Services
We focus on the four most-important categories for rising youth soccer players to maximize their chances for a long lucrative career.
Representation and Contract Negotiation
Sponsorships and Endorsements
Public Relations and Marketing
Financial Planning and Retirement
Representation and Contract Negotiation
The Challenge: Being a “professional,” means getting paid to do the thing that you love – play soccer. Your contract sets the terms of what you are to be paid, and marks you as a professional “footballer”. Negotiating these legal obligations can be challenging and high-pressure—especially when the clubs are trying to recruit players for as low of a salary as possible.
Third Post Solution: We work to make sure that every playing contract you sign maximizes your value, while at the same time providing you with the necessary flexibility to not miss out on the next opportunity to advance your career. We handle all aspects of the negotiations between you and clubs who seek to add your talent to their roster—while continuously listening to your feedback on what is most important to you.
Third Post Strategy: Our first job is to help you find your “place” in the world of professional soccer. Soccer is played all over the globe, and Third Post’s network of connections to professional soccer clubs on every continent will find the best place for you to pursue your dreams.
Then, our legal team will guide you through that world, ensuring that each and every contract put before you provides for your best interests. Whether it’s a playing contract with your club, transfer agreements to move from one club to another, or endorsement agreements earned by your talent and effort, our only goal is to make sure the contract makes sense for you and your career.
Sponsorships and Endorsements
The Challenge: Companies spend millions each year on athlete endorsement deals. However, marketing departments at corporations are often a “black box.” A business advisor is helpful to attract corporate sponsors and subsequently negotiate favorable contract terms.
Third Post Solution: As your partner, Third Post will seek out sponsorship and endorsement deals that leverage your talent and popularity on the field.
Third Post Strategy: Whether in the form of equipment, apparel, products or services, we will guide you to opportunities to maximize your value in the marketplace and realize additional income beyond that earned by your play. For a young player, the first sponsorship agreement can be more financially lucrative than the first playing contract. Third Post pursues both with equal diligence.
Public Relations and Marketing
The Challenge: In today’s world of always-on social media, a strong public relations team is critical for player brand management and maximizing the potential for lucrative endorsement deals.
Third Post Solution: Our team of social media and brand marketing advisors will personally guide you to optimize your presence across social media platforms. Our goal is twofold: (1) to increase fan awareness and (2) to curate a fan- and corporate-friendly persona. Our team has experience growing audiences on multiple platforms.
Third Post Strategy: Marketing Evaluations Inc has developed “Q score” rankings, which allow advertisers to gauge the popularity or appeal of an athlete. We will aim to raise your prominence across soccer fans using twenty-first century methods to allow you to connect directly with fans. We will then use data and analytics to evaluate and tweak our engagement strategies.
We will provide media coaching in order to raise public perception of- and exposure to you as a rising soccer player. And if things ever get tough, we will stick by your side to help with messaging and crisis communications.
Financial Planning and Retirement
The Challenge: Reality is that playing careers can be short. Meanwhile, life after the pitch goes on for a long time. Financial planning can be complex because many parties are involved: the players, their parents, their eventual children, and more. The press is full of remarkable stories of the personal and financial tragedies of mainstream professional athletes.
78% of NFL players are bankrupt or in financial distress within 2 years of retirement.
60% of NBA players go broke within 5 years of retirement. (Sources: Sports Illustrated)
Third Post Solution: Third Post best understands your individual financial situation because we have primary income information from player contracts, endorsement deals, and more. Therefore, while you play, we can guide you to reputable experts to help you achieve financial security.
Third Post Strategy: Our founder has over 35 years of global experience in the financial services industry and web of experience and contacts in the wealth management business. Third Post will introduce you to our financial services partners where our only goal is to make your money work for you so you can spend your energy on your passions such as playing soccer.
Partnerships
We are exploring relationships with valued advisors, service providers, and soccer agencies across sectors who can add additional insight and value to your soccer careers from day one.
Financial Advisors
Global Leagues
From the most challenging tax issues to developing and executing a tailored financial plan, our financial advisor partners can help guide you reaching your financial goals alongside our in-house experts.
Our employees, partners, and advisors have connections with the top soccer teams in the US and globally to maximize your chances of successfully launching a professional soccer career—then rising as you grow.
While our strategy and services are custom-tailored to each individual player, our overall approach can be summarized as follows:
Our Team
Jim Moonier: Co-Founder – Jim has enjoyed a 30+ year career in the global financial services industry; First with Morgan Stanley, and later with Alpha Capital Research which focuses on managing family wealth for ultra-high net worth individuals. Jim has worked as an investment professional around the world, including New York, London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, and Honolulu. Jim was also a founding investor and Director of Champions World LLC, an international soccer promotion company (Manchester United’s USA Tours from 2002 – 2006). He graduated from Princeton University, where he played varsity soccer, and has completed Executive Corporate Governance training at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Gary Kleiban: Co-Founder – Gary is a registered player intermediary, with a global network in the space of player representation. Born of Argentine parents, Gary’s been deeply involved in the soccer landscape with experiences not just as a player, but coaching, coaching education, talent assessment, and the business and marketing of soccer.
In 2009, Gary founded 3four3 Coaching, LLC. Using modern marketing techniques, what started as a simple blog, grew to thousands of subscribers, 2 million views on Youtube, and over 500 yearly recurring customers nationwide. 3four3 is now a nationally recognized soccer brand representing professional player development.
Beyond soccer, Gary has multidisciplinary experience in Physics, Engineering, Education, and online Marketing and Business. After receiving an MS in Physics from Cal State University Fullerton, he enjoyed 5 years as a spacecraft engineer/scientist at Boeing and in operations at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He then accepted a position as a faculty member in the CSUF Physics department, where he has been an educator for 10 years.
William Shipley: Chief Counsel – Bill is an attorney in private practice in Honolulu. Bill graduated from UCLA, where he earned undergraduate degrees in both Political Science and Sociology. He attended law school in Washington, D.C. In Bill’s nearly 30 years as a practicing attorney, Bill has been involved in legal matters throughout the United States and internationally. Bill’s legal career has included more than two decades working for the United States Department of Justice, first in California and later in Hawaii. Bill has worked with Hawaii Youth Soccer Association on their administrative and legal issues. In addition, he has worked with Chelsea FC on their efforts to develop a nationwide youth soccer program.
Charlie Stillitano: Advisory Director - Charlie Stillitano is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Relevent Sports. Mr. Stillitano began his career in international football in 1992, where he served as the Venue Executive Director for the FIFA World Cup USA 1994 NY/NJ Venue. Following the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Mr. Stillitano was named Vice President and General Manager of the NY/NJ MetroStars of Major League Soccer. Most recently, Mr. Stillitano was a senior executive at CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency, where he ran the company’s soccer business. Mr. Stillitano served as an inaugural Board Member of the U.S. Soccer Foundation from 1993 to 2007, and served as its Vice Chairman for 11 years and Chairman of the Grants Committee for 14 years until his retirement from the U.S. Soccer Foundation in 2007. Mr. Stillitano currently co-hosts a daily radio talk show entitled “The Football Show” for Sirius/XM Radio. The Football Show regularly features the biggest names in international football.
Eric Fitzmaurice: Vice President, Marketing and Social Media – Eric is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fitzco LLC, a Honolulu-Based Online Branding agency, specializing in Digital Marketing Strategy. Eric has worked with brands within the US and internationally on web design, web development, search engine optimization, and social media marketing strategy. He has over 10 years of Digital Marketing experience in helping corporations such as Hawaiian Telcom, Hawaiian Energy Connection, Waiakea, and countless others use the web to drive online visibility and generate new business. Prior to starting his own business, he graduated from the University of Hawaii where he was an avid soccer player and youth soccer coach.
Devin Talbott: Advisory Director - Devin is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Enlightenment Capital. Devin began his career in the mergers & acquisitions group at Lazard in New York. He received his JD and MBA degrees from Georgetown University, and his BA, magna cum laude, in Law and Spanish from Amherst College, where he was a four-year varsity soccer player (NCAA Final Four; NESCAC All-Academic). Devin co-founded GenerationEngage (a youth civic engagement non-profit), is on the board of DC SCORES (a non-profit that provides after school and summer programming that combines soccer, poetry, and service-learning), was named to M&A Advisor's "40 Under 40" (as an emerging leader in the financing industry before the age of 40), is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations and former advisory board member to the Aspen Security Forum, and is a member of the New York State Bar.
Bob Reasso: Advisory Director - Bob is the Athletic Director/VP for Athletics and Head Men’s soccer coach at Pfeiffer University. Prior to his years as the Athletic Director, Reasso served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Rutgers for 29 years, where he amassed a career record of 351-183-71. Reasso posted a winning record at Rutgers in each of his first 23 seasons, and took his program to the NCAA Tournament 13 times. In his nearly three decade stint at Rutgers, he advanced to three Final Fours, six league championships, won 10 or more matches in 21 seasons, reached the 15-win mark on seven occasions and reached 20 wins twice and was also named National Coach of the Year.. He coached 19 All-Americans and had 50 players that moved on to play professionally, including Alexi Lalas and Peter Vermes.
Contact Us
Gary kleiban
co-founder
support@ThirdPostInternational.Com
Jim Moonier
co-founder
support@ThirdPostInternational.Com
William Shipley
Chief Counsel
support@ThirdPostInternational.Com