Adie von Gontard ’07 has made a name for himself in the sports agent industry with an unlikely business partner — music mogul Dwayne “Lil Wayne” Carter. Named after the four von Gontard brothers (Andrew ’01, Peter, Alex, and Adie IV) and Carter’s recording label, Young Money APAA Sports Agency (YMAPAA) has become a trailblazer in athletic representation. YMAPAA proudly boasts an impressive roster featuring top-tier athletes like University of Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Leonard Taylo, New England Patriots cornerback Isaiah Bolden, and Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard Ricky Council IV. . With a proven track record, the agency has masterfully negotiated contracts exceeding $1 billion.

Hailing from Front Royale, Va., von Gontard was poised to impact the sports world. His roots in the industry were strong, as his grandfather owned the St. Louis Cardinals and his great-grandfather co-founded the St. Louis beer titan, Anheuser-Busch. “Coming from my family background, I always lived and breathed sports, but my passion started while I was at Episcopal,” he said.  

von Gontard collaborated with Hunter Coffey ’07 and Gil Lamphere ’07 to establish and operate a website dedicated to sports analytics. “People would pay $15 for one pick or $25 for three picks,” he explained. “We were making substantial money during a busy month. That propelled me to start my own sports marketing  agency straight out of college.” His senior externship at Oppenheimer & Co., also helped him understand investments, money, and networking — an experience he says “made all the difference.” 

After graduating with a double major in real estate finance and sports management from Southern Methodist University in 2011, von Gontard founded two companies, BYA Sports Group and APAA Investments. His financial company invests money in deals and purchases portfolios, assets, and notes. In 2014, BYA morphed into APAA Sports to support athletes through brand deals, marketing opportunities, and contract negotiations, with a focus on securing generational wealth for its clients.

In 2019, Carter and Young Money Sports partnered with von Gontard to bring their distinctive sports agency to fruition. “Wayne and I shared visions of what we were trying to build, which was a national agency that could compete with anybody out there,” he explained. “We wanted to stay true to our roots, build a core group of around 10 athletes per year that were going to run through a wall with us as we continued to build.” That same year, YMAPAA held the third and thirtieth picks in the NFL Draft. “Having Quinnen Williams and Deandre Baker as top picks was definitely a standout moment in my career.”

Approaching his 8th NFL Draft, von Gontard emphasizes the significance of building a great team with even better people. The agency remains a family atmosphere with his brother Peter as a co-owner and a current NFL sports agent within the company. “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned personally is we’re not for everybody, and everybody is not for us,” von Gontard said of the temptation to sign as many players as possible. “We want to ensure that we’re recruiting and signing the right players, which means evaluating their core values and determining what motivates them.”

With more than a decade of experience, von Gontard hopes YMAPAA continues to secure generational wealth for its clientele. “At the end of the day, it’s about more than getting them a great contract or a great sponsorship deal. We want to set them up for the rest of their lives so they can retire confidently no matter how long their career is.”