496 - Business of Motorsports Part V - Driver Representation w/ Josh Jones

Class is back in session as Kelley Earnhardt Miller returns for another episode of the Business of Motorsports. On this edition, she and co-host Mike Davis sit down with Josh Jones, the Vice President of Sports Marketing and Entertainment at Kevin Harvick Inc. Management. The main topics of discussion on the docket are driver representation, how to attain sponsors and what goes into contract negotiation. Josh explains how KHI transitioned from being a race team to a sports management firm, all stemming from a conversation had with UFC fighter Cowboy Cerrone. Since then, KHI has gone on to manage several race drivers, professional fighters, and PGA golfers.

The interview also highlights Kevin’s ability to keep sponsors for long periods of his career, and what kind of work happens behind the scenes to keep all parties happy. Josh emphasizes the importance of media training in young drivers and how it’s not enough to just be a winner in today’s racing industry. Social media and branding for athletes are also covered, and how active content creation goes far for building a person’s brand. Finally, they dive deep into the make-up of today’s standard driver contracts and how much of negotiations rely upon sponsorship and bonus programs