Genies, NFLPA Give Football Stars the Avatar Treatment

New partnership sees Genies create more than 2,000 digital 3D avatars based on active NFL players.

October 18, 2019

Digital avatar company Genies has agreed to a licensing agreement with the NFLPA that will see the company create more than 2,000 digital 3D avatars of active NFL players.

The deal is one of the first of its kind announced for Genies Avatar Agency, a creative marketing agency for digital avatars. The NFLPA brokered the partnership through its athlete-driven accelerator, OneTeam Collective.

“We are thrilled to be working with the NFLPA and OneTeam Collective,” says Allison Sturges, managing director, Avatar Agency. “Through this partnership, we’ll be able to offer players unprecedented experiences and benefits that they aren’t able to access in the real world. Genies have proven to be the ultimate branding experience for celebrities across the world, and our partnership is going to further that message this season.”

Avatars in the deal will be accessible through the “Genies” app. The deal sees players’ avatars as well as different digital apparel and actions become available through the app.

Once downloaded on the app, the avatar can be exported to various messaging and social platforms through a library of animations.

“We’re excited to team with Genies and explore even more opportunities for players and fans to express themselves through intelligent and dynamic avatars,” says Ahmad Nassar, president, NFL Players Inc., and chairman, OneTeam Collective.

The NFLPA has recently begun branching out into licensing for new technologies. Earlier this year, the organization partnered with TikTok and SportsManias to create a line of

NFL player AR stickers.