Sep 16, 2026 · 27 min
Athletes turn media careers into ownership platforms
A Conversation with Ndamukong Suh & Jay Williams on the Business of Life After Sports
As sports shifts toward athlete compensation, private investment, and media entrepreneurship, former players are weighing how to build influence beyond competition.
- 1Athlete media careers increasingly depend on informed analysis and independent platforms, not just name recognition.
- 2NIL and private equity are reshaping college and youth sports while raising questions about compensation, protection, and returns.
- 3Ownership offers athletes a way to mentor peers, influence sports businesses, and prepare for life after playing.
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Jay Williams explains how a potential Las Vegas NBA expansion bid could give athletes a meaningful role in ownership and mentorship.
The brief
Jay Williams and Ndamukong Suh frame life after sports as a business-building challenge, drawing on their shared projects and different paths from competition into media and investing.
Suh describes the difficulty football players face in building public identities behind helmets, while his work with Sky emphasizes informed opinions over empty takes.
Williams reflects on 18 years at ESPN and points to Pat McAfee’s independent model, while Suh cites Michael Strahan as a blueprint for athlete-led television careers.
The conversation turns to NIL, private equity, and youth sports, weighing athlete compensation and protection against rising costs and the investment returns owners expect.
Williams outlines his group’s interest in an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas, presenting ownership as a platform for athlete mentorship and long-term influence.
Suh closes by emphasizing timing and family considerations when evaluating investments, underscoring that post-playing careers require patience as much as ambition.