The Young Buck Sports Management NIL Agency launched in 2023 and has grown significantly since. Driven by co-founders Ray Erario and Ben Clouser, the agency has signed several athletes from Division 1 schools both in and out of state.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Start of Young Buck
Co-founders Erario (22) and Clouser (23) explained how the creation of Young Buck Sports Management was solely to protect college athletes when dealing with Name, Image and Likeness or “NIL” deals.
“I think the biggest thing that sparked our interest was just honestly helping and protecting the athlete. Me and Ray wanted to take the personal connection that we had with some of the players and take that to the next level,” Clouser said. “Especially with the NIL being such a big game, there was so much room to expand and help the athletes, as well as protect them because a lot of them don’t get the NIL education from schools.”
Former Arizona State and current Washington Huskies running back Daniyel Ngata became the agency’s first client.
Young Buck has been able to secure several NIL opportunities for Ngata, including collaborating with ESG Football and Cozy Culture Club.
Connections
The two NIL agents have a familiarity when it comes to understanding the business and landscape of sports. Clouser’s father and uncle, Michael and Mark Clouser, have worked in the sports world for over 30 years and represented over 50 professional athletes.
“We started to meet these football players and saw a mutual relationship, having that connection in the sports world to represent these guys,” Erario said. “Once we started bringing on more guys, me and Ben linked up and formed Young Buck Sports Management. We have 13 clients now, registered in a bunch of different states and just building relationships all over.”
The agency is already officially registered in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, Colorado, and Virginia. They have negotiated over 30 deals over the last five months.
Former Penn State All-American and NFL ninth overall pick Kyle Brady has recently joined the team as a mentor and legal advisor to the athletes.
Jan 29, 2008; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots tight end Kyle Brady during Super Bowl XLII Media Day at The University of Phoenix Stadium. © Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
“He (Kyle Brady) helps us big time from the mentorship side, someone that can be a great mentor to our guys,” Clouser said. “He’s been a family friend of ours since I was born. The fact that he joined is really cool and he’s been helping us out a ton in the space.”
Sun Devil Expansion
Young Buck Sports Management has risen quickly since launching.
Arizona State athletes have previously had a difficult time when it comes to NIL funding relative to other schools. Despite that, Clouser and Erario have sparked deals with several Sun Devil athletes to join the agency.
Five Sun Devil football players are officially clients of Young Buck, highlighted by sophomore defensive lineman C.J. Fite. Fellow ASU clients include running back Kyson Brown, offensive lineman Max Iheanachor, edge rusher Elijah O’Neal, and defensive lineman Justin Wodtly.
The agency has not stopped at Arizona State Football. They have recently signed ASU baseball outfielder Harris Williams, who is currently putting together an incredible season for the Sun Devils.
“ASU is trying to have more value in the space and grow their NIL market,” Clouser said. “We’re really doing good work for the players and getting more integrated with the local community.”
These athletes have indeed gotten more integrated with the community and businesses all around the valley. A few of the partnerships they have received locally include Texas Roadhouse, Filanta Wings, Feel Good, and Crust Pizzeria.
With how new the NIL space is to these young athletes, Erario and Clouser made it clear that their number one priority is to do what is right by their clients.
“We only want what’s best for the players. We don’t want anyone getting into something they don’t fully want to do,” Erario added. “I feel like the best way is to be honest and always do right by the athlete.”
Young Buck Sports Management continues to be a huge opportunity for athletes both in and out of the valley. They have made tremendous growth but know that this is only the start for what can be accomplished in the NIL world.
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Saleh Awwad is a writer/reporter covering the Arizona State Sun Devils, Phoenix High School Sports, and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @SalehAwwad_
