We believe the convergence of sports and entertainment marketing deserves a fresh approach.

Amidst a rapidly evolving multimedia cosmos, traditional principles of artist, sport and athlete sponsorships no longer apply. Collaborative marketing programs should now be based upon much more than strong tv ratings, name recognition and individual performance. Excellence in sports and entertainment marketing must be grounded in the pursuit of enduring relationships, bold creativity and vigilant integrity. Strategic thinking, coordinated tactics and disciplined execution will drive success in this expanding universe.

Advertising Age June 26, 1995 Licensing consultant Sheryl Shade turned Ken Burns' "Baseball" into a marketing home run despite the game's labor dispute that killed off the 1994 World Series. The success was based on Ms. Shade's strategic decision to market Ken Burns as a brand. That focus on the documentary filmmaker helped circumvent fan anger with the strike, and laid a foundation for marketing future projects by Mr. Burns. "I wanted Ken's name to be known for history-based products," says Ms. Shade, 36, a partner in New York-based Gold Shade. She first met Mr. Burns when he was considering whether to hire a licensing and marketing expert in connection with his 1990 PBS series, "The Civil War." But Mr. Burns decided such a move would be interpreted as a commercial sellout. (read more)

ADVERTISING AGE UNVEILS FOURTH ANNUAL "MARKETING 100" June 27, 1995 ADVERTISING AGE's "Marketing 100" is a selection of people who "stand for the very best in brand building." Those included in this year's list from the world of sports business include: SHERYL SHADE, Licensing Consultant for Ken Burns' "Baseball":  Shade was able to make Ken Burns' "Baseball" a marketing "home run" despite MLB's labor problems by marketing Ken Burns as a brand.  The (read more)

Sports Business Journal named Sheryl Shade one  the top agents of the Beijing Olympic Games. After forming a relationship with the USA Gymnastics team in 1996, Shade has emerged as the pre-eminent manager of gymnastic talent. This summer she’ll be looking to capitalize on the anticipated success of Paul Hamm and Shawn Johnson.

Sports Business Journal (Oct. 12, 1998) When it comes to competition from the opposite sex, Jerry Maguire has nothing to worry about. Although a number of female agents represent top female athletes, women have not begun to scratch the surface of the glass ceiling when it comes to representing male athletes in the four big-money major leagues. As far as a female Leigh Steinberg, the agent on whom the movie "Jerry Maguire" was based, "there is no woman who would be the equivalent of a superagent in football, basketball or baseball," said Gary Uberstein, a board member of the Sports Lawyers Association, a national trade group. Uberstein said he has noticed that 30% to 40% of those attending the annual sports attorneys conventions are women. Many of those women, however, are employed in the sports television industry and in sports marketing firms and not involved in negotiating player contracts. But there are a few… Sheryl Shade, president of New York-based Shade Global, a sports management and marketing firm, is considered one of the top female sports agents in the United States, sports marketing experts said. In three years of athlete representation, Shade has signed several top female athletes, including U.S. gymnast Shannon Miller and U.S. soccer star Mia Hamm. Although few women represent major league men now, "I think you are going to see a lot more women trying," Shade said. Shade is considering taking a plunge into the business of recruiting NFL players. "It has been a man's world, and you have to earn your reputation, and that is what I am doing," Shade said. Women agents have "reaped some female athlete success, and the next test is going to be our ability to go out and get some males." (read more)