Securing the Bag
The 6th Annual Awards
- Excellence in Black Storytelling
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
Securing The Bag is a docu-series that provides an in-depth look into the world of two Black collegiate athletes who are navigating their lives and careers with the newly enacted NIL rule change in the NCAA. The goal of Securing the Bag is to highlight and celebrate Black excellence, sharing the stories of these athletes and how the change of this one rule is returning ownership over the careers of these students and for future generations to come.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
Securing the Bag brings forth a unique level of storytelling for viewers, bringing to them stories directly told and curated by the very athletes we’re featuring. By giving our athletes creative control, we take viewers along for a first-hand account of the journey these athletes have gone through. This will work to move the industry towards a more auto-biographical way of storytelling where the athletes are given control of their name and their story.
With the athletes working so closely with the production team, the outcome of the video is a very personal anecdote. The audience can quickly get to know the subject of the video’s personality, career, and upbringing which provides them with a feeling of closeness to the individual. This creates traction because audience members will be more likely to follow these athletes on social, watch their sports games and tune in to more episodes to follow more similar public figures.
Objective
In partnership with WarnerBros. Discovery and their MORE From Us initiative, our Securing The Bag docu-series details the immediate and long-term impact of NIL opportunities on Black collegiate athletes. Our goal was to celebrate Black student-athletes and amplify and elevate their stories on navigating the new NIL landscape.
To accomplish that, we made sure every athlete owned their story. With us, they could tell their story, their way. Our team’s dedication to telling authentic and educational stories led us down a path of extensive research, interviews, and consultations with former collegiate athlete, NIL lawyer, and two-time best-selling author, Sivonnia DeBarros.
The result? A comprehensive and powerful narrative, explaining the power of NIL in college sports, the abundance of opportunities for Black student-athletes, and the legacy they want to leave behind. We set a new precedent for storytelling, becoming one of the first to educate audiences on the effects of NIL on Black student-athletes, and giving them the platform to become the ‘educators.’
More than just a series, Securing The Bag is a testament to collaboration, authenticity, and the importance of amplifying Black stories, voices, and excellence in all forms.
Strategy & Execution
The show’s team utilized original content production to craft compelling storylines for each episode, the result is a testament to the power of Black athletes and their experiences navigating NIL. What sets Securing the Bag apart is its goal to promote diversity and inclusivity behind the scenes. The crew were predominantly Black individuals, people of color and women in order to ensure that the project resonated deeply with the lived experiences and perspectives of the Black community.
The team created this project with the goal to elevate underrepresented voices and ensure that the people telling this story were ones that are familiar with it. Each episode provides an in-depth look at the experiences of athletes, showcasing the many different approaches they can take when it comes to NIL. The episodes created for this series each focus on an athlete that is currently shaking up college sports and now being allowed to advocate for their own careers. Overall, Securing the Bag is both entertaining and informational.
It's exceptional execution and commitment to diversity and inclusivity make it a groundbreaking program that is sure to resonate with audiences worldwide.
Organizations
- TNT Sports
- STN Digital
Links
Credits
David Brickley
Executive Producer
STN Digital
Dena Rix
Executive Producer
STN Digital
Jill Snow
Executive Producer
STN Digital
Devin Dismang
Director
STN Digital
Derrick Jones
Director of Photography
STN Digital
William Riggins
Creative Director
STN Digital
Alfredo De La Torre
Producer
STN Digital
Nathan Murray
Lead Editor
STN Digital
Jaz Brethett
Editor
STN Digital
Tre Bennett
Motion Designer
STN Digital
Thomas Lisac
Motion Designer
STN Digital
Jay Clay
Graphic Designer
STN Digital
Taylor Robison
Writer
STN Digital
Katie Orchard
Writer
STN Digital
Parris Rose
VO Artist
STN Digital
Jaida Collins
Project Manager
STN Digital
Cameron Harris
Asst. Marketing Manager
Warner Bros Discovery
Alida Lambert
Director, Social Marketing
Warner Bros Discovery
Telmo Tabuas
Senior VP Marketing and Social
Warner Bros Discovery
Josh Baird
Director, Digital Marketing
Warner Bros Discovery
Gabby Ballard
Marketing Director
Warner Bros Discovery
Dan Cho
VP Social and Digital Marketing
Warner Bros Discovery
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
