What's cooler than sports innovation for athletes? It enables athletes to play harder for their team, be safer while competing and fans can know more about their favorite athletes.

Don’t just reach your target audience, encourage them to engage with your brand. Athlete marketing campaigns are extremely successful. Here’s why:

1. Gatorade has sponsored the NFL since 1983. The partnership is the longest standing in the NFL.

2. The NFL made $1.2 billion in sponsorships last season (2014-2015). That’s more than any other pro league in North America. The money came from new deals in 2015 with Hyundai and Dannon, as well as standing partnerships with 30 other brands including Pepsi, Verizon, and McDonalds.