Jay-Z could easily have been describing Deion Sanders when he tore up the remix for “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” for Sanders is much more than a businessman.
Sanders has taken the college football world and crafted it into his own personal Prime brand marketplace, creating an unparalleled moment we haven’t witnessed before in the sport.
Sure, Nick Saban is the biggest name in college football and Kirby Smart is honing Georgia into the most powerful program in the country.
But what Deion has done for both Jackson St. and Colorado in three short years is a case study for all sports management and business classes (I know as I’ve taught lessons on his college football tenure in my classes).
While his accomplishments over the last nine months at Colorado have captured the attention of the media and fans alike, to start there is short-changing Coach Prime’s impact.
When he was first hired at Jackson St., many questions were raised.
He didn’t have head coaching experience at the college level, so some viewed his hiring as a ploy by AD Ashley Robinson to garner attention for the program. While that held some merit, the results were irrefutable.
After re-starting the season in 2021 after the pandemic, Sanders led the Tigers to records of 4-3 and then 11-2 in his first full season, which included a SWAC Championship and a Celebration Bowl appearance. A year later, Coach Prime did it again, this time leading the team to a 12-1 record and another SWAC title and Celebration Bowl appearance.
But Sanders’ presence was more impactful than his 27-6 record.
When the water crisis hit the city of Jackson in 2022, Sanders jumped into action to bring much-needed attention and resources to the city, school and his program to keep them safe.
In July 2022, when the football facility needed money to finish construction, he donated half of his salary to complete it.
His presence and actions brought the school the types of rewards it had hoped for when Robinson hired him, including new sponsors.
He even managed to anger college football traditionalists by stealing Travis Hunter, one of the top recruits in the country, away from Florida State, a move doubters like Fox Sports’ Doug Gottlieb called “an obvious mistake.”
But Sanders remained undeterred, and that’s when Colorado came calling.
After agreeing to a five-year, $29.5 million contract with the Buffaloes, Sanders wasted no time. He flew out to Boulder and while speaking with the team, he let them know most wouldn’t be there come the fall. That wasn’t a threat, as evidenced by the more than 80 players transferring from/to Colorado in the months after his arrival.
While eyebrows were raised, they quickly returned to form when merchandise sales skyrocketed an astounding 700% and 47,277 tickets were sold to the Buffaloes’ spring game, an increase of more than 45,000 over last season’s paltry 1,950. That single, basically meaningless game netted the school almost $200,000.
That resulted in a call from the Big 12, which gave Colorado over $30 million reasons to return to the conference next season.
Yet his detractors felt it was all hype and that the real test awaited in the form of TCU in the Buffaloes season opener on the road. But those eagerly waiting for Sanders to stumble waited in vain for that moment never arrived.
The Buffaloes shocked the 17th-ranked Horned Frogs 45-42, giving the university a massive win, AD Rick George validation and Fox Sports a new ratings powerhouse.
“Do you believe now?” asked Coach Prime to ESPN’s Ed Werder, and the world for that matter, after his opening day win.
Heading into last weekend’s home opener against Nebraska, tickets were averaging between $400 and $500 depending on the ticket vendor and many future games were either sold out or on the verge of being sold out.
Well, not only was the celebrity-attended 36-14 spanking of Nebraska, where Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe and the Wu-Tang Clan joined over 53,000 fans in attendance, sold out, fans were left with no choice but to believe in what Coach Prime is selling.
At a time when money has completely transformed the college sports landscape and destroyed regional rivalries, Deion Sanders is quickly and definitively forging his own lane.
In three short years at two programs that went 4-8 and 1-11, respectively, prior to his arrival, Deion has successfully instilled a winning attitude, rebuilt confidence, generated revenue, attracted talent, and boosted ratings. Now he’s complementing that with nationally televised wins on the field.
His no. 22 ranked Colorado next plays Colorado St. before facing two big tests in Oregon on the road and then back home to face a surging USC team.
While the Buffaloes might not win all three games, there’s no doubting Deion’s immediate impact.
Yet with Coach Prime’s faith and attitude, he makes you believe that the Buffaloes are going undefeated.
And that’s the mark of a business, man.
