Looking to expand your marketing strategy in 2021? Have you wanted to work with athletes but didn't know where to start? OpenSponsorship is here to guide you through athlete sponsorship for the coming year to elevate your brand's marketing plans. Below is a curated list of top athlete influencers whose engagement rates predict a strong performance for the coming year. 

Georges St-Pierre

Although not known for their prowess in the octagon, Canada produced arguably the greatest mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter of all time in Georges St-Pierre. The recently retired fighter won titles in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions, making him just the 4th fighter in the history of UFC to become a multi-division champion. St-Pierre posted an incredible 26-2 record while being ranked as the #1 welterweight fighter in the world for over half of his illustrious career. The three-time Canadian Athlete of the Year also created the GSP foundation to prevent bullying and promote participation in youth sports.

As they say, everything is bigger in Texas – including the influence of athletes. Texas is known for its competitive sport teams at a variety of level. Many of the star athletes we see today are products of Texas. If they don't have roots in Texas, they may have played in one of the top college athletic programs in Texas, or perhaps on one of the many professional teams based in the state.

Rory McIlroy and Nike 

Do you want to work with athletes but don’t know where to start? Are you interested in expanding your marketing strategy to include influencer marketing but don't know which influencers to work with? Are you a small brand that wants to get the best return on your investment? 

There has been an ongoing controversy about if the NCAA should allow college athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The pros of paying college athletes are to help them support their families, allowing them to stay in college and play longer (rather than dropping out due to financial circumstances), and limiting outside pressure to point-shave or skew games from boosters, agents, and other external factors. Not to mention that these NCAA athletes generate a lot of money for their schools, so they should be compensated a little more than just receiving a scholarship. 

Rob DiGisi’s discussion on marketing and how it can help build an athlete’s personal brand was a great start to the athlete webinar. Following his remarks, OpenSponsorship’s CEO Ishveen Anand takes over to engage in the topic of social media and how it plays a role in expanding an athlete’s personal brand. 

OpenSponsorship’s first speaker for the athlete webinar is Rob DiGisi, Professor of Sports Business Management at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. DiGisi discusses how athletes can utilize marketing tools to help them build their personal brand. 

With the rise of social media in the past decade, professional athletes have been able to generate an income both on and off the field and/or court through sponsorship deals. Athletes with millions of followers can receive $50,000+ for a single post with a sponsored product. However, some athletes have it easier than others due to their large social media following, resulting in a higher rate per post. Here are four athletes who can produce a significant income from a sponsored post due to their large following on social media. 

With COVID-19 preventing some stores from opening in-person, brands and retailers are anticipating a huge increase in online sales, contactless shopping, and digital spend. Nonetheless, your brand can still profit during this holiday season by partnering with professional athletes to promote your product or service. Here's how to make an authentic connection with your customer to supercharge your holiday offering: