Sep 5, 2024 - Business

Photos: Livvy Dunne, Flau'jae Johnson sparkle at "Money Game" premiere at LSU

Photo shows LSU student athletes — Alia Armstrong, Trace Young, Livvy Dunne and Flau'jae Johnson pose on the gold carpet at the LSU premiere of "The Money Game." Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

Livvy Dunne, Flau'jae Johnson, Alia Armstrong and their fellow stars of the new "Money Game" series dazzled on the gold carpet Wednesday night at LSU during the premiere of the show.

Why it matters: Axios Entertainment is a producer on the series, so we got exclusive invites to check out the first episode and participate in a Q&A with some of the show's star athletes.

The big picture: "The Money Game" examines the impact of the landmark decision to alter the NCAA's policy on name, image and likeness rights.

The debut series offers an exclusive, all-access pass to the 2023-2024 athletic season at Louisiana's flagship school with gymnast Dunne, Heisman winner Jayden Daniels and basketball stars Johnson, Angel Reese and Trace Young.

Zoom out: The series is produced by Axios Entertainment, Campfire Studios and Shaquille O'Neal's Jersey Legends, a division of Authentic Studios.

Shaq is an LSU grad.

Inside the room: The private premiere at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on LSU's campus felt like a pep rally with cheerleaders welcoming students, Mike the Tiger high-fiving athletic donors and purple and gold filling the stands.

Dunne, Johnson, Armstrong and Young walked the gold carpet with their families and fielded questions from reporters.
Then, everyone watched the first episode on the massive screens above the court. Mike the Tiger sat on the front row with the stars and teased them throughout the 45-minute premiere.

Image shows cheerleaders at LSU. — The premiere was at the PMAC at LSU. Image: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

What they said: It was the first time the four had seen the show. They described it as "surreal" and "amazing."

"It fired me up," Young said on a panel moderated by Axios' Chelsea Brasted.

It's hard to manage the pressure, Johnson acknowledged, but having the team at LSU made it easier.
"Pressure is a privilege," Dunne said.

Between the lines: Now is the time to cash in, the athletes said.

"LSU, this is the place where dreams come true," Johnson said.
"The school just has swag," Dunne said.

Photo shows students watching "The Money Game" at LSU. — Livvy Dunne, Flau'jae Johnson, Alia Armstrong, Trace Young and Chelsea Brasted had front row seats at Wednesday's premiere. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios

💭 Chelsea's thought bubble: The docuseries feels like viewers get to pull back the curtain on an LSU hype video.

Sure, there's a lot of razzle-dazzle, but these are real young adults hoping to build generational wealth for their families.
And all that's happening as the NCAA and state lawmakers figure out how NIL should actually work amid opinions flying from alumni, sports commentators and fans about whether, in the end, it's ruining college sports altogether.

What's next: Watch the "The Money Game" trailer above, or click here to check it out.