Today, Merrill Wealth Management and IMG Academy announced a three-year partnership to offer more education and resources around financial awareness to student-athletes and their families. The program aims to provide actionable financial education to IMG Academy student-athletes that can help them throughout their student-athlete journey and in life.
“Athletes today are navigating an increasingly complex financial landscape and are expected to make decisions at an early age that can have a significant impact on their futures,” said Greg McGauley, Head of Merrill Private Wealth Management, International and Institutional Groups. “That is why this partnership with IMG Academy is so important and timely. It offers students and their parents the education and resources to help them make informed financial decisions now and in the future.”
Recognizing the growing need for financial advice and having long-served clients in the sports industry, Merrill increased its commitment three years ago through the introduction of a dedicated Sports & Entertainment group. These advisors are well-versed in the unique challenges that the sports industry presents, and work with their sports clients to address these challenges. With the IMG Academy partnership, Merrill advisors will provide specialized personal financial education to IMG Academy student-athletes and families through a curriculum that incorporates Bank of America’s free financial education resource, Better Money Habits, covering topics such as:
- Basics of savings and spending
- Introduction to credit
- General investing information from Merrill
IMG Academy’s focus on holistic personal development sets it apart from other educational institutions. It is the only prep school globally with a dedicated staff of over 100 specialists focused specifically on personal development areas such as leadership, mental performance, nutrition, communication, and sports science. Across its boarding school and digital products, NCSA College Recruiting, and IMG Academy+, it helps place more than 30,000 student-athletes onto college athletic rosters annually.
“Given the modern high school and collegiate student-athlete landscape, it is becoming increasingly important to develop financial literacy at a younger age,” said Brent Richard, CEO of IMG Academy. “Establishing a partnership that provides our student-athletes and their families with financial resources and knowledge is another significant addition to our holistic education curriculum, further increasing the value of an IMG Academy education.”
The financial education program will be offered to students attending IMG Academy’s onsite boarding school in Bradenton, Fla., as well as through their online program, IMG Academy+. The curriculum will commence during the 2024/2025 academic year and will include educational sessions, campus-wide assemblies, self-study materials, and opportunities for students and their families to meet one-on-one with a Merrill advisor.
Bank of America serves individual consumers, small businesses, middle-market businesses, large corporations with banking services including asset management. It operates approximately 3,800 retail financial centers across 35 countries.
IMG Academy provides growth opportunities for all student-athletes through innovative on-campus experiences at its state-of-the-art campus in Bradenton or online via coaching under its brand IMG Academy+.
For further information:
Julia Ehrenfeld (Bank of America): 1.646.855.3267 / julia.ehrenfeld@bofa.com
Mike Lovecchio (IMG Academy): 1.941.577.2961 / mike.lovecchio@imgacademy.com
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