Robert “Bam” Nieves talks about starring in “The Traitors” on Peacock, the digital age, and his latest endeavors.
A former Division 1 college football player at Syracuse, Nieves is a tech sales executive from New York who describes himself as an “adrenaline junkie.” He enjoys skydiving over volcanoes and swimming with sharks.
‘The Traitors’ on Peacock
On being a part of “The Traitors,” he said, “It was an interesting experience. We were locked in a hotel for the majority of the time. Then, we got to see the people during filming for a couple of hours during the day. It was different than what I expected but it was definitely a cool experience.”
Nieves revealed that he was a “Faithful” in Season 1. “I would have paid money to be a ‘Traitor’,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I would have loved it. I begged the camera for it. Just being a New Yorker where you are used to the grind, the manipulation, and all that.”
He had great words to say about Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, who was a part of Season 1 of this reality TV show. “Ryan is awesome… We instantly connected from the start,” Nieves said, prior to adding that the same holds true for Cody Calafiore and Kyle Cook.
“Life for me is good, so it was definitely a good experience, and I am sure there will be other opportunities that come,” he added.
Robert ‘Bam’ Nieves: The Daredevil
He skydived over volcanoes, and he swam with sharks. “I had a pretty rough 2018,” he admitted. “I lost a cousin, who was 19 years old, and I had a breakup. I also lost my dog, who was my first dog ever, and I had her for nine years,” he said.
“I decided to get away… so I went to Hawaii with my best friend. That was the most memorable trip because that was where I went the woman [Nikki], who is now my wife,” he explained.
“Eventually, I would like to run with the bulls in Spain, even though all my friends think I’m nuts. I am an adrenaline junkie,” he added.
Playing football at Syracuse University
Nieves recalled that playing football at Syracuse University was “the best.” “It was the most challenging experience, both mentally and physically, especially because you are playing with potential people that are in the NFL. It changes your whole mindset. It was definitely humbling and an awesome experience,” he said.
“I love the community, and I still talk to many guys and coaches on the team. It’s like your little fraternity, in a sense. It is also great networking… I’ve always dreamt of playing at Syracuse. It was a lifelong dream of mine,” he elaborated.
“I was the first to graduate college from my family, so I felt like that it was a perfect representation of who I was,” he added.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Nieves said, “I’m 35, and I definitely wish I was better at it. I am fortunate enough to be an uncle of 12, and I am substantially younger than my siblings, so they’ve kept me young in that.”
“The digital age and social media have given people a voice that they wouldn’t have had otherwise,” he observed.
“Also, if you use social media the right way, it can help you mentally. It can help you connect with other people,” he added.
Future plans
On his latest endeavors, he remarked, “I am starting a sports agency. As a career right now, I am a VP for a tech company. During COVID, I missed sports so much and I am doing something with my best friend, who is a former college basketball player.”
“He has helped kids come over from Africa and helped them solidify scholarships. Some of these kids are actually top basketball players in the country. We decided to start a sports agency to protect these kids,” he acknowledged.
“I passed the NBA Exam, so I’m an NBA certified agent, and I also FIBA certified, which allows me to represent players outside of the country and in Europe. We’ve built this from the ground up, and it has been an awesome experience so far,” he said.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Happily Married.”
“I’m truly blessed. I am always put God first, my family second, and the rest follows after that. These days, I’ve been blessed to have my wife as a support system,” he expressed.
Success
On his definition of the word success, Nieves said, “I didn’t grow up with any money. I hate the saying that money doesn’t buy happiness. I don’t need to be rich.”
“What brings me happiness is being able to be comfortable and help support my parents now who are retired; they didn’t have much growing up. I truly am a product of hard work and struggle,” he acknowledged.
“What makes me truly happy is having abilities and power to be in control of my future. Breaking that family cycle that has been haunting us for so long is what brings me true success,” he concluded.
To learn more about Robert “Bam” Nieves, follow him on Instagram.
