Icon Source
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersDenver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
Icon Source firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Icon Source
- Legal name
- Icon Source, Inc.
- Website
- https://iconsource.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Icon Source industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Athlete Endorsement Marketplace
- NAICS
- Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Athlete Marketing, Endorsement & Sponsorship Representation (MPAKAMAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Athlete & Team Sponsorship Deals (Official Partners, Jersey/Kit Sponsors) (MPAKALAA), Creator Partnerships & Sponsorship Sales (Brand Partnerships) (MPAAAHAK), Sponsorship Sales, Valuation & Analytics Services (Rights Sales, Measurement, Consulting) (MPAKALAK), Athlete Brand Management & Public Relations (Image, Media, Crisis) (MPAKAMAD)
Keywords
Where Icon Source is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Denver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Icon Source business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform Commission - Athletes: Icon Source charges a commission fee on completed sponsorship deals. Currently enrolled college athletes pay 0% (free), while professional athletes pay 10% of sponsorship fees as the Athlete Service Fee, deducted automatically upon payout.
- Platform Commission - Brands/Sponsors: Sponsors pay a 10% Sponsor Service Fee on the total Qualifying Commitment value within 30 days of entering into any sponsorship agreement. This is in addition to the fees payable directly to the athlete.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | College Athletes - Free tier |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Professional Athletes - 10% commission |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Brands - 10% commission |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Icon Source product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Icon Source operates a self-serve digital marketplace that connects athletes (primarily college students with NIL eligibility and professional athletes) with brands and marketing agencies seeking endorsement partnerships. Brands search a database of 400,000+ athletes, negotiate terms, and execute contracts entirely within the platform, while Icon Source earns a 10% commission on sponsorship deal value from brands and from professional athletes.
Product overview
Icon Source operates as an athletic endorsements marketplace that connects athletes with brands for NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and endorsement deals. The core offering consists of the Icon Source Marketplace platform (offered separately for athletes and brands), complemented by mobile applications for iOS and Android. The platform enables college and professional athletes to monetize their personal brand while allowing brands to access athlete influencers for marketing campaigns.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Icon Source Athletic Endorsements Marketplace Online marketplace platform that connects college and professional athletes with brands seeking endorsement partnerships, facilitating NIL deals and athlete influencer marketing via self-serve profile creation, athlete-brand matching, in-platform contract negotiation and execution, automated payment processing, and university compliance visibility. Brands pay a 10% Sponsor Service Fee and professional athletes pay a 10% Athlete Service Fee, while college athletes use the platform free of charge.
- Icon Source Mobile App (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store) that mirror the Icon Source marketplace experience, allowing athletes and brands to manage profiles, browse opportunities, and facilitate endorsement deals from mobile devices.
Quantifiable outcome
- Brands achieve millions of impressions through athlete partnerships
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Icon Source
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Icon Source technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Icon Source partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Brinx.TV / The NIL HousecoreGroundbreaking partnership where Icon Source will sell sponsorships for The NIL House, a popular sports program featuring collegiate athletes and NIL headlines. This creates unparalleled exposure and value for brand partners and student athletes, with reach of several million viewers weekly.
- Student Athlete NIL (SANIL)minorSANIL worked with Icon Source to broker the deal for seven SEC student athletes to land paid segments on The JBoy Show podcast, setting a precedent for future media space deals.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Icon Source competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Opendorse: Opendorse operates one of the most established athlete NIL marketplaces, connecting college athletes with brands for endorsement deals. Directly comparable to Icon Source in product, target customer (college athletes and brand marketers), and business model (transaction-based fees).
- Teamworks (INFLCR): Teamworks acquired INFLCR, the leading athlete engagement and NIL compliance platform used by universities and athletic departments. Directly comparable to Icon Source's university/athlete compliance and marketplace positioning, with a broader operations OS layer.
- MOGL: MOGL is an NIL marketplace connecting athletes with brands, agencies, and collectives for endorsement deals. Closely comparable two-sided marketplace business model serving the same college athlete and brand customer segments as Icon Source.
Broad incumbents
- Octagon: Octagon is a global sports marketing agency representing athletes, leagues, and brands across sponsorships and endorsements. A broad incumbent that competes for the same brand sponsorship dollars and pro-athlete endorsement mandates, though with a wider portfolio of services.
- Wasserman: Wasserman is a major sports marketing and talent management agency with athlete representation and brand consulting. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the athlete endorsement space, particularly on the professional athlete side of Icon Source's marketplace.
- Excel Sports Management: Excel Sports Management is an athlete representation agency managing marketing, endorsements, and sponsorship deals for professional athletes. Comparable to Icon Source's professional athlete offering as a traditional incumbent agency competing for the same brand-endorsement relationships.
- Endeavor (WME / IMG): Endeavor, parent of WME and IMG, is a global sports and entertainment representation giant. Comparable as a broad incumbent that handles athlete marketing, brand partnerships, and NIL-adjacent deals at scale, often winning the largest brand sponsorship mandates.
- CAA (Creative Artists Agency): CAA is a leading global talent and sports agency representing athletes, brands, and properties across endorsements and sponsorships. Comparable to Icon Source as a broad incumbent competing for professional athlete endorsement mandates and brand marketing budgets.
- Roc Nation Sports: Roc Nation Sports is the sports division of Roc Nation, representing high-profile professional athletes in marketing and endorsement deals. Comparable to Icon Source's professional athlete offering as an established celebrity-driven sports marketing incumbent.
Emerging players
- On3: On3 is a sports media and NIL valuation/rankings platform serving college athletes, brands, and fan audiences. Comparable as an emerging player in the NIL ecosystem with adjacent content, valuation, and athlete-discovery functionality overlapping with Icon Source's marketplace.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Icon Source social profiles
Digital presenceIcon Source financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Icon Source leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Icon Source funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Icon Source M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Icon Source
What does Icon Source do?
Icon Source operates a self-serve digital marketplace that connects athletes (primarily college students with NIL eligibility and professional athletes) with brands and marketing agencies seeking endorsement partnerships. Brands search a database of 400,000+ athletes, negotiate terms, and execute contracts entirely within the platform, while Icon Source earns a 10% commission on sponsorship deal value from brands and from professional athletes.
Is Icon Source a public or private company?
Icon Source is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Icon Source founded?
Icon Source was founded in 2018. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Icon Source based?
Icon Source is headquartered in Denver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Icon Source make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Platform Commission - Athletes are the primary driver. The others are platform Commission - Brands/Sponsors.
Who are Icon Source's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Opendorse, Teamworks (INFLCR) and MOGL. Broad incumbents are Octagon, Wasserman, Excel Sports Management, Endeavor (WME / IMG), CAA (Creative Artists Agency) and Roc Nation Sports. On3 is listed as an emerging player.
Does Icon Source have an API?
No public API is recorded for Icon Source.
What industry is Icon Source in?
Icon Source's product category is Athlete Endorsement Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAMAC, Athlete Marketing, Endorsement & Sponsorship Representation, with a secondary code of MPAKALAA, Athlete & Team Sponsorship Deals (Official Partners, Jersey/Kit Sponsors). Its NAICS code is 7114 and its SIC code is 7311.