We had the good fortune of connecting with Tariq Ahmad, PhD and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tariq, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
With NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) becoming law on July 1, 2021, I figured this would be a great opportunity to work in a space that I care about personally and professionally.

During my time at Meta (formerly Facebook), I was fortunate enough to play a small role with the Sports Partnerships team on their NIL Empower 2.0 initiative, which worked with 30 women student-athletes on NIL education, branding, how to get deals, post-career transition, etc.

It was during this program that drove my appetite for NIL, and I began connecting with various people in the NIL space, from college NIL Directors to Agents to educators to learn as much as possible from them, while simultaneously building my own knowledge base.

My role at Meta was eliminated at the end of December 2022, and I said to myself: “I have the time to focus on NIL full-time – let’s make it happen” and that began my journey into NIL.

Along with dusting off an LLC I hadn’t used in over a year, I became a certified athlete agent in multiple states, began writing an NIL Newsletter that is delivered three times weekly, hosted my own NIL Fundamentals webinar, began consulting with colleges on NIL education, and more. It’s coming together brick by brick – and the best is yet to come!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Sports Court Consulting, LLC is a consulting firm and agency focusing on NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) eduction and athlete representation. It was born January 1, 2023 with the intent of education as many college and high school student-athletes as possible on how to maximize their personal brand, and athlete representation for NIL deals.

What sets us apart: Our agency offers both NIL Education & Athlete Representation, whereas most agencies/firms offer one or the other.

What I’m most excited about: Educating student-athletes on the power of their name, image and likeness, and leveraging the knowledge to their advantage, whether it’s to earn deals, marketing themselves, setting up for success post-graduation, etc.

Was it easy? No, and it shouldn’t be. A business should have some struggles so you can work through them and appreciate the success when you overcome the issues or concerns surrounding your business. It’s a challenge ever day – and it’s one that I enjoy.

What do I want the world to know about our story and brand: We are here for you, every step of the way. Whether it’s education, representation, guidance, or just lending an ear, we want to help you be the best person you can be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As I live in New York City, there are numerous things to see, places to eat, etc. Here is an agenda (assuming my friend had never visited before):

Monday: Breakfast at home, followed by a trip to Times Square. Afterwards, walk the High Line and grab lunch at Chelsea Market. Dinner would be a high-quality steak.

Tuesday: Breakfast/Brunch, followed by a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. More sightseeing and eating pizza in Brooklyn. Head to Bushwick (Brooklyn) to check out the Bushwick Collective graffiti art collection.

Wednesday: Pancake brunch, followed by a trip to the 9/11 Memorial. Take the Staten Island Ferry and Sri Lankan food on Staten Island. More walking around and a casual dinner.

Thursday: Queens all day. Mets game, Jackson Heights for food, Astoria for more food, etc.

Friday: Bronx all day. Bronx Zoo, Yankees game, Arthur Avenue, etc.

Saturday and Sunday: Freestyle days. Let my friend go where he wants to explore.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
First off, I would like to thank Allah (God) for blessing me with people in my life and things I could have never imagined.

I want to thank my mom, Amina Ahmad, for her love, unconditional support, and always providing a listening ear.

I want to thank my wife, Humma Ahmad, for her advice and guidance, as it helps shape the content I create and methods of pitching services to colleges and businesses.

I want to thank my brother, Nabeel Ahmad, for his business acumen, availability to provide feedback and best methods for my work, and his proactiveness on thinking of solutions related to my business and NIL.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone in the NIL space who has been gracious with their time via phone call, video chat, email reply, connections, and advice.

Website: https://sportscourt.info/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tariqahmad1/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tariqahmad1/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/tariq_ahmad

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sportscourt/shorts

Other: NIL Newsletter: https://sportscourt.beehiiv.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sports.court

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