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Creating New Pathways In Sports Marketing Noah Schwartz’s Vision For Touch Grass Sports

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Creating New Pathways In Sports Marketing: Noah Schwartz’s Vision For Touch Grass Sports

Creating New Pathways In Sports Marketing: Noah Schwartz’s Vision For Touch Grass Sports

“I identified this white space between professional athletes and content creators in sports,” explains Noah Schwartz, founder & CEO of Touch Grass Sports (TGS). “Even if you are an athlete by trade, a lot of the partnerships that brands are looking to do with you center around your social media and your role as a content creator.”

And so the idea for TGS was born. Officially launched in 2025, Noah’s brainchild is a boutique talent management firm with a clear mission: bridging the gap between traditional athletes and content creation in the sports industry. 

Noah developed this concept through his experience as co-founder of the booking platform Engage and his work at Underscore Talent Management. With TGS, he is strategically combining athletes’ expertise with content creation, thereby creating a means to leverage the opportunities he spotted.

Strategic Value Creation

It was clear to Noah that for TGS to succeed over the long term, it should prioritize sustainable growth over transaction volume. “Where I see things is really on that value side, and that’s what kind of sets us apart,” Noah shares. “Whether it’s working with an athlete or a content creator by trade, we develop a unique brand strategy for that individual.”

This strategy extends beyond traditional partnerships. “Given my background and my team’s background in working with professional athletes, content creators, speakers, right – all these different sides of the space – we can say, ‘Okay, you are currently a content creator focused on, let’s say, golf, and you have an amazing story, you’re extremely well spoken, and you happen to go to school for journalism. How can we leverage our relationships and expertise as  connectors and managers to get you in the right positions to interview and audition for on-camera roles with a golf publication?’”

In working with his clients, Noah emphasizes long-term strategic thinking and asks key questions during their initial interaction: “Where do we see you having all this influence? How do we make sure that influence lasts for decades and years to come? Is it focusing on building a freestanding business around product or media, or are we focused on growing your channel until you’re ready to do one of those next-step opportunities?”

What’s In A Name?

For Noah, even the choice of the company’s name, like every other thing he does, is a strategic decision. “I didn’t want to start the ‘Noah Schwartz agency.’ I wanted to have something that could grow beyond me and that, when people look at it, may bring a smile to their faces. I wanted something tongue-in-cheek, but you know exactly what it means. The same concept as an agency called ‘Beers With Friends’ – you smile, but you know exactly what it means: you’re working with us in this organic manner.”

Beyond that, however, Noah confirms that the company’s name is a reflection of its corporate ethos and its approach to brand collaborations. 

“Part of what I’m looking to do is inspire people through the content that we create as a part of our partnerships to get outside, be a part of an activation, feel the grass or sand or dirt under their feet, and engage in that community,” Noah explains. “We work directly with our talent to develop unique content-based activations and ideas that can then be sold to brands as assets, encouraging their followers and brand loyal consumers to touch grass..”

Creating New Pathways In Sports Marketing: Noah Schwartz’s Vision For Touch Grass Sports


Noah with client & friend Daniel “ShortGameKing” Saloner during the ’23 U.S. Open week in L.A.

Content Creation Philosophy

Noah takes a distinctive approach to content guidance. “I actually do not offer, unless asked, specific advice on content,” he shares.

What TGS does and concentrates on is business development. “We manage the business side of things as it comes to the development of their business, off-platform, on grass, and in additional opportunities,” Noah emphasizes. “Not necessarily dictating what a post looks like, what angle they’re shooting from, or different types of themes they could touch on again unless asked.”

To support athletes in content creation while maintaining their primary focus, TGS provides multiple resources. “You got to keep the main thing the main thing. If you’re a basketball player, you need to spend the majority of your time playing basketball, or else you’ll lose your relevance,” Noah notes.

He adds, “But if you’re a content creator, you must spend most of your time creating new and unique content that feeds the algorithm.” The solution often involves “working with an external team who’s good at social media development to help take the voice of this athlete, what they do, and create relevant content.”

Creating New Pathways In Sports Marketing: Noah Schwartz’s Vision For Touch Grass Sports


Noah with 5xNBA Champion & client Derek Fisher at LIV Golf Miami Pro-Am

Transforming Sports Marketing

According to Noah, the industry shows significant shifts in brand partnerships. “I was actually talking with a fellow manager last week,” he shares, “and she was explaining to me that she’ll get many inbound requests, offers, and opportunities to partner, treating her athletes like they are influencers. 

This shift particularly affects emerging athletes. “The new generation entering college right now are very familiar with the content creation process and have not known any other system other than NIL,” Noah explains. “NIL has been a part of their careers in high school, and they were knowledgeable about it. So now, when entering college, they’re excited and eager to monetize.”

Data-Driven Success

TGS employs sophisticated analytics while maintaining a focus on key metrics. “Influencers and athletes are seen as top of the marketing funnel. We are here to generate eyeballs, traffic, and demand. So the most important analytics should be watch time and views – how long did somebody watch for, engage with the content, and how many views did it get?”

Creating New Pathways In Sports Marketing: Noah Schwartz’s Vision For Touch Grass Sports


Noah with pro golfer & client Lauren Coughlin (in the middle) at the Solheim Cup in Virginia in September 2024

He elaborates on data-informed partnership decisions: “Maybe you’re trying to engage a specific audience in a specific region of the country, in a specific age range, etc. I can share this data with you and collectively, we can make an informed decision as to why this athlete is the perfect fit and the partnership will perform.” 

Future Opportunities

Noah identifies emerging opportunities in the creator economy. “I think that there are several different things that came across my desk in 2024 that are going to consolidate in 2025,” he notes. “Category-specific gated content platforms, service-based businesses to help boost creators’ output – whether those are actually human services or AI is yet to be seen.”

He points to expanding retail opportunities: “When I was growing up, I would walk into Target or Walmart and see the ‘as seen on TV’ aisle. It’s already happening, but it will continue to pop up ‘as seen online’ or ‘as seen on social media.’”

“We are truly passionate about getting outside, exploring the outdoors, exploring your passions,” Noah concludes. “Brands feel strongly about that too, getting that real strong engagement with people who attend your event, play in a golf tournament, participate in a basketball clinic. You’re not selling to people via these screens – you’re selling to people organically through an experience that lives on in their mind and maybe inspires them to continue to play an activity, perform, or maybe just go for a walk.”

Cecilia Carloni, Interview Manager at Influence Weekly and writer for NetInfluencer. Coming from beautiful Argentina, Ceci has spent years chatting with big names in the influencer world, making friends and learning insider info along the way. When she’s not deep in interviews or writing, she's enjoying life with her two daughters. Ceci’s stories give a peek behind the curtain of influencer life, sharing the real and interesting tales from her many conversations with movers and shakers in the space.

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