UCLA QB Chase Griffin starts role as athlete/creator in residence

The firm Range Media Partners announced this week that UCLA quarterback Chase Griffin has signed to work as an athlete/creator in residence. Griffin’s role will include “contributing to Range business operations across Sports, NIL, Film, TV, Music, and Social Impact,” according to a news release.

Griffin was named the Male Athlete of the Year last summer at the inaugural NIL Summit. He has signed at least 25 name, image and likeness agreements, including with national brands such as Boost Mobile, Chase, DirecTV, Meta, Ray-Ban and Whole Foods.

“NIL has allowed me to explore and develop experience across a broad range of content creation, brand campaigns, investing, and activism,” Griffin said in an email to On3. “My academic foundation at UCLA also gives me a strong base of knowledge to draw from. My BA is in Public Affairs (Policy), I am completing a Masters in Transformative Coaching and Leadership, and starting a Master’s in Legal Studies focusing on entertainment, media, and sports law in the Fall.

“The fact that I am actually living the college athlete experience real-time gives me a unique POV on the rapidly changing multibillion dollar college sports market. I also have strong relationships with ambitious peers across the country in sports, content creation, entrepreneurship, and activism. I plan to bring all of these assets and relationships to Range Sports.”

Griffin is one of the prominent success stories in the NCAA’s NIL era, despite playing a limited number of snaps in the last two seasons. He was a three-star recruit and the No. 71 quarterback prospect in the 2019 recruiting class, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Texas while playing for Hutto High School.

In the 2020 season, Griffin started twice for UCLA and he completed 40 of his 62 attempts for 451 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. He threw for four touchdowns on 11 pass attempts against Stanford. He attempted just one pass last season.

Chase Griffin: ‘I have de-prioritized one-off NIL campaigns’

Range Media Partners launched last July. The firm manages talent, properties and brands, plus it invests in intellectual property, according to the release.

Griffin said he connected with Range Media Partners, including co-founder Jack Whigham and Range Sports co-presidents Will Funk and Greg Luckman, through his longstanding relationship with Richmond Flowers III. Flowers is now the president of football and coaching at Range Sports.

Griffin said executives at Range Media Partners include numerous former college athletes who understand his current obligations. Range CEO Peter Micelli played basketball at Cal State Northridge, for example.

“They understand and appreciate the extreme time management skills of athletes who organize their lives around the love for their sport,” Griffin said.

Griffin said he completed his Bachelors of Arts degree in public affairs in just two years, which allows him to have a lighter course load as a graduate student. He listed his priorities in order as football, school and then his business ventures.

“I have de-prioritized one-off NIL campaigns and devote that extra time to my longer-term partnerships,” Griffin said. “Right now those are Range Sports, UWG, and JP Morgan Chase. I have started another pathway in investing that I will announce soon. Range is a leader in all of the pathways that I have interest in so there is a lot of synergy in the things that I spend time on.”

When discussing his partnerships and business ventures, Griffin often talks about building generational wealth.

“Personally, I do zero product deals,” he told On3 last summer. “I only do cash deals and I really do that because all of my NIL money is invested. I can’t invest a product.”