From Bulldog to Brand Builder: Frank Dalena will always Bring the Juice

FRESNO, Calif. - In 2021, Frank Dalena had an idea.

Dalena, who played football at Fresno State from 2015-19, is about as Bulldog Born and Bulldog Bred as you can get. His father played football at Fresno State, he followed in his footsteps and his two younger brothers did the same. Bulldog football means something to the Dalena family. So does hard work. Although not the star player on any team during his career, Dalena was a critical piece to the Bulldogs' successful run in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

He was a hard worker, and that attitude was contagious. Always one of the first ones to the facility every day, he set the standard. His teammates followed suit. He was named the 2019 Most Inspirational Player on offense his senior season.

"I just decided to own my role and embrace it. I have always said to control the controllables. Prepare as if the world depends on it," said Dalena on his experience on the Bulldog roster. "Continuously having attention to detail, trying to grow myself as a football player, as a man, and as a Fresno State Bulldog just became the core of my life. I embraced every second of it."

Following graduation and a brief stint with the US Olympic skeleton team, Dalena returned to the Valley and stayed in the family business. At Dalena Farms, the family-owned and operated onion farming business about an hour outside of Fresno, the former Bulldog football player continued his work ethic of early mornings and hands-on work.

Somewhere in the mix of getting thrown into the real world after his college football career, making the move to Utah for his skeleton sidequest, and returning home, came the idea of a podcast.

"I didn't want to get complacent. I wanted to keep chasing greatness. Whatever that is. At this time, being a 20-something-year-old, you're trying to make some money. I had been on a few podcasts and wasn't impressed, but they were doing it, and they had listeners. I was in this internal battle over wanting to be great, so I said, 'Why don't I start a show?' I already have a phone list full of NFL players because they're my former teammates. Let me get them on the show, and we'll talk about chasing greatness."

Dalena launched the Bring The Juice Podcast in August of 2021. It started with the mindset of getting athletes at the collegiate and professional levels to talk about how they chase greatness, and how their mindset in sports fuels their success outside of sports.

His first set of interviews consisted of former teammates, Fresno State athletes, or local Central Valley athletes. From there, Dalena continued to push the limits and grow the brand.

"We'll keep it all with a hint of 'Frank Dalena', which is internal juice, high energy, very raw and say it how it is," said Dalena on his initial ideas for the podcast. "I wanted to hit that next level of getting vulnerable. I want to be the voice that bridges the gap between the players on people's fantasy football teams and those fans. We are all very similar. There are a lot of people who have never met an NFL player before, and they think they're a superstar, which they are, but at the end of the day, once you pull back that first layer, they are just normal guys. To see them show the human side of it was something I was excited to do, and it just sort of evolved."

It all started in an onion field with an idea and a notepad.

He knew success wouldn't happen overnight. He knew he wasn't going to get the 'Patrick Mahomes' guys of the NFL to buy into his brand. He did know there were ways to get his foot in the door. He began to look at different ideas as networking opportunities.

Fast forward five years, and Dalena has been a credentialed media member at premier events like the East-West Shrine Bowl and the Super Bowl's Radio Row. Now it was more than just a podcast. It was a notable brand presence, and Bring The Juice gained momentum year after year. The marketing behind his brand was working. His brand merchandise was spotted on professional athletes across the country, most notably the various styles of trucker hats with unique logo designs.

"Our merchandise became more popular. I started sending out hats as an opportunity to say 'hey, here I am'. They're not going to read my DM on Instagram because they are flooded with fan messages and things like that, so by doing this, I said, 'Hey, here I am. ' Guys started wearing the hats. Some guys wear them all the time and don't even follow us on Instagram," said Dalena on the merchandise growth.

Just like anything productive in life, this took repetition and constant attention to detail. Over time, he became more professional and strategic about his brand messaging and the quality of product the Bring The Juice brand was putting out into the world - from merchandise to social media. It all snowballed together.

Former Bulldog head coach Jeff Tedford taught him that it isn't just the attention to detail that you have to have, but you must be consistent at your craft. The consistency and determination to chase greatness have guided Dalena and the Bring The Juice brand to what it is today.

"I treated it like a second job," said Dalena. "It is a business. It is very laser-focused. Ultimately, all of those little pieces have just accumulated together to turn into what it is now."

A few years later, he had another idea. This one to host the 'most electric golf tournament in California' right here in the Central Valley.

When Dalena says "electric", he means it. No idea is a bad one or too far out of reach. He will find a way. His golf tournament isn't a typical golf tournament. Every hole has something different, from power cleaning to haircuts and hot tubs. He has turned a regular golf tournament into a one-of-a-kind experience for the participants, event sponsors and spectators.

Dalena has invited football talent of all sorts, spanning from former Fresno State players to standout NFL talents each year. This year, at the fourth annual Bring The Juice Golf Tournament, he has invited star talent across the League. It's not just a field of good football players; however, it's a field of good golfers who also happen to play professional football.

He also maintains connections with his fellow Bulldogs, bringing back former Bulldogs such as DaRon Bland, Mykal Walker, KeeSean Johnson, Evan Williams, Jake Haener and Ronnie Rivers, among others, to the Valley to participate in the tournament. This year, the event is held at Dragonfly Golf Club on March 6-7.

The Bring The Juice Golf Tournament is all fun and games, but it is also for a cause. Along the way, Dalena has also started The Juice Foundation, which raises money for local youth sports.

"We want to give these kids an opportunity to succeed and chase greatness in whatever they are trying to do, or at least have a fair shot. It has been fulfilling for me because we are making a difference in these youth sports groups. Sports are huge for growing up. You learn how to be a part of a team, how to work with others. It teaches you grit. It teaches you how to do something when you don't want to do it."

With goals of a "Pro-Am" style tournament, the Bring The Juice Golf Tournament started with 16 NFL players in the first year – mainly former Fresno State players. As the years went on, it grew from 16 NFL players to nearly 30, to this year, over 50 in attendance.

The pillars haven't changed. The goal is to support the youth sports in the area. He is also supporting Fresno State Football through various NIL opportunities at the golf tournament. It is also an opportunity for the Central Valley to host a premier event.

As host, Dalena takes pride in giving the NFL players a high-class experience right here in the Central Valley.

It is a free two-day event with spectators encouraged. This year's event is set to be bigger and better as it continues to grow each spring.

"It is like Candyland for people who want to have fun."

More information can be found on Instagram at @bringthejuicepod.

Dalena lives and breathes his own brand every single day. Dalena will always Bring The Juice.

Fresno State Athletics

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