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baseball Edit

Baseball players hosting camp

As more and more college athletes become familiar with the NIL and all that goes into the branding of one’s name, a quartet of Georgia baseball players are dipping their toes into the proverbial pool by hosting a baseball camp Sunday afternoon at Oconee Veterans Park.

With the help of a company called Vantage Sports, Bulldogs Nolan Crisp, Liam Sullivan, Garrett Blaylock, and Shane Marshall will host the camp from 2-5 p.m. for campers ages 11-14. Cost for the camp is $75.

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“It’s a cool opportunity,” Dennis Grosel of Vantage Sports told UGASports. “Obviously, with the whole NIL, but moreso, it’s about branding. To have the ability to connect with their fans, be out there in the community and give back.”

That’s where Vantage Sports – which serves as a platform for college athletes to offer private training and run camps.

Former Georgia tight end Isaac Nauta is part of a group – Athlo Agency – that currently serving as a strategic partner with Vantage Sports.

“Obviously, it’s an opportunity for them to invest in some young kids and make some money through NIL,” said Nauta, who said he’s thrilled to see college athletes make a little extra cash, something he was not allowed to do while in school.

“Obviously, it makes me a little nervous knowing where I was with my rankings, just my status coming out of high school, I probably would have gotten a pretty big deal,” Nauta said. “It’s really crazy from this whole space, but it’s really cool that these guys have the opportunity to not only make a little money but set themselves up to create something sustainable off the field.”

Helping players like Crisp, Blaylock, Sullivan, and Marshall create their brand is the ultimate goal.

“We’re just trying to help them capitalize on them being a stable in their community. I think with their brand, they can have a lot of other deals, whether it’s sponsorship of a clothing item, or the local sub shop down the street,” Grosel said. “What it does is not only improve the brand to make money but give back to the community. For all these things that might make it seem a little selfish making money based on who they are, they’re having the ability to profit both with their brand and monetarily with what they are able to give back to their community.”

Vantage Sports helps make all of it possible.

“We just try to help facilitate it (the camps) by being able to handle insurance, compliance, a little bit of marketing and hopefully be a portal for that,” Grosel said. “Hopefully, after this camp, these baseball guys will have a foothold in the area where they can continue on with these kids. Hopefully. they like it and hopefully will be able to do more one-on-one stuff and more good stuff.”

Nolan Crisp and three of his teammates are hosting a camp for kids Sunday afternoon.
Nolan Crisp and three of his teammates are hosting a camp for kids Sunday afternoon. (Rob Davis/UGA Sports Communications)
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