In 2009, Sports Illustrated published an article stating that 78% of NFL players are bankrupt, divorced or unemployed two years after retirement. However, former NFL defensive back and current Vice President of the NFL Player Engagement Organization, Troy Vincent found that players were not financially strained directly after retirement, but four or five years down the line, many did not have a plan and were not making an effective transition from the league to real life.
One player who serves as a prime example of how to make a successful transition after retirement is business owner, artist, and modern day renaissance man Frank Rice. After his NFL career was cut short due to an injury, Rice utilized his entrepreneurial acumen, which he gained from his father who bought his first store when Frank was in high school, to build a business and brand that would sustain him long after retirement.
During his football career you would have found Rice on the field on any given Sunday, but now, on any given Tuesday, he can be found engaging with customers at any one of the five Popeye’s restaurants in his family’s fast food empire. Other times, you may find “Fresh Frank,†as he was known on the TV One reality series The Ultimate Merger, with model Tocarra Jones, reading scripts, writing, acting, or producing music on his independent label Avari Music. Recognizing Rice as someone who’s carved out his niche in the business world, BlackEnterprise.com caught up with the sports entrepreneur to discuss his various ventures.
How was it initially making the transition from playing in the NFL to helping run your family’s fast-food franchises?
The transition was natural for me. It was something that I wanted to do once I stopped playing football anyway. I grew up working in the family business, which started out as a Pioneer supermarket in the ’80s, and paid close attention to how my dad ran his stores. My dad had two stores while I was in college. I acquired three more after I started playing in the NFL. I have been very successful since taking on more responsibility. We’re very proud of our first store, which is actually rated No. 3 in the Los Angeles market right now.
You also serve as Treasurer of the NFL Players Association in Los Angeles. How did that come about?
Once I came back to California after playing football, I started going to the NFL Players Association meetings. Some of the guys are about 60- or 70-years-old. I was the youngest guy there but they made me feel welcome with feelings of football camaraderie and brotherhood. At one of the meetings, we were voting on some things and someone suggested getting some of the young guys more involved. They then chose me as Treasurer.
As Treasurer, what do your duties entail?
My duties are related to anything financial that
goes through the LA chapter. I hand out the checks, make sure the books are balanced, and report to the group at every meeting. It’s something that I take very seriously and I’m looking to develop the LA chapter and make it the best of them all.Do you think that it helps that you were a former NFL player?
Definitely! I’m sensitive to a lot of the players’ issues. Many times, with the pressures of the game and trying to focus on being a perfect player, you don’t really want to deal with a lot of the other stuff, including policies and procedures I oversee. It’s good to have someone that you trust, knows what you go through, and can give you the meat and bones of what you need to know.
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Given all your success, why did you decide to go to reality TV with The Ultimate Merger?
When the opportunity came to
me, I said, “Why not,†just to see what would happen. Growing up in California, one of the things I’ve always wanted to do was be in the entertainment industry and work in Hollywood; nonetheless, I had to put all those things aside because of my football career and the family business.When I got back to LA, I connected with a friend, a casting director and former NFL player, who helped place me in football commercials. After getting a couple of checks, I thought, “Man, I can really do this.†I then had some pictures taken, started sending them out, and started to get calls back. Two of the calls that I received were for roles in The Ultimate Merger and 1,000 Ways to Die. With both shows being nationally televised, things just steam rolled from there… It’s kind of surreal because all these things I wanted to do growing up are happening and I’m truly living my dreams.
Because of your appearance on the show you got dubbed “Fresh Frank.†What are your strategies and plans for this newfound brand?
I’m currently working on building the brand by getting my logo together and I am also working on a concept for a reality show called, Fresh World. It will follow me and show viewers what I go through in the store, dealing with customers, family, etc. Some of it is comical, but some light needs to be shed on some of the things that go on in the neighborhood in regards to crime and poverty issues. It will also show how I’m trying to pursue acting as a career and manage my business at the same time.
I think it will be interesting because people have known me in the Watts community for over 20 years now. My mother is a teacher and had some of our customers’ kids as her students so it’s like a family there. My dad has done a lot to make the community better as well. The people love him there and we love them so I think there is an interesting story to tell.
What else do you have on the horizon?
I was talking to my publicist about doing some work with The Game on BET because it reminds me of my past life. For example, being married while in the NFL. I’m also currently taking acting classes in order to become a more versatile actor. I’m trying not to just leave myself in that reality role but show people that I am more dynamic.
Do you have any advice for other players looking to travel down a similar path once they retire?
NFL players take for granted the amount of money we have while we’re in the NFL and that’s what I would like to teach some of the younger guys. I think that four or five guys who make the league minimum can get together and start a business. They can then expand from there and have something to sustain them once their football career ends. All athletes, not just football players, should invest in a business that they believe in while playing. They need something that will prepare them for their future.