Most NFL athletes come from small towns just like you and me. The best way to get a small business the right publicity would be by sponsoring an athlete from your own town. We see many athletes such as Troy Polamalu (former Pittsburgh Steeler) representing Head and Shoulders shampoo for five years, Cam Newton (current captain of the Carolina Panthers) with multiple Gatorade and Oikos Greek yogurt commercials and Eli Manning (QB for the NYG) being the face of many Toyota ads, which are just a few to name. Most athletes make the most of their money not by playing their sport, but by being sponsored. Why not build your local restaurant or car dealership by sponsoring an NFL athlete? Not all sponsorships have to be such large brands such as the previously mentioned. The goal of OpenSponsorship is to help large brands along with small ones represent athletes they admire.
1.Local Restaurants-
Most athletes are always traveling and love to come home to their favorite restaurants and dives in their hometowns. Reaching out to an NFL star that regularly enjoys a local restaurant would be a great idea in widening your business. Most small town dives have photos hanging up with stars that have come to dine there. This is an easy way for the athlete to not only support his hometown but to help the restaurant succeed.
2. Car Dealerships-
Companies such as Hyundai, Toyota, usually sponsor huge NFL stars and more but why not have a local dealership sponsored? Most towns have 3-4 car dealerships, if a star has grown up in your town reaching out to them to do a quick commercial would help expand your publicity.
3. Clothing Brands-
Local athletic brands would love for NFL athletes to wear their gear. Many athletes create their own athletic brands, why not trying to team up with an athlete to build your brand even more? Nike and Under Armour are two of the largest brands that sponsor NFL athletes. Under Armour is actually the main sponsor for the NFL Combine (a week-long showcase where college athletes display their skills in front of coaches and GMs before the NFL Draft). Simply giving an athlete a free t-shirt and having him/her wear it will bring the publicity a small company is looking for.
4. Dentist Office-
A lot of professional athletes post on their Instagram accounts after a visit to their favorite dentist. This is a very simple way to gain publicity for a local office. Athletes will usually give a shout out on their favorite social media platforms for their favorite doctors and dentists. Simply hanging a photo in the waiting area with a patient who is a professional athlete will bring in more patients. A quick commercial with an NFL player smiling and stating how he thanks his local dentist for his smile while showing a clip of the athlete smiling big after a win is all you need.
5.Social Media-
Social Media is the easiest way for athletes to share what they love with their followers. Most NFL athletes actively use twitter and Instagram, two of the biggest media platforms today. Snapping a photo at one of their favorite local spots is a simple way to grow your business. Instagram also gives you the option to tag the location you are at. Posting a photo of a meal captioning “One of my favorite spots” is an easy way to gain exposure. I know being a huge fan of NFL athletes myself I keep a look out to see what they recommend.
