Per a press release from the company, legendary golfer, Greg “The Shark” Norman has entered a strategic partnership with Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the owner of a global portfolio of fashion, sports, celebrity and entertainment brands.
Norman was at the forefront of athletes turning into entrepreneurs, even before his on-the-course career came to a close. His logo, a great white shark, is widely recognized by both golf fans as well as people who are not fans of the game. Norman won more than 90 tournaments worldwide, including two British Open Championships, and held the world No. 1 ranking for 331 consecutive weeks.
The Greg Norman Company is a multi-national private corporation based in West Palm Beach, FL featuring a diverse portfolio of companies, ranging from lifestyle-driven consumer products to golf course design, to asset-based debt lending. New York-based ABG will focus on the growth and development of the consumer products division of the company (including apparel, accessories, steaks and wine) and drive increased presence and revenue to the brand.
The partnership was negotiated by Paul Hastings LLP, a global law firm. This is the second such deal the firm negotiated, with the first being for Shaquille O’Neal in 2015. ABG, in partnership with Greg Norman, will own and manage the iconic Shark brand.
Although this partnership includes an array of Greg Norman’s companies, not all are included. Greg Norman Golf Course Design, Greg Norman Real Estate, Greg Norman Media, Greg Norman Investments, Greg Norman’s Australian Grille and Shark Wake Park are all excluded from the partnership. If it was not clear, or previously known, as to how expansive Norman’s entrepreneurial portfolio is, the aforementioned list should give the average fan a pretty good idea. He was clearly a pioneer for athletes-turned-entrepreneurs and established a precedence for current athletes to prepare for a life after the game. An athlete that comes to mind who is currently doing his fair share of entrepreneurial ventures is LeBron James, who seems to have his hand in many projects, which are very successful.