LINEUP
1. If we don’t perform, we don’t get paid 🤷🏻‍♂️
2. Since when did Kevin Love get shifty 🍸
3. My thoughts on the Trae Young “ad” 🤦‍♂️

4. Hydration by Casey Toohill 🧃
5. Company of the week: GoodSport 🥛

A&A UPDATE
If we don’t perform, we give you your money back 🫡

We’ve seen instant results with many of the companies we’re starting to work with. So for all of you saying “mehhhh we don’t know the exact outcome!” Well guess what, we have a guarantee for you.

Per our updated Terms of Service, we can guarantee if you don’t see certain results working with us after one month, we will fully refund you.

The performance will speak for itself.

And the opportunities we are providing to our community remain unparalleled. See you soon.

https://athletesandassets.com/opportunities

EQUITY

K. Love gets shifty

Utah Jazz’s Kevin Love has invested in Shift Naturals, a natural sciences company creating hemp-infused and non-alcoholic products.

"What Shift Naturals is building is exactly what today's athletes and everyday people are looking for: smarter, hemp-based tools to recover, relax, and feel their best. I believe this is the next big thing for the category. I'm excited to be part of the team driving this movement forward." - Kevin Love

The Angel Group (TAG), which previously supported major CPG brands such as Poppi, Olipop, and Garage Beer also joined the funding for Shift Naturals.

K. Love joins hundreds of athletes claiming equity in CPG brands and bringing their likeness and perspective to companies they align with.

TRICKY TRAE

Was it really worth it for Crooked Tea 🫖

All I’m saying is, I really hope it was worth it lol.

For context

Atlanta Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young has been in trade rumors and speculation for a while, and it's fair to wonder about his future in town with him being eligible for free agency in 2026, should he choose to decline his player option. He is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension to stay in Atlanta, but a new deal has not transpired as of yet.

So with all that in the background, Young dropped an exclusive with TNT Sports' Adam Lefkoe on his Instagram account, and the two had a quick Q-and-A implying a change in NBA scenery. However, it turns out that Young was ditching "syrupy, artificial, sugar bombs that call themselves hard ice tea" and announcing his partnership with Crooked Tea.

I am skeptical

I am sure the tea is really tasty. Given the current stage of the company, the marketing spend on Trae and Adam Lefkoe, I just don’t see the ROI here long term. If a startup brand is going to pull a marketing stunt like this, you gotta get over 336k Instagram Views to drive in the sales you’d hope for.

Not saying they haven’t done this (I don’t have full details), but I would’ve at least given Trae Young a % of the company in exchange for a multi-post series where he pushes the brand over a longer period of time, rather than one splash post that copies LeBron.

The algo is too tough for splash posts!!! Longevity/Ownership over one-time hype posts every day of the week.

HYDRATION

Hydration by Casey Toohill

The Sports Drink Market Is Evolving — Here’s What I’m Watching

Hydration has always been foundational for athletic performance and recovery. It’s one of those critical variables that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. For decades, Gatorade, Powerade, and BodyArmor have dominated the category, built on well-established science around replenishing sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

That fundamental formula still works but what’s changing is the product experience, ingredient expectations and what's next.

1. From Functional to Thoughtful: The Clean Hydration Shift

Most sports drinks today are still just variations on the same base ingredients. But increasingly, athletes and consumers are asking how those electrolytes are delivered and most importantly, what is actually inside the bottle.

One viral video showed Bryce Harper mixing his own hydration drink with lemon juice, coconut water, and salt. This approach reflects a broader shift toward clean-label hydration. Fewer artificial ingredients. Less sugar. No dyes.

Brands like GoodSport are leaning into this. Their product is:

- Free from artificial sweeteners, colors, or flavors
- Made with dairy-derived electrolytes
- Lower in sugar than most traditional sports drinks

If consumer priorities continue to shift toward transparency and natural ingredients, I expect this kind of formulation to become the new standard.

2. Hydration That’s Actually Enjoyable

There’s also a growing opportunity around hydration as an experience. Traditional sports drinks can get repetitive. Many athletes tire of the constant routine of drinking the heavy sugars, bright dyes, and overly sweet flavors.

In contrast, newer brands are thinking about daily use and drinkability. One that stood out to me is Cadence, which I first tried in an NFL locker room. The beverage I tried was in sparkling format, had a clean design was sugar-free, and a bold, unexpected flavors (cola). It felt closer to a functional soda alternative than a typical sports drink.

This “fun to drink” segment could be a major gamechanger, targeting pro athletes and consumers looking for functional hydration that fits into their everyday routines.

Final Thought: Where This All Might Be Headed

Two areas I’m watching closely:

1. Personalized Hydration

Hydration is deeply individual. Sweat rate, sodium loss, and electrolyte needs vary widely from person to person and most sports drinks still take a one-size-fits-all approach.

As tools like sweat testing, wearables, and recovery tracking improve, I believe we’ll see more and more hydration solutions become data-driven and personalized. That could mean:

- Custom blends based on sweat composition
- Timing and dosage recommendations tied to training and climate
- Integration with wearables, recovery and nutrition platforms

2. Hydration Snacking

Another potential frontier is the expansion beyond beverages. New formats like:

- Electrolyte popsicles or ice creams
- Hydration chews or gummies
- Functional bars with hydration + recovery benefits

These snacks could make hydration even more portable and customizable to someones schedule. Also it is pretty hilarious to think about electrolyte ice cream.

Closing

Upon first glance the sports drink market does not look favorable to new players. Tons of brands, legacy players and arguably no real way to reinvent the wheel in regards to hydration. However, its no longer just about what’s in the bottle, it’s about how it’s made, how it fits into daily routines, and how it adapts to the individual. Clean ingredients, enjoyable experiences, personalized data, and innovative formats are setting the direction.

COMPANY OF THE WEEK

GOODSPORT

GoodSport® is a natural sports drink with clean ingredients that leverages an innovative technology and patent-pending process to deliver advanced hydration with no artificial flavors, sweeteners or dyes.

GoodSport is already in places like Costco in various part of the country. They have a serious backing from folks such as Ken Griffey Jr., Ronnie Lott, Terron Armstead, Thaddeus Young, and grants from the Center of Dairy Research (CDR).

At this moment in time (10/16/25), the team is open to additional athlete investors and/or advisor(s) to help amplify the brand!

If you want to meet Michelle to chat about GoodSport, click here.