The pressure
Security or possibility
Polk faced a consequential choice: remain on an established accounting path or join David Falk in building a new sports-management firm from the ground up.
GO TIME Partner
Curtis Polk
Investment, finance & long-term stewardship
1992Helped launch FAME
4 of 5Top NBA contracts negotiated in 1996
EmmyAward-winning producer
The GO TIME Moment
Choosing ownership over certainty
In 1992, Curtis Polk left a conventional accounting path to help launch FAME with David Falk—a decision that placed conviction, partnership and long-term value creation ahead of short-term certainty.
The response
Choose the opportunity
He chose the entrepreneurial path and helped launch FAME in 1992, taking on the uncertainty that accompanies genuine ownership.
The turn
A career at the center of enterprise
That decision led to landmark negotiations and a career spanning investments, team ownership, brand partnerships, philanthropy and award-winning storytelling.
The legacy
Conviction compounds
His moment illustrates how a disciplined risk, taken with the right partner and a long horizon, can redirect an entire life.
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A trusted financial strategist whose work spans athlete enterprise, investments, landmark negotiations, team ownership and storytelling.
Curtis Polk's career has combined financial discipline with the ability to see the larger enterprise around exceptional talent. His University of Maryland profile traces his work from FAME to Jump Management, where he oversees Michael Jordan's investments, business partnerships, marketing, public relations and philanthropy.
His record includes landmark athlete negotiations, investments in the Charlotte Hornets and 23XI Racing, and an Emmy-winning producing role on The Last Dance. That breadth brings founders a rare blend of financial rigor, trust and multi-decade strategic perspective.
Verified sources
University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business ↗