When it comes to personal branding, LA Rams quarterback Roman Gabriel Jr. was a man ahead of his time.
“After my dad’s death on April 20 of this year, I wanted to do something for his legacy,” said Roman Gabriel III, who points out that in the 1960s his father and Joe Namath were the first two NFL quarterbacks to create what is commonly referred to as a personal brand.
The father will be honored by the son at the Annual Roman Gabriel Legends and Leaders Celebration from 5 to 8 pm, January 16, 2025 at Executive Next Practices Institute at the Beall Applied Innovation Center on the campus of the University of California at Irvine. For ticket information click here.
The night will include a special tribute to the personal brand of the late Roman Gabriel Jr. presented by his son, who is the CEO of the Sold Out Youth Foundation charity.
The term personal brand wasn’t even coined until 1997 when management expert Tom Peters wrote an article in a magazine for CEOs. Peters argued that individuals should apply the principles of branding to themselves, treating their careers as a brand that needs to be marketed strategically.
“This event is all about carrying on his legacy and all he accomplished in his Rams career and what he was able to do in the community,” says Roman Gabriel III. “He used his platform to impact Hollywood, to impact sports, to impact marketing, and to impact the philanthropic community. He raised about $10 million over his lifetime.”
Roman Gabriel III says his dad was fortunate to have many opportunities when Hollywood was really booming in the 1960s and 1970s. His father was the NFL MVP in 1969. He recalled his father appearing in movies with John Wayne and Rock Hudson, and many TV shows and commercials. Along with teammate Merlin Olson, who both joined the Rams as rookies in 1962, he owned businesses such as a luxury car dealership and a travel agency.
“He turned that into a Roman Gabriel brand and a platform, which he was proud to use to impact young people and make a difference,” says his son. “He really believed that the fans are the reason why and it’s the reason he’s so beloved.”
At the UC Irvine event NFL alumni and other sports and entertainment celebrities will gather with business and education leaders. NFL alumni slated to attend include Super Bowl and Hall of Fame coach Dick Vermeil, Vince Ferragamo, Mike Lansford, Fred Dryer, Ron Brown, Leroy Irvin, Rosey Grier, Paul McDonald, and Bruce Allen. Rotolo Chevrolet is the presenting sponsor for the event.
For 22 years the non-profit Sold Out Youth Foundation has been committed to solving our country’s current youth drug, alcohol and mental health crisis. This includes their lifesaving platform focused on educating our youth and communities to the dangers of the number one killer of teenagers in our country, the poison Fentanyl.
Sold Out’s mission is to educate, encourage, and challenge students to live a life of alcohol and drug abstinence, and overall health, wellness, and fitness.
Click here to watch a touching three-minute video of a tribute to Roman Gabriel Jr. at the Rams game at SoFi Stadium on August 11, 2024.