Pickstar Partners With Five Elite Athlete Associations
Australia’s largest sports talent marketplace, Pickstar, has signed deals with five leading athlete associations, with a vision to create more personal development and commercial opportunities for elite athletes.
AFL Players Association, Australian Basketballers’ Association, Professional Footballers Australia, and Australian Netball Players Association have formed strategic partnerships with PickStar, along with the New Zealand Cricket Players’ Association, ahead of PickStar’s launch into New Zealand later this year.
“Athlete associations do an amazing job not only representing and protecting the interests of their elite athletes but are always actively looking to create more commercial and personal development opportunities for their members,” PickStar CEO James Begley said.
“Pickstar has worked with these associations in recent years and formalising the relationships will allow us to be even more strategic in our approach to helping athletes grow, and opening up access to sports stars in the community.
“Associations, along with talent managers and agents, also play an important role in working with us to become the most compliant, transparent, and efficient way for consumers to engage sporting talent.”
PickStar’s talent network includes more than 800 elite athletes and sports personalities across all sports in Australia.
The company has facilitated more than 1000 deals for big brands such as Coles, Caltex, and Sanitarium, as well as many other businesses, not-for-profits, clubs, schools, and fans, with budgets ranging from $200 through to tens of thousands of dollars, and everything in between.
AFL Players Association CEO Paul Marsh welcomed the partnership.
“We’re pleased to partner with PickStar, led by former AFL players Matthew Pavlich and James Begley, to provide opportunities to our alumni members and current players,” Mr. Marsh said.
“We believe PickStar will help players continue to maximise their football careers by providing exciting opportunities to engage with brands, corporate, and community networks around Australia.”
Professional Footballers Australia Chief Executive John Didulica said the partnership is a unique offering for his association’s members.
“The PFA is delighted to be working with PickStar in such an innovative way to support our members,” Mr. Didulica said.
“The process is frictionless and will open up a whole range of opportunities for businesses and for past and present athletes who may have previously been shut out of quality commercial opportunities.”
PickStar’s association partnerships will be particularly beneficial to athletes who are moving on from their sporting careers, Australian Basketballers’ Association CEO Jacob Holmes said.
“Helping athletes transition from elite sport is a major challenge not just in basketball but in all sports, and as an Association we’re focused on addressing that need,” Mr. Holmes said.
“PickStar is particularly good for athletes at this point in their careers, not only through providing employment and income opportunities but also helping with personal development and networking.”
Australian Netball Players Association CEO Kathryn Harby-Williams AM said PickStar has a great track record with elite netballers.
"ANPA is delighted to formalise a partnership with Pickstar with a number of our players already benefitting from its services," Ms. Harby-Williams AM said.
"The feedback received from those already onboard has been overwhelmingly positive. As netballers continue to forge a path to professionalism any extra income they can generate is welcomed and Pickstar provides the perfect platform."
PickStar also works with Sydney Uni Sport and Fitness, providing personal development services to students in the university's elite athlete program.
The partnership announcements are on the back of the re-launch of PickStar’s new, world-class platform, which leverages technology to automate the process for brands and fans to find and book sports talent for paid engagements.
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