LONDON (CelebrityAccess)—BenMawson, co-founder of Tap Music, has unveiled Tap23, a new sports management company he co-founded with Paul Dalglish, son of the legendary Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish. Tap23 promises to revolutionize professional management for footballers by integrating football, fashion, and music to create unprecedented opportunities off the pitch.
Mawson shared his vision for Tap23: “There can’t be a ‘one size fits all’ approach to managing athletes – we want to look after the person as much as the player, based on their specific needs. There is a world of opportunity off the pitch with footballers more attractive than ever to brands – football, fashion and music are increasingly intertwined, and they all want a piece of each other.”
He also highlighted the importance of long-term strategic thinking over short-term gains: “There is too often a short-term ‘cash grab’ mentality in football. The best opportunities come as the result of a long-term strategy that fits with the individual’s personality and is done at the right time and in the right way. On the other hand, for some players, it may be more about protection than elevation. There is a lot of pressure that comes with performing on the pitch, which, combined with the toxicity of modern social media, can be very tough to handle. We are there for our clients on a daily basis and will never grow too big that this becomes impossible.”
Dalglish, bringing his extensive football expertise to the table, emphasized, “Football must come first as performance on the pitch determines almost everything that we can do for players. Having the highest coaching qualification available and spending my entire career in football in multiple different roles helps me understand the needs of the footballers of today and also the needs of the clubs. It also helps to provide individual coaching advice, performance analysis, and career pathway planning.”
Dalglish underlined the changing role of footballers in modern society: “The ‘just stick to football’ days are in the past. Footballers are public figures, and the complexity of their needs makes it impossible for one person to offer expert advice across all relevant areas adequately. We have a team-based approach where the player doesn’t have an agent acting alone – we have a management team of specialists. We want to do things differently by creating a unique personalized plan to help players achieve as much as they can on the pitch while supporting them as individuals off it.”
Tap23’s approach involves a comprehensive strategy that addresses both on-field performance and off-field branding. The company aims to enhance player performance through personalized coaching and development while building their profiles through fan engagement and commercial collaborations. The business already boasts a strong network across England, Scotland, and Ireland, with Pat Devlin leading the Irish office and agent Grant Smith joining in Scotland, bringing established players like Nathan Patterson (Everton and Scotland) into the fold.
In addition to football management, Tap23 is expanding into content creation, including a sports documentary in progress, and is collaborating with FIFA on music licensing projects involving Tap Music’s client, Gala. The broader Tap23 team features experts in social media, PR, fashion, and brands, along with specialists in lifestyle and concierge services and charity and philanthropy consulting.
