Top 6 Finance Case Studies
Why should you work with athletes in the financial space?
Have you ever wondered how much a professional athlete is paid? While their earnings on the field are mostly determined by their performance, sponsorship deals are what keep the world's finest athletes well off. The top ten earners in sports make more than $400 million in sponsorship each year, with salaries and prize money totalling more than half a billion dollars.
It's no secret that athletes rely on the financial industry to supplement their endorsement earnings. Every brand, whether it's a bank, an insurance firm, or a payment service, appears to align its beliefs with the next big-name celebrity who fits the mold. The athletes in this industry have witnessed a significant increase in their net worth and career earnings as a result of these strategic relationships. Forbes' yearly list of the World's Highest Paid Athletes includes several of these prominent names. By associating with the reach and brand recognition that financial brands can bring, top athletes in the MLB, NFL, NBA, and other sports organizations throughout the world have created an impact for their partners and themselves.
OpenSponsorship’s Way of Doing Sports Sponsorship
Sportspeople have a platform and can help brands communicate their stories — it's not about being a role model, but about matching with the brand's values (and vice versa). Potential sponsors are increasingly looking for authenticity. They want to draw actual similarities between their campaign or message and the athlete, as well as tap into the athlete's network, interests, and fans in order to raise brand exposure. In certain ways, the athlete serves as a messenger for the brand's message. Our clients that are the most successful in terms of developing and monetising their personal brands are those who are faithful to their principles and convictions.
Take a closer look at OpenSponsorship’s Top 6 Case Studies in the financial space.
1. Flockjay
Brand: Flockjay
About the brand: Flockjay is a knowledge-sharing platform for the growth and development of sales teams.
Why athletes: To help reach the younger demographic through social media
Who we worked with: Head of Business Development
Value:
- Cash ($100 - $1,000)
Objective/Campaign:
- We are looking for athletes to post a story, on their twitter or instagram, advertising our #FlockjayHeadStart contest, where Flockjay will award 10 incoming Flockjay applicants a MacBook Air laptop, Jabra Evolve2 headset, and a voucher to help pay for 4 months of internet access.
Results:
- Received 62 applications
- Connected Flockjay to 1 MLB athlete (Isiah Kiner-Falefa), and 1 WNBA athlete (Bria Hartley)
- Had a total reach of 158,000
Example deliverables:
Testimonials:
- “Isiah was incredible to work with, even with a lot going on.”
- “Bria was soooo great to work with. I'm so proud that we aligned on this important initiative! Can't wait to explore a larger partnership!”
2. Winning at the Money Game x Sean Sutherlin
Brand: Winning at the Money Game
About the brand: Winning At The Money Game uses the game of basketball to teach financial literacy to elementary, middle and high school students. As one of the most popular sports in the world with a fan base of 825 million people, basketball provides a unique model for teaching financial concepts in an interesting and understandable way.
Why athletes: To teach financial literacy to a younger audience.
Who we worked with: Founder
Value:
- Cash ($500)
- Product ($200)
- Royalty (15%)
Objective/Campaign:
- Looking for an athlete who cares about the youth and is looking to promote their financial literacy program which uses the game of basketball to teach personal finance.
- We are seeking athletes who are genuinely interested in financial literacy, and a long-term partnership with our brand. We would be seeking video and picture posts on social media as well as networking with interested parties.
Results:
- Received 31 applications
- Connected WATMG to Sean Sutherlin, college basketball athlete for the University of Minnesota
- Had a total reach of 280,000
Example deliverables:
Testimonials:
- “Even though Sean had a busy schedule during the college basketball season with a lot of impactful community events, he took the time to read our material and video post his thoughts on INSTAGRAM which got a lot of positive feedback. We will definitely be working with Sean Sutherlin again.”
3. Boosters Zone x Pro Athletes - Baby Photo Brackets Contest
Brand: Boosters Zone
About the brand: Boosters Zone provides fundraising services for nonprofits, including writing and publishing books - specialising in topics related to local ethnic groups, sports, history, and trivia.
Why athletes: To run a fun competition amongst athletes to raise money for a non-profit and raise awareness for an important cause.
Who we worked with: President of Boosters Zone
Value:
- Cash ($1,000)
- Royalty (10%)
Objective/Campaign:
- Looking for athletes to compete in what will be the next "Ice-Bucket Challenge"
- This campaign will allow teams to compete with each other and in turn, raise money for a non-profit organization in a fun and inexpensive way!
Results:
- Received 45 applications
- Connected Boosters Zone with 14 different pro athletes from various sports including Track & Field, Wrestling, WNBA, and many others.
- Combined reach of 6.2 million
Example deliverables:
Testimonials:
- “Tamera did an outstanding job with my virtual fundraiser program! I highly recommend her for future opportunities with Open Sponsorship.”
- “Michele' was a big help with getting my virtual fundraiser campaign up and going!”
- “A very professional brand, easy to work with, very timely with responses, extremely patient. I'd most definitely be honoured to work with them again.” - Mark Otieno Odhiambo
- “They were great to work with & it's great they want to help out charities!” - Alyssa Cleland
4. Got Loans x OS Athletes
Brand: Got Loans
About the brand: Got Loans is a connection service for borrowers who haven’t had luck with other lenders, primarily helping borrowers who have lower credit scores.
Why athletes: To quickly reach a wide range of audience, especially people and families in financially tight places to offer fast and safe loans to help with payments.
Who we worked with: Brand Manager
Value:
- Cash ($150 - $300)
Objective/Campaign:
- We are looking to collaborate with someone who understands that people & families can be in a financially tight place from time to time.
- This campaign asks athletes to casually & naturally communicate through IG Stories GotLoans.com’s fast, easy and helpful platform to secure fast cash, knowing someone listening really might be in need.
Results:
- Received 20 applications
- Connected Got Loans to 1 MMA athlete (David Wilson) and 1 Women’s Basketball college athlete (Caitlyn Kroll)
- Total reach of 120,000
Example deliverables:
Testimonials:
- “I love the company and they had great feedback and communication” - David Wilson
5. Forex Smart Trade x Michael Del Zotto
Brand: Forex Smart Trade
About the brand: Forex Smart Trade teaches currency trading with their proprietary indicators and the best in the business 1 on 1 training.
Why athletes: To reach the audience of a financially savvy athlete in order to promote a training program on currency trading.
Who we worked with: Chief Operating Director
Value:
- Cash ($1,000)
- Product ($10,000)
Objective/Campaign:
- We are looking for financially savvy athletes who want to learn to trade using our indicators & help promote our program.
- Post an IG Story 1 week into our 30 day program talking about how it's going and how you are becoming an expert FX trader
- We will pay a bonus for new clients who try our 30 day introductory trial through your endorsement & an additional bonus for those clients who upgrade into our executive or platinum coaching package. Details of the bonus to be discussed.
Results:
- Received 30 applications
- Successfully connected Forex Smart Trade with Michael Del Zotto of the Ottawa Senators, reaching around 55,000 followers. .
Example deliverables:
6. Flux Credit x OS Athletes
Brand: Flux Credit
About the brand: Flux Credit is the #1 bankruptcy alternative in America, helping clients legally eliminate debts, perfect their credit & earn cash-bank towards a VISA secured credit card.
Why athletes: To share and relate with their audience through a personal story of having good credit.
Who we worked with: Business Development Manager
Value:
- Cash ($200)
- Royalty (4%)
Objective/Campaign:
- We are looking for athletes to provide a personal story that relates to having good credit, as well as an accompanying image.
- In addition to our 1x posting fee, we can pay up to $500 per client that comes through your network.
Results:
- Received 33 campaigns
- Connected Flux Credit with 3 pro athletes from different sports: Vanessa Long (Dance), Nick Troutman (Kayaking), and Michele Forgione (Golf)
- Had a total reach of 262,000
Example deliverables:
Closing Thoughts
Professional athletes will continue to enter the world of investment as social media continues to expand and influence how people think and move. Athletes are naturally competitive, and they will not want to be left out or behind if their teammates or coworkers invest in or enter the digital startup field. Players like Andre Iguodala, for example, hold a summit for younger players to help them develop as investors and improve their financial literacy. So, not only do these athletes have the capital to invest, but they are also learning how to be knowledgeable investors.
Overall, professional athletes possess intangible qualities that distinguish them as not only good but also distinctive investors. Athletes are now using their power not only on and off the field or court, but also in the community. In the current era of social media and technology, an athlete's reach allows businesses, particularly early-stage firms, to reach people they might otherwise be unable to contact. Athletes with these intangible qualities, as well as their famous status, are not only valuable investors, but they may be the ideal investor.
