LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, May 4, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ — USC Alum Manuel “Mer” Hernandez III and NIL marketing and collective management
company Athlete Advantage announce the launch of The Conquest Collective LLC, a name,
image and likeness collective that supports student-athletes at the University of Southern
California.
Hernandez, an MBA alumnus of the university’s Marshall School of Business and prominent
financial advisor to multiple NFL players, is a lifelong supporter of USC athletics. He arrived on
the NIL collective landscape with a strong desire to create a comprehensive and sustainable NIL
environment for all student-athletes at his alma mater. This led to enlisting the assistance of Los
Angeles area businessman Jeff McKay, son of USC football great J.K. McKay, and grandson of
legendary USC football coach John McKay. They collaborated on developing a service- oriented
collective that not only focuses on NIL dollars but also provides high-quality mentorship
opportunities and financial literacy training, as well as educational programs and platforms, for
all current Trojan student-athletes for both men’s and women’s sports.
These services will be administered with the help of a star-studded roster of former-Trojan
athletes from every sector of the business world. Manuel Hernandez describes the mission of The
Conquest Collective as an outgrowth of his powerful passion for USC athletics and the journey
of its athletes. “My relationship with the rich history and tradition of USC made me want to
create something more than the average NIL collective, something befitting of a University with
the historical legacy of USC. What better way to do that than to tap into that very legacy and
create something that connects every Trojan student-athlete past, present, and future? That is
what we have done with the Conquest Collective.”- Manuel Hernandez lll
The collective is overseen by a Board of Directors and Athlete Advisors. The four founding
board members are Manuel “Mer” Hernandez lll, Jeff McKay, Frank Martin and Ryan Miller.
The collective has attracted a long list of well-known former-Trojan athletes to be Athlete
Ambassadors, including, current NFL players Adoree Jackson, Austin Jackson, Antwaun Woods,
Kevon Seymour, Leonard William, Marqise Lee, Rahseem Green, and Uchenna Nwosu, and
current Chargers coach Will Harris. Former USC player and coach Luis Nevarez Jr. will also
serve as an Athlete Ambassador.
Keeping with its mantra of “For the players, by the players,” other former Trojan players will be
contributing their expertise through partnerships with their current endeavors. Hayes Pullard will
be providing market support via his company Enclave and Key, and Lendale White will be
hosting a Podcast for the collective. Randall Telfer Digital Marketing Director for Warner
Records will lead the digital and social media strategy, and Martin French will assist the team
with pursuing opportunities within the entertainment industry. The Collective will partner with
Hall of GOATS as its gaming partner, which is co-founded by Greig Carlson, and Heisman
winning quarterbacks Matt Leinart and Caleb Williams. George Farmer Jr and Marcus Martin
will serve as Player Managers, and 3x USC alumnus Frank Martin ll will oversee all operations
and provide business opportunities and education to the athletes while helping corporate clients
to maximize the partnerships value.
The first NIL opportunity put forth for all USC athletes from The Conquest Collective will be a
$4.5 million content deal with video enablement platform Curastory as a part of their $36 million
deal with the Pac12 and Tempus Ex. Curastory is a video enablement tool for creators allowing
them to edit, monetize, distribute, and track their videos across social media. For monetization,
they are the first programmatic media buying solution of influencer content for advertisers.
Former NFL agent and current NIL strategist Chuck Price will provide unique opportunities for
the athletes and fans with exclusive memorabilia.
“We are so thrilled to be partnering with The Conquest Collective on our historic video content
deal with the Pac12,” says Curastory Founder and CEO Tiffany Kelly. “For the first time in
history, game highlights are available to be edited on our platform into student athletes’ TikToks
and social media channels, and we can’t wait to see what creations USC student athletes come up
with.”
Trojan fans can get involved with supporting USC student-athletes by joining the Conquest
Collective through the monthly subscription program. Membership in The Conquest Collective
includes access to exclusive benefits, including member events, meet and greets and official
merchandise. Brands looking to partner with student-athletes or donors who wish to make larger
one-time donations or multi-year gifts should reach out to the Conquest Collective directly. The
Collective has secured multiple high-figure pre-launch financial commitments from individual
donors and organizations. “The Trojan family is a true powerhouse, and in today’s environment,
having a top NIL program is vital. Our Collective offers fans, donors and brands the opportunity
to engage with the student-athletes in new ways, whether they want to contribute $20 or
$2,000,000.”- Jeff Mckay
Athlete Advantage, an industry-leading NIL marketing company, will provide overall
management, operational support, and compliance oversight for the collective. The Lexington,
KY based agency holds relationships with many of the top athletes in college sports and also
manages collectives at the University of Kentucky and DePaul University. “If you look beyond
the brand deal, NIL is providing us with the rare opportunity to educate and advocate for studentathletes in a way that wasn’t possible before. Our mission has always been to surround student-
athletes with layers of protection, education, and service. That approach is what we are bringing
to the Trojan family.” -Ryan Miller CEO of Athlete Advantage.
The Conquest Collective LLC has no affiliation with USC and is a separate entity. However, as a
tenant of its current mission of service and protection for student-athletes, it will maintain
compliance with all NCAA, State of California, and the University of Southern California laws,
regulations, policies, and guidelines regarding “the procurement and execution of NIL
partnerships, while enhancing the overall NIL experience for all participants.
The Collective would like to encourage all USC supporters to learn more about the Collective
and join today.
Jeff Mckay
Conquest Collective
+1 949-922-8523
email us here
