucci announce a deal to release fashion-branded capsule collections, debuting with the brand’s pre-fall 2018 collection. The collections, with the latest release in 2023, include crossovers of MLB and Gucci accessories, hats, sneakers and varsity jackets, with a selection from teams such as the Astros, Guardians, Pirates, Red Sox, Tigers and Yankees. The hats go for almost $700, and the styles debut as part of a fashion show in Milan.

July 2023

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE, the result of the merger of Moët Hennessy and Louis Vuitton, announces its $163 million premium partnership with the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, one year before the Games begin. LVMH’s goal — to be spotted everywhere during the Games — came to pass, from Louis Vuitton trunks at the opening ceremony to styling French athletes and the medals designed by Chaumet, a luxury jewelry and watchmaker that is part of the LVMH group. Bernard Arnault, France’s richest person and the owner of LVMH, also holds a majority stake in soccer club Paris FC, which plays in the country’s second division.

April 2025

Coach, the luxury accessories brand, was founded in 1941, but it took more than 80 years for its first leaguewide sports sponsorship. That deal came with the WNBA, which announced a multiyear partnership starting with the league’s 2025 draft that makes Coach the presenting sponsor of the draft’s Orange Carpet, as well as the WNBA’s official handbag.

Paige Bueckers, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Wings, walked the carpet in a Coach pantsuit with a jumbo coin purse clutch that earned praise from Cosmopolitan. In all, the brand earned $1.6 million in media impact value on that night online (according to Launchmetrics).

CHATTANOOGA—The Chattanooga Mocs and Dan Earl agree in a lot of ways. The biggest is the desire for him to be a long-term solution for the historically proud program. The Mocs announce the 6-year extension of Earl’s contract after a regular season Southern Conference title and run to the team’s first NIT Championship.

“Dan is a proven commodity,” Vice Chancellor for Athletics Mark Wharton began. “We had great faith in who he was as a leader around this time three years ago when we hired him. That faith has been rewarded well beyond wins and championships. We are excited to get this new agreement completed to reward him and his staff for jobs well done.”
 
Earl’s 2024-25 edition tied the school record in wins with 29 matching another SoCon Championship team from 2015-16. They marched through their NIT bracket winning at Middle Tennessee, at home over Dayton and on the road again at Bradley. That led to Indianapolis where Loyola Chicago and UC Irvine were dispatched in just the second national tournament title in school history (1977 NCAA DII).
 
He is 68-38 (.642) over his three seasons with a 34-20 (.630) mark in SoCon play.
 
“Very appreciative of (interim) Chancellor (Robert) Dooley and Mark Wharton,” Earl added. “Chattanooga has quickly become home. My family loves it here, and the city has truly embraced us in a very special way.
 
“This extension is as much about the players and staff as it is me. From the guys who came with us from VMI to all the additions, be it from high school, junior college or out of the portal, they’ve embraced our culture, developed as people and players, and gone on to great success here and are prepared for bright futures.
 
‘I am also thankful to have such a good working relationship with Mark (Wharton) and for his friendship. His support and leadership have been instrumental in our program’s success, and I deeply value our partnership.”
 
At a fluid time in college athletics, Earl and his staff excelled in roster construction. Between returning starters in guards Trey Bonham and Honor Huff to go with reserves and redshirts in Sean Cusano, Noah Melson, Ryan Lopez and Collin Mulholland, the program added 4-year transfers Bash Wieland (Bellarmine), Frank Champion (DII-North Georgia), Jack Kostel (DII-Alabama-Huntsville), Makai Richards (Pacific) and game-winning shot maker Garrison Keeslar (DII-Walsh) along with freshmen Latif Diouf, Parker Robison, Liam Vitters, Houston Holland and Isaiah Otyaluk.
 
That group not only won 29 games, but they did it when it mattered most. Twenty-one of the triumphs came after the calendar flipped to 2025 including a 12-game win streak that fell just two shy of tying another school record. Huff (578), Bonham (554) and Wieland (502) became the first trio in school history to tally 500 points in the same season.
 
Earl’s extension is not the only news for the program’s staff. Ander Galfsky and Scott Greenman are elevated to associate head coach with Logan Dahms moving from special assistant to assistant coach alongside Ricardo Rush, Jr. Director of basketball operations Alan Treakle is adding assistant coach duties as well.
 
“Ander, Scott, Logan and Alan have been with me from the start,” Earl shared about his staff. “I am super appreciative of their efforts as well as Ricardo who was a great addition in year two. We don’t get a regular season conference championship or win the NIT without their tremendous work as the team behind our team.”
 
NOTABLE

• Earl’s 68 wins are the most by any Mocs coach in their first three seasons with the program ahead of Mack McCarthy (62), Murray Arnold (61) and Ron Shumate (59).
• The squad is currently tied with national runner-up Houston for the longest current road win streak in the country at 10.
• The 2024-25 squad won 17 of its final 18 contests.
• Earl’s five postseason wins ranks second in school history behind Shumate (11).
• Another amazing streak, Earl’s Mocs have won 10 straight games when trailing at the half.

 
ACTION ITEMS

• To check out the 2025-26 roster construction, go here.
• For $25 deposits on 2025-26 season tickets, go here.
• To give to the Mocs Club, go here. To contribute to the Flock NIL collective, go here.
• To get involved in sponsorships with Mocs Sports Properties, go here.

 
GoMocs.com is the official website of the Chattanooga Mocs. Buy officially licensed gear in our online store. The Mocs can also be followed on their official Facebook page or Twitter. Find out how to join the UTC Mocs Club and support more than 300 student-athletes by clicking here. Check out the Mocs on the Mic podcast here.

Some of Alabama baseball‘s biggest contributors during the 2025 season were plucked straight from the transfer portal.

“The scary part of the transfer portal is you can crush your culture really quick if you start bringing the wrong people in,” Crimson Tide coach Rob Vaughn told the Tuscaloosa News.

Vaughn admits his recruiting process is “probably a little bit slower than most,” but it’s a decision made on good advice. Former St. John’s manager Ed Blankmeyer once told Vaughn and his assistants:

“It’s never the guy you don’t get, it’s the guy you get that you shouldn’t have got.”

Who’s the best competitor? Which guys are tough, and know the difference between toughness and grit? Vaughn wants those guys.

“The truest competitors for me are the ones that say, ‘Hey, whatever I’ve got today is good enough to beat you. I don’t have to have my A stuff. I’m good enough to beat you with my C stuff,’ ” Vaughn said.

Without that mentality, Vaughn says there’s “no chance” to survive in the SEC.

Why Alabama baseball coach Rob Vaughn thinks the transfer portal is like ‘speed dating’

Recruiting high schools is easier for Vaughn, who likes having the extra time to do the homework compared to shopping for transfers.

“The portal is like speed dating,” Vaughn said. “There’s times kids get in the portal. We talk to him. Two hours later, they’ve already got five offers and six visits lined up. We have to operate in it. If you don’t, you’re gonna get passed.”

Alabama was a hot date to swipe right on last portal season, as thirteen players on the current roster chose to leave programs around the country, whether little-known community colleges or iconic Ivy Leagues, and join the Crimson Tide.

Which Alabama baseball transfers will make their first trips to the SEC Tournament?

Richie Bonomolo Jr., CF, junior

Previous school: Wabash Valley College

Before Alabama, Bonomolo helped Wabash Valley advance to its fourth consecutive JUCO World Series in 2023 and earned second-team All-American honors after a standout freshman season.

Bryce Fowler, RF, redshirt junior

Previous school: Pearl River C.C. (2024), Southern Miss (2022-23)

In Poplarville, Miss. at Pearl River, Fowler got comfortable as a leadoff hitter and worked himself among the all-time leaders with 88 hits, the second most in a season in program history.

JT Blackwood, RHP, junior

Previous school: Wallace State

When Blackwood wasn’t getting called out of the bullpen, he was often the midweek starter for the Crimson Tide, which went undefeated in the midweek during the 2025 regular season. In two seasons at Wallace State, he had the most innings pitched.

Carson Ozmer, RHP, graduate

Previous school: Penn

Ozmer leads all Division I closers with 16 saves, picking up two in one day in the series finale double-header against Georgia. All four years he was at Penn, Ozmer was a two-way starter and earned honorable mention All-Ivy League honors twice.

Aeden Finateri, RHP, senior

Previous school: Georgia Tech

Finateri came to Tuscaloosa after three seasons at Georgia Tech, where he appeared in 58 games and made 23 starts, finishing his career with an 8-9 record with three saves and 172 strikeouts

Brennen Norton, INF, senior

Previous school: Jacksonville State

Norton left Jacksonville State on a high note. As a junior, he achieved a career-best .327 average with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs, seeing him add First Team All-Conference USA honors to his resume.

Garrett Staton, DH/2B, redshirt senior

Previous school: Samford

Staton missed 21 games after suffering a broken finger on Feb. 18 when he was hit by a pitch, putting a delay on Crimson Tide fans seeing all the reasons why he earned preseason All-American honors. Since returning to the lineup on March 25, Staton has lived up to the hype, recording at least one RBI in 13 of his 25 starts.

Jason Torres, 3B, junior

Previous school: Miami

Named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List, Torres impressed during his stint in South Florida. At Alabama, he’s started all but one game on the hot corner and is one of the Crimson Tide’s top home run contributors.

More first-timers that joined Alabama’s 2025 roster from the portal

• Beau Bryans, LHP, junior: previously Jones College
• Packy Bradley-Cooney, RHP, senior: previously Campbell (2024), CCBC Essex (2022-23)
• Danny Heintz, RHP, redshirt senior: previously Penn
• Zach Kittrell, RHP, junior: previously Pensacola State College

Which new SEC transfer returns to Hoover, but with the Tide instead?

Brady Neal, C, junior

Previous school: LSU

Sidelined by a back injury, Neal’s career as LSU’s starting catcher hit a roadbump in 2023. Now, he splits time behind the plate with fellow SEC transfer Will Plattner. The nine-hole hitter, Neal leads Alabama with an 18.4% walk rate.

Emilee Smarr covers Alabama basketball and Crimson Tide athletics for the Tuscaloosa News. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.