Chris Gaston and Andrew (Ace) Thomas teamed up to provide a unique experience for athletes navigating the sports and entertainment industries. The two co-founders’ respective backgrounds in the sports industry propelled them to where they are today.
Ace entered the field knowing that he flourished when managing players on his own and combining his expertise and love of sports with problem-solving and interpersonal interactions. “I was good at it and I could see myself in the field going forward.” Ace eventually landed the position of President of Basketball Operations at Impact Sports, managing day-to-day operations, business growth, business planning, and administration of corporate initiatives and relationships before moving on to overseeing Sports 99’s strategy and operations.
With his distinct viewpoint, wide network, and in-depth knowledge of the business, Thomas has a unique ability to assist clients and brands in realizing their vision. ” He has a great portfolio working with names and artists including Pink Dolphin, Ask Tabs Wellness, and Young Jeezy. Afterward, Thomas started LIE (Loyalty Is Everything), a clothing and lifestyle company. With another sports professional, Chris Gaston, he currently heads Culture Sports and Entertainment.
Chris Gaston entered into the sports management world as player development specialist. He also served as a marketing associate for the Houston Rockets, organized several successful NBA Pro Days, oversaw and developed a number of NBA players, worked for a significant NBA Sports Agency, and established Family First Sports Firm in 2019.
Gaston used that knowledge to negotiate De’Aaron Fox’s five-year, $163 million contract, the largest in Sacramento Kings franchise history. He then continued to establish his worth as an agent by winning a deal for Cleveland Cavaliers star Damyean Dotson in the hardest free agency market in NBA history. Also, he launched his agency’s women’s branch, signing McDonald’s All-American Ashlon Jackson(Duke) and Mikaylah Williams, the top female player in the 2023 class. Gaston then went on to negotiate the richest NIL deal in college basketball for previous client Keyonte George.
Culture Sports and Entertainment also has a great supporting team with Edric Dennis and Donny Beacham.
Edric Dennis, a Dallas, Texas native and a graduate of DeSoto High School, earned his degree from the University of Texas in Arlington. At TCU, where he is presently pursuing a Master of Liberal Arts degree, he passed a significant career milestone by surpassing 1,000 Division I points against Iowa State. Edric most recently won the $1 million TBT tournament with Blue Collar U in 2022. As Director of Client Services for Culture Sports and Entertainment, he currently collaborates with the team Donny Beacham.
Donny Beacham is a professional basketball player and experienced consultant. He is currently working on his doctorate in urban planning and public policy. He also holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems. Donny played in France, Estonia, and Mexico, and was also drafted the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA D-League. He has been a player manager and consultant since 2013 and is currently the Director of Player Operations at Culture Sports and Entertainment.
Culture Sports and Entertainment will combine the best features of a boutique agency with the finest parts of a major agency.
“We get to know the player first and foremost,” explains Thomas. “Not only who they are as a player but as a family member, celebrity, hobbyist, and human being.” The business finds the most enjoyment in doing this, which is why they are quite picky about the clients they choose. “We go all-in when we take on a player,” says Gaston. He means by this that they surround the player with a family-like environment and pay close attention to their needs at all times. He explains “We have a dialogue where we find out what their objectives are in every part of their lives. Because, as managers of athletes, we are not only representing them in their sport but the elements that factor into it – such as their personal life, hobbies, routines, likes and dislikes, and struggles and successes alike.”
“We include their interests and passions into their personal brands as part of our management approach,” according to Thomas. While building a portfolio and brand that will serve as a public representation of a client, Culture Sports and Entertainment believes that it really matters who each client is at their heart.
“It’s our responsibility to support them once we have an understanding of the direction they want to go,” says Thomas. The business does this by making available its assortment of large-business resources, including their thirty years of experience in top contract negotiation and enhancing customers’ revenues. “When we believe in a player,” Gaston explains, “we fight for them and invest in them all the way. This goes for contract negotiation, brand building, access to our enormous pool of personal and commercial ties, moral support, and the rest of our skills and resources.”
Thomas and Gaston are excited to assume the reins in a world where sports are blended with culture and entertainment. Culture Sports and Entertainment truly seeks to provide athletes everything they possibly need and help them in their careers.
