Who is Ken Francis?
That’s a question many were asking last week when the NFL sent out a memo instructing all 32 teams not to conduct business with him because he’s not a NFLPA-certified agent. Francis was flagged after trying to negotiate on behalf of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who doesn’t have an agent but is working with multiple advisors.
The former MVP denied that was true, but he confirmed that Francis is his business partner and the inventor of the home-fitness equipment system known as Entire Gym. As news broke about the league’s warning against Francis, Jackson used the moment to promote Entire Gym, which will be out this summer. The spontaneous advertisement was a bizarre twist in the ongoing saga of where Jackson will play next season, as he pursues a guaranteed contract, or at least what he believes is his market value.
The only constant in the process so far has been Jackson’s use of the spotlight to promote his business interests and tell his side of the story.
“He’s strategizing and seeing the opportunities and going for them,” Mike Lewis, Professor of Marketing at Emory University, said in an interview. “You got to realize the size of these athletes’ platforms are enormous.”
A week ago, fans were happy to hear that Jackson would clear the air on the offseason drama, but there was a catch—he would do so in an exclusive interview on the Lamar Jackson Entertainment YouTube channel. It’s unclear when that will drop, or if it ever will, but people have been checking his YouTube.
He showed off a variation of this tactic on Monday when he announced on Twitter that he had requested a trade on March 2. “You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I,” the tweet said. “No matter how far I go or where my career takes me. I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll see me again.”
Not coincidentally, the tweet appeared while Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was speaking to the media ahead of the annual owners meeting in Phoenix. Harbaugh reiterated that Jackson is still under contract and that he was expecting him to be the team’s starting quarterback this season. “We love him,” he told reporters.
Jackson’s lengthy post, timed to attract maximum attention, was accompanied with a link to his fan page, where people could access his various media appearances, as well as information on his community outreach initiatives involving his 7v7 team and charity events like backpack giveaways.
“Capitalizing on the moment when your name is going to be in the news or television to promote something is smart,” Michael Rueda, head of the U.S. sports and entertainment at Withers, said in an interview. “It’s not always the purpose of financial gain. Sometimes it can be social impact stuff or community initiative related. Why not control the discussion a bit?”
The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson earlier this month, which allows other teams to offer him a deal, although Baltimore can match it or receive two first-round picks in exchange. The Indianapolis Colts have reportedly emerged as a team that might make a run at Jackson if they don’t get a quarterback in the upcoming draft.
While the Ravens listen to trade calls for Jackson, who has endorsement deal with Oakley and NFL Pro Era, he will continue to look after his business.
