June 2010
Franchising World 
     
The International Franchise Association and the Allied Athlete Group are participating in a joint educational partnership to help expose professional athletes to viable business opportunities in franchising.
  
The educational program, titled Allied Athlete Group/ IFA Franchise Summit 10, is scheduled for July 12-14 in Atlanta. Major franchise brands will provide information about franchising and what needs to be considered before purchasing a business. 
  
“We are thrilled to partner with AAG to provide an educational platform for athletes interested in acquiring franchises,” said IFA Director of Education and Diversity Miriam L. Brewer. “This summit is primed to become a landmark event by exposing professional athletes to the opportunity and long-term ability that franchising can provide.”
  
“By partnering with the IFA, we can leverage the expertise of leading franchise companies to bring the power of franchising to professional athletes,” said Michael Stone, CEO and founder of Allied Athlete Group. “AAG is committed to providing its members with resources that will maximize their opportunities to create generational wealth.”
  
Everyone has seen the often-mentioned, but quickly dispelled statistic that eight out of every 10 NFL athletes are financially strained two years after retiring. Poor business decisions and a lack of proper guidance is the main factor contributing to the inability of professional athletes to create and maintain generational wealth.
  
Brewer explained that franchising provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to get into business for themselves but not by themselves. Acquiring a franchise provides the ability to buy into an established brand and system and receive the training and support that helps many become successful business owners. Franchising is an important contributor to the nation’s economy. More than 900,000 franchise businesses across 90 different business categories provide more than 20 million jobs and create $2.3 trillion in economic output.
  
Allied Athlete Group is a private membership club for professional athletes. The group provides a structured platform for athletes and businesses to connect. AAG seeks to partner with other professional and executive organizations to create synergistic relationships at generate educational, investment, networking  and branding solutions to enhance the lifestyles of its members. The organization is based in Atlanta, but has a membership that spans across the nation.
  
For more information, contact Phillip Boykin: 1-866-378-1813, Ext. 3 or by e-mail at 
pboykin@alliedathletegroup.com.