In partnership with WarnerBros. Discovery and their MORE From Us initiative, our ‘Securing The Bag’ docu-series details the immediate and long-term impact of NIL opportunities on Black collegiate athletes. Our goal was to celebrate Black student-athletes and amplify and elevate their stories on navigating the new NIL landscape. To accomplish that, we made sure every athlete owned their story. With us, D’Eriq King (episode 1) and Haley Jones (episode 2) could tell their story, their way. Our team's dedication to telling authentic and educational stories led us down a path of extensive research, interviews, and consultations with former collegiate athlete, NIL lawyer, and two-time best-selling author, Sivonnia DeBarros.
The result? A comprehensive and powerful narrative, explaining the power of NIL in college sports, the abundance of opportunities for Black student-athletes, and the legacy they want to leave behind. We set a new precedent for storytelling, becoming one of the first to educate audiences on the effects of NIL on Black student-athletes, and giving them the platform to become the ‘educators.’
More than just a series, ‘Securing The Bag’ is a testament to collaboration, authenticity, and the importance of amplifying Black stories, voices, and excellence in all forms.
Alongside Warner Bros. Discovery, STN Digital brought together a team of industry-leading talent, all of whom were POC. From pre to post-production, we worked together to craft compelling storylines for each episode.
In case you're unfamiliar, NIL (short for Name, Image, and Likeness) stands for the exciting concept of athletes leveraging their own name, image, and likeness for marketing and promotional endeavors. On July 1, 2021, for the first time in NCAA history, college athletes were given permission to profit off of their NIL. This marked an unprecedented moment in NCAA history when student-athletes were finally given the green light to monetize their name, image, and likeness. "Securing the Bag" seizes this transformative moment to offer a thought-provoking lens on how Black student-athletes specifically have embraced these newfound opportunities.
What truly sets "Securing the Bag" apart is its profound commitment to diversity and inclusivity both on and off the screen. The crew was predominantly Black in order to ensure that the project resonated deeply with the lived experiences and perspectives of the Black community. This project was a purposeful effort to ensure the story was told by the community we wanted to reach and amplify the voices of the student-athletes NIL would affect most.
Each episode provides an in-depth look at how Black college athletes are forging legacies that extend beyond their athletic prowess. These are stories of the trailblazers, the ones reshaping the college sports landscape. Athletes like D’Eriq King and Haley Jones take center stage, masterfully balancing academics, family, sports, and the exciting new world of paid NIL opportunities.
"Securing the Bag" isn't just a documentary– it's an exhilarating blend of entertainment and education. Our flawless execution and unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusivity make it a groundbreaking program that is sure to resonate with audiences worldwide.
When it comes to raising the bar, rewriting the rules of storytelling, and inspiring change, "Securing the Bag" takes the gold. Our journey was studded with challenges, but we faced each one head-on, determined to give life to a documentary that would leave an indelible mark.
With thousands tuning in per episode, alongside TNT Drama and our student-athletes fueling the buzz, ‘Securing the Bag’ resonated with over 300K fans. For us, this is only the beginning.
By providing an in-depth look into the world of college athletics and the newly enacted NIL, the series stands as a playbook on how to empower current and future collegiate athletes nationwide to thrive beyond the game.
