The Familie, a sports and music agency, announced that Mike Neligan (previously at VaynerSports, Brooklyn Nets, Excel Sports and others) will join its executive team to lead revenue and business development as Chief Business Officer. Adding Neligan will help The Familie expand its marketing capabilities for talent and brands.
A distinguished name in sports marketing, Neligan has helped to launch and grow some of the industry’s most prominent agencies and athlete brands. He started his career as a baseball agent in 2005 before joining Excel Sports. He went on to lead and transform VaynerSports into a multi-sport talent and brand consulting agency with Gary Vaynerchuk over the past few years. Throughout his nearly 20-year career, Neligan has brokered more than $250M in deals on behalf of thousands of athletes and brands.
The Familie’s client roster includes Caroline Wozniacki, Wyndham Clark, Travis Pastrana, Ryan Sheckler, Machine Gun Kelly, Avril Lavigne, The Eagles’ Kelee Ringo, and many others.
Neligan says about his new role: “As sports representation continues to evolve to prioritize an athlete’s authentic brand – I’ve become almost obsessed with the level of creative ideation and strategic execution required for agencies to get it right. The Familie has been one of the few that is consistently at or above that level. Steve has been a friend and mentor for a number of years, and someone I’m excited and honored to be joining along with his talented, creative and truly collaborative group of leaders.”
Steve Astephen, Founder & CEO of The Familie says: “The Familie reached an inflection point this year, and 2024 will be defined by some pretty significant growth across our team, roster and capabilities. Mike’s expertise and ability to marry creative marketing ideas with tangible revenue opportunities for clients, agents and brands is going to play a crucial role in preserving and accelerating this momentum. We’re absolutely thrilled to have him at the helm.”