The prestigious Tennis tournament, Wimbledon, kicks-off Monday, June 27th. The renowned Tennis tournament will see the biggest names in the game play on the grass court including the all time Women's grand slam champion, Serena Williams. The most prominent women's tennis player in the world will be attempting to win her 8th Wimbledon title. With more matches broadcast than ever before, Wimbledon braces for two weeks of global attention. With no Wimbledon in 2020 and the event only operating at half crowd capacity in 2021, the Championship is back in full swing this year and brings a whole new level of excitement.

https://sports.yahoo.com/when-wimbledon-2021-start-how-watch-who-playing-150145602.html

Generally, the main sponsors for Tennis players have been racquet brands and apparel brands. As a players ranking keeps climbing, the exposure to partnership deals tends to grow. High-end brands such as Rolex, Mercedes Benz, Moet, and Tag Heuer have been the center of tournament and player partnerships for several years. However, more brands are finding strategic ways to create partnerships with younger Tennis players. In 2021, 24 year old star Naomi Osaka became the highest paid female athlete in the world, generating $55 million in sponsorship deals with companies like Louis Vuitton, Nike, and Mastercard.

 https://www.insidesport.in/mastercard-formally-announces-naomi-osaka-as-global-brand-ambassador/

Recent French Open champion, Rafael Nadal, who is known for his Nike partnership broke marketing records on his social media post with the French Grand Slam trophy in his hand. The post reached close to 1 million people and helped generate an economic value of $7,681,779. With over a billion fans worldwide, Tennis continues to grow as a hub for international brands to market and create strategic partnerships that achieves twice the engagement rate of non-athlete influencers. With a global audience tuning into Wimbledon, has there ever been a better time to partner with tennis players?

What are NIL deals?

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals allow student athletes to be compensated for marketing deals. The deals are mainly working with local businesses, marketing campaigns, social media related content with brands, training clinics, as well as appearances and autograph signings. Brands and companies can reach out either directly to athletes or through the athletes agent, while the schools have nothing to do with the individual contract.

What are the current rules and laws?

While there is still a lot of gray area and differences in laws by state, the rules set by the NCAA in recent months have become more established. The NCAA left it up to schools and states to determine the specific rules on NIL dealings which has been the most confusing part of the process. Each state has different rules and regulations which create confusion for athletes and is also pushing many student athletes to enter the transfer portal to gain NIL eligibility in a state more open to the laws. 

While the laws differ per state on the standing of NIL dealings, it can be found that within the guidelines set by the NCAA: 

• Universities and Conferences cannot limit a student-athlete to be eligible for compensation for their NIL.

• NIL dealings cannot interfere with existing school contracts or sponsorships. 

• Athletes must report all NIL deals to their athletic department to make sure the deal follows the states NIL laws

• In May 2022, the NCAA established new guidelines on dealings with boosters. Donors also known as Boosters, are strictly prohibited from any sort of athlete recruitment as it would breach the NCAA rules.

Where is the current progress on NIL deals?

The result of the NIL dealings has seen huge growth in its first established year. An estimate of over half a billion dollars has already been spent towards creating NIL deals with student athletes. The NCAA March Madness tournament saw the impact that star student-athletes had and can create. The tournament gave a chance to lesser known athletes to give them an opportunity for marketing exposure that they would never have before.

The Cinderella story of Jersey City basketball team St. Peters, who knocked over the mighty Kentucky in the first round of the 2022 March Madness, helped the teams image grow to new heights. St. Peter’s guard Doug Edert became a sensation as he inked a deal with Buffalo Wild Wings during the early stages of the tournament and gained a popular social media following.

Duke basketball star Paolo Banchero, who is a top 3 NBA draft prospect, signed deals this past year with companies like: Yahoo Sports, Panini, and NBA 2k. An opportunity like this for student athletes is helping brands and athletes to create future opportunities for social media following and personal growth. 

Opensponsorship and NIL 

Within the last year, Opensponsorship has been working towards creating opportunities for student athletes in the growing space. With a focus on creating social media campaigns, athletes are able to better their reach and grow their followings. Opensponsorship works to help grow the long-term opportunities that student athletes now have and also to build on  their individual brand. Reach out to Opensponsorship for creative ways to work with student athletes to build successful campaigns. 

OpenSponsorship is the world’s largest and smartest digital marketplace,  our tech-platform has created and closed thousands of partnerships for our community of 12,000+ professional athletes and brands, who are looking to for authentic marketing relationships.

Meet Charles Turner, Head of our U.K. Team ! 

Charles is head of our U.K. Team. He has done some amazing webinars with brands in the finance industry and talking about hot topics such Cryptocurrency, NFT's for athletes & Web3. Aside from his extensive knowledge about the finance industry he is an expert with the EMEA region. In our most recent webinar with Sportcash One, Charles talked to Andrew Lubahn, COO of Sportcash One about athletes for NFT's.

Prior to his role as Head of U.K. for OpenSponsorship, Turner co-founded Neat Nutrition, an award winning plant-based protein and whey powder brand based out of the U.K. with his fellow British Swimming teammate, Lee Forster. He has broad experience across sales, partnerships, and brand marketing, both as a brand owner and formerly representing some of the most recognisable rights holders in the entertainment industry.

Let's take a look at our very first NFTs webinar !  

An Interview with Charles Turner

• 1. What do you love best about OpenSponsorship?

As a former struggling athlete, I love the fact that OpenSponsorship creates brand partnership opportunities with athletes of any status and from any sport. We can have a huge impact on these lesser known athletes by providing them something as simple as free products (like supplements or kit) to help with day-to-day training. We now also know that these athletes tend to have really high engagement rates and have genuine influence over their followers, helping brands to quickly build authentic communities.

• If you had to spend a day in any athlete's life who would it be and why?

The Olympic Games has alway been special to me having had two parents that competed as swimmers in the 1968 and 1972 Games respectively. As a former swimmer myself, seeing what Michael Phelps did at the Olympic Games in Beijing was remarkable and it would be amazing to experience the jubilation of one of those closely fought gold medals.However I'm a terrible, terrible golfer and I'd love to play one round like a pro - so maybe Rory McIlroy or Tiger! Imagine not losing 5+ balls and hitting every bunker on the course!

• Since you’re the head of our UK team, what excites you about our European market?

After a couple of tough years sport is back and it's more emotive than ever! For the UK in particular we have some amazing events on home soil, like the Commonwealth Games, Women's UEFA Football Championship and evergreen events like Wimbledon, which create an opportunity for brands to capitalise on the halo effect competing athletes bring to a product or service.I also love the diversity of the brands we work with having already collaborated with businesses in the Nordics, Germany, Netherlands, UAE, India and of course the UK, on a range of briefs all entirely unique to one another. It excites me that we can impact sales and marketing efforts in so many different ways via athlete marketing.

The Next Stage: 8 Retired Athletes Doing Good in the World

The news is always full of professional athletes using their huge incomes from play and endorsements for lavish over-the-top lifestyles, but that’s not the only game in town. The majority of pro athletes play their part, live their lives, and spend their salaries wisely. 

And a few go the extra mile, turning their fame and financial independence into a chance to do charitable works. Leading by example and leveraging their resources, they're sometimes responsible for raising millions for charities close to their hearts.

8 Retired Athletes Living an Inspiring Second Act

1. Kurt Warner

Not exactly a household name even in his prime, Cardinals quarterback Warner spent more time on good works during his career and less on seeking fame. In 1999, he established the First Things First Foundation, which focuses on providing emotional support and financial assistance to single parents with children in the hospital long term.

After retirement, Warner increased his charitable role, expanding his local outreach and paying for an annual Disney World trip for at-risk or underprivileged children. He has won the Muhammad Ali Sports Leadership Award and been named by USA Weekend as its Most Caring Athlete. 

2. Andrea Jaeger

Younger readers might not remember the name of this popular and successful professional tennis player from the 1980s, but those involved with her Silver Lining Foundation (later dubbed the Little Star Foundation) are very familiar with her. 

In the 1990s, Jaeger donated all of her career earnings to build a Colorado retreat for youth cancer patients. This $1.4 million gift attracted other donors to the facility. The Foundation recently sold the retreat to focus on other endeavors but continues its work.

4.  Jeff Gordon

There are a lot of ways to fight cancer, with most of the attention and money going toward research for a cure. NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon goes the other route, putting his money, name, and efforts behind helping people who have cancer today.

The Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, established in 1999, leverages Gordon’s wealth and solicits funds to support children battling cancer. They fund programs to treatments with higher survivorship and improve quality of life during treatment and care. A children’s hospital in North Carolina was named in his honor for his contributions.

4. Ronda Rousey

This infamous MMA fighter and Olympic Judo gold medal winner made waves with the speed at which she defeated both male and female opponents on the mat and in the octagon. She has retired from the UFC, but not from sports. She maintains a highly successful career in professional wrestling.

Since her partial retirement and before, Rousey has routinely given money and offered her name and influence to various charities. She specifically fights charities that help with hunger and mental health. For example, she supports the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, which offers free counseling to those without funds, and Freerice, a program that donates rice to hungry people all over the world. 

5. Andre Agassi

Tennis star Andre Agassi had a bad-boy reputation in the 1980s, but he has had decades of philanthropic efforts.

In 1994, well before retirement, he started the Andre Agassi Foundation. Based in Las Vegas, it uses Agassi’s funds and other contributions to provide safety, opportunity, and education for at-risk youth in the local area. In 2001, he established a tuition-free college preparatory academy. Underprivileged students who qualify receive top-notch education and coaching, with a 100% graduation and college acceptance rate.

6. Kristi Yamaguchi

Renowned figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi took Olympic gold and world titles both as an individual and with a partner. She later entered the Olympic Hall of Fame and became a celebrity champion on “Dancing With the Stars,” and she has long been a favorite for her skills and on-camera demeanor. But she has also earned our respect with what she’s done since hanging up her skates. 

She organized the Always Dream Foundation, whose mission is supporting organizations that serve children, shortly after ceasing her Olympic participation. She donates her own money and collects funds through various activities, then passes them on to programs in need of support. In recent years, Always Dream has provided grants to purchase computers for afterschool enrichment programs, clothing for at-risk students, and summer camp tuition for the underprivileged.

7. Sergei Fedorov

This center for the Washington Capitals started his charitable involvement while he was still playing. In 1998, he donated his $2 million salary to establish a foundation to help underprivileged and at-risk children in and around Detroit.

The Sergei Fedorov Foundation supports children with summer camp tuition, college assistance, and finding jobs for teens to get them employment experience and keep them off the streets. It still operates today, over 20 years later, though it has expanded its mission into health and development concerns as well.

8. Dikembe Mutombo

This Hall of Famer played 18 seasons in the NBA but made his most significant mark in his humanitarian work. He started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in his native Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. The effort began by using his excess wealth to leverage the differences in cost of living between the USA and the impoverished country, but it soon grew into a major effort to improve living conditions throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Beyond that ongoing effort, Mutombo also participated in supporting causes, including the Special Olympics, funding a women’s Olympic Basketball team for Zaire, and helping the United Nations Development Program and Basketball Without Borders. In 2007, he finished a 10-year project of opening the first modern hospital in Kinshasa, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital.

Final Thought

Honorable mention goes to President Jimmy Carter. He’s someone who has led stellar humanitarian efforts and also was an athlete. In high school, he played tennis, basketball and participated in track. At the U.S. Naval Academy, he ran cross country

In the 40 years since his presidency, Carter’s accomplishments include:

• Founding the Carter Center at Emory University, dedicated to advancing peace and health worldwide and improving life in more than 80 countries
• The near-eradication of Guinea worm disease worldwide
• Founding the Carter Center to observe elections in more than 38 countries and ensure open, honest, safe voting
• Working regularly with Habitat for Humanity, swinging a hammer on job sites into his 90s
• Receiving the United Nations Human Rights Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Nobel Peace Prize

Any athlete (or anybody else) setting their sights on a post-retirement act that gathers applause, accolades, and attention should study this ex-president closely.

“Women are powerful” and “the future is female” are both encapsulating phrases that help empower women and their success. International Women's Day is approaching - March 8, 2022. This is the day for the world to celebrate women in all fields of work along with their accomplishments. One in particular is appreciating the influence women have had in the sports world, both as athletes and business women. 

It is never an easy fight for women in sports - there is a constant need to prove and stand up for themselves in a male dominated world. But that has not stopped them; women are succeeding on every level of the sport industry. Check out this list of the top 10 most powerful women in the business of sports in 2021.

Being a female athlete is one battle, but the biggest war is fighting to show just how amazing the female athlete truly is. The best example of women empowering women is the WNBA.

The WNBA is a fantastic example of women fighting for their success every day as an association, not just as individual athletes. They are constantly competing against a billion dollar industry, the NBA, while trying to make a name for themselves, as well as create great opportunities for the women basketball players of the world. One area of distinction between the two leagues is the stark difference in player salaries - the average WNBA salary (less than $100,000) is only 1.5% of the average NBA salary (roughly $7 million). Draymond Green, NBA champion of the Warriors, has been known to support this crisis, and also states how important it is for them to target those who “say” they support equality for women, but do not take action to it. The answer to driving higher pay for WNBA players? Increasing revenues, which therefore would increase the salary pool . So how can that be accomplished?

Draymond also discusses how important marketing campaigns are for female athletes. It can help generate revenue and awareness for this specific industry of women. There are thousands of fashion, skincare, beauty, food, beverage, wellness, and fitness brands that want women as the face of their brand because women are what sells the most. But they do not want female athletes. So it is important to help understand and promote female athletes in the marketing industry because not only will it help them generate more revenue and awareness, but it will also help women based industries like the WNBA. 

OpenSponsorship is the world's largest and smartest marketing platform. WIth over 11,000 athletes, 2,600 of them are females, we can help place the right athletes to the right brands. Opensponsorship can help influence brands to want to work with females athletes, even more specially WNBA players. Ishveen Jolly, our CEO, is a powerful woman in the business of sports. As a female herself she understands the importance of helping guarantee these female athletes what they deserve and not the bare minimum.

On the other hand, there is groundbreaking news for the WNBA. The WNBA recently had a huge breakthrough as they recently were able to raise $75 million from gaining a dozen of new investors. This revenue will be going towards revamping the association and giving what the player deserves in terms of expansions, salaries, and benefits. These investors include funding from Nike, Condoleezza Rice, Laurene Powell Jobs, Pau Gasol, N.B.A. and W.N.B.A. team owners, and other sports and business figures. This not only helps excel women's sports in general, not only the WNBA. It will help fans and investors around the world be able to take women and women in sports more seriously by showing their worth. It is a constant battle for women everyday they step out into the world, it is important that those who say they are advocating for women equality, really are. 

Support female athlete, female leagues, and most importantly support women as gender.

Happy International Women's Day!

Top 4 Reasons Athletes are the Best Real Estate Ambassadors

The life of a professional athlete is something that is always changing. While their career is never guaranteed, neither is the location or team they play for. Athlete relocation is a real thing. This makes pro athletes the pinnacle of moving. Due to contracts, trade, and waives, athletes can move multiple times throughout their career, sometimes multiple times during the season. It can be argued that it is hard for them to settle. 

As the world’s largest and smartest marketplace for connecting athletes in search of sponsorship to brands looking for athlete influencers to sponsor their product, Opensponsorship thinks the real estate industry is a great hit for both sides of the deal. 

So…..wouldn't you say that the real estate industry can benefit from partnering with athletes? There are several reasons why. Here are 4 of them:

They are constantly moving to prime real estate cities. 

Professional sports teams (NBA, NFL, MLB, etc.) are often located in major cities and prime locations for that state. When you turn the corner, there are athletes everywhere in your city. Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago are big cities with different real estate industries, but each of these industries contain a plethora of athletes. The real estate market this past year was booming and it has made homes in particular cities prime investments for professional sport athletes who are newcomers to these cities.

Daniela Zohlman, a local luxury real estate agent in Miami, Florida noted "that the recent events in the real estate market has made finding the right house for athletes a lot more difficult, but rewarding." Here is a list of top real estate locations within the last year that also host multiple professional sports teams.

- Denver, Colorado = Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Rockies (MLB) Colorado Avalanche (NHL), & Denver Broncos (NFL)

- Los Angeles = Los Angeles Lakers & Clippers (NBA) Los Angeles Rams (NFL) Los Angeles Angels & Dodgers (MLB), Anaheim Ducks & LA Kings (NHL)

- Charlotte, North Carolina = Carolina Panthers (NFL), Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
- Dallas, Texas = Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Texas Rangers (MBL), Dallas Mavericks (NBA)
- Phoenix, Arizona = Arizona Cardinals (NFL), Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Phoenix Suns (NBA)

Players often move due to trades, new contracts, and waivers.

Professional players have to move on the spot with no idea of where exactly they will live in a new city. As athletes relocate, they often have up to 3 days to report to the new team.

Daniela, an expert in the real estate industry (Engel & Voelkers), sat down with us to discuss her experience with athlete relocation, the challenges, and perks of working with athletes. She stated that athletes she works with can sometimes be challenging because they are more interested in off market real state. This can be houses that may not be listed on the market currently or homes that are still occupied. Professional athletes like exclusive homes that often come with amenities that may be hard to come by. So the market can be slim. It is also a timely process that sometimes needs to happen a lot sooner than can be processed. But with all that, she agrees that the real estate industry definitely benefits from them in many ways and that athletes could be a great brand ambassador for the industries because it can describe their annual lifestyle. It not only helps benefit the athlete, but helps the market as well. With this short time span athletes have to discover a new house and pick up and move their families and things into a new city.

While teams often provide moving services, there isn't often a real estate agency waiting to give them the house they may want or need. Statistics show that in the 2020-2021 NBA season, there were a total of 24 trades, each deal containing multiple athletes. While in the NFL, in March 2021 there were 17 trades that happened.

Athletes often purchase multiple homes.

Professional athletes rarely get to play for their home cities. For instance a player may be born and raised in Atlanta, Ga, but will be drafted or contracted to play in the Bay Area/ San Francisco. While seasons do not last the entire year, players want to be able to be comfortable in their home cities with a home there. That way they always have a place to be close to their families and a place during the off season. They also have a home in the city they are currently playing for, whether they choose to rent or buy, they have to have a semi-permanent place to stay during the season.

Athletes also often buy a house for their families. There are plenty of feel-good stories of newly professional athletes making their first big purchase as a new house for their mom, or paying off a house for their mom. This can be a dream marketing opportunity for real estate investors and agents. It creates a specific category for the real estate industry that is beneficial to particular real estate brokers, investors, and agents in local cities.

Pro athletes often turn into real estate investors during or after their career.

Have you ever heard of Sweet Ventures? This is a real estate agency founded by NFL player William Sweet, and hosts several property rentals. Sweet felt a sense of urgency early on in his career to invest his playing earnings, given the average NFL career lasts merely three seasons. He quickly decided real estate was an effective way to preserve and invest those earnings.  When it comes time for professional athletes to retire, they are often looking for avenues to invest and create income opportunities. Real estate is one of the best markets to do so, particularly in certain markets where home values continue to swell above their purchase price.

There are many current and retired athletes that have entered into the real estate space. One of them being, Baron Davis. Davis is the prime example of an invested-minded athlete, as he often invests into many other categories as well, who has placed heavy emphasis on real estate investment.

There are also several retired pro athletes that are well known for being real estate investors as well as real estate brokers. Here are some:Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith, Magic Johnson, Shaq O’Neal, David Robinson, Alex Rodriguez, & Martin Braithwire. Braithwire explained his reasoning for investing in real estate: “I want to win in anything I do, but I want my business career to define me far more than my sports career. A sports career is short-lived and is uncertain. Business real estate, legacy, passing it down to your children, that goes on for generations long after I'm gone.”

Martin Braithwire

To conclude, athletes are great ambassadors for real estate companies.  They are frequent movers, live in high-profile markets (markets that also happen to be the fastest growing) and are often the most popular celebrities in these markets, and also continue to invest in real estate during and after careers. Using athletes as brand ambassadors can generate exposure and create credibility amongst potential clients. Look no further than OpenSponsorship when it comes to facilitating these partnerships - we work with 12,000 pro + college athletes and have done over 10,000 deals. It is such a simple piece of the puzzle: athletes can be a vital piece of the "game plan" for any real estate firm's marketing strategy. 

Health is Wealth for Pro Athletes

There are many athletes who focus on exercise and recover and overlook the importance of diet. This does not mean that they exercise too much, but rather that they are not fueling their body in order to do sufficient amounts of exercise.

Health is wealth when it comes to an athlete's lifestyle. It can be essential for healthy competition and physical physique. Creating a balanced lifestyle can separate you from other professionals in their field. Some athletes choose to change their lifestyle, including their diet. Many athletes are eliminating dairy, gluten, and even meats from their diets. But there has been much success. While it may seem that even professional athletes have the healthiest diets, that is not the case. It can take years into their career to realize how important their diet is and how it affects their performance on the court or field. They also have noticed that balancing home life, physical training, and mental health also causes them to be truly healthy and well rounded. 

In this article, there are many ways that athletes maintain their physique and lifestyles. But it is evident that creating healthy diet habits can be number one on the list. Athletes that have made these changes swear by them! Lets see some OpenSponsorship athletes and their stories why:

Candace Parker

Candace Parker is the reigning WNBA champion. While her track record has been impressive since college at the University of Tennessee, she topped it off with a WNBA championship title, MVP title, and also 2021 Female Athlete of the Year. So how did she win a championship after being in the league for 13 years and being a mother? Her diet! 

Eli Manning 

After 14 seasons, Eli Manning managed to stay in the NFL at age 37. As a New York Giants starting quarterback he is not the biggest, most chiseled, and bulky player on the field. But many teammates would describe him as the most in fit and chiseled 37 year old on the field. His guilty pleasure is french fries, but he sticks to a very strict healthy and proper diet that helps him gain and lose the proper weight during the season and the off season. 

Martina Leal 

Martina Leal, originally from Brazil, is a martial artist and fitness coach, who has also been a positive promoter of the vegan lifestyle through her social media accounts. In addition to working with her clients she enjoys training in Jiu Jitsu and running. While she did earn a bachelors degree in physical education, she loves cooking vegan recipes and understand the importance of healthy nutritional choices for her body.

Hunter Reese 

​​Hunter Reese is an American tennis player and current ATP tour competitor who won the NCAA doubles championship and was ranked #1 in the NCAA doubles. He also competed in the 2014 US Open alongside partner Peter Kobelt after receiving a wildcard into the men's doubles draw. Reese has had some hurdles in his college career so it was not until 2019 that Reese became vegan, but has already begun to see some benefits, "I noticed a difference in my energy level... as I was never a morning person."

Javale McGee

Javale is a three time champion with the Golden State Warriors. But being in the NBA at the age 33 is almost unheard of. Due to the wear and tear on their bodies, it is essential to maintain the most healthy lifestyle to be able to perform day in and out. Javale chose to go vegan in 2016, and has not looked back since. It initially was to lose weight fast, but quickly developed a love for all things vegan and how the diet made him feel on the daily.

Social media has become an integral part of a professional athlete's career and female athletes seem to possess some of the larger followings, giving them strong influence. Not only can this help the individual athlete but it can be a powerful tool in highlighting women's sport, bringing more interest and additional coverage.  Female athletes can also evoke change in other ways by being an influencer, such as by using their own personal stories to inspire others. “The stakeholders on the commercial side of sports are constantly searching for the next frontier, the next growth play,” Dan Cohen, who leads sports marketing company Octagon’s media rights consulting division, said in an email. “It is clearly women’s sports.”

It has been reported that women's sport does not receive as much coverage and investment even though it has more room for growth than men's sport. In 2018 studies showed that only 0.4% of the total commercial investment (in sport) goes into women’s sport, despite a Nielsen report revealing that 84% of general sports fans have an interest in women’s sports. 51% of those surveyed were male, which means utilizing female athletes as a way to reach fans can be greatly beneficial. Deloitte projected that the rise of women’s sports in 2020 would dominate the sports industry and that “sponsors should consider getting involved now to capitalize on the new opportunities and avenues for engagement that this growth area may create.” The influence of social media has also grown since the Nielsen survey was taken, especially since digital activity has been vital to the survival of many industries and how many athletes and leagues interacted with their fans throughout the pandemic. Deloitte's survey found that millennials are 40 percent more likely than baby boomers to use social media to obtain information about their favorite teams and players. This behavioral trend emphasizes the importance of the digital connection athletes have with their fans and the power it wields. 

The pandemic was hard on the sport industry but women's sport continues to have strong growth and investment potential. NWGL's Packer said, "the amount of money that it takes for a company to meaningfully support a women’s league is so vastly different than what it takes to have the smallest piece of attachment for a men’s league.” A good example of this potential for growth is women's soccer in the U.S., which has seen an increase in interest that has translated into an increase in stadium attendance. In 2020 the NWSL was poised to have a record-breaking year after signing new broadcast deals, which resulted in a 22% increase in game attendance, according to Soccer Stadium Digest. In addition to this the women's NCAA tournament continues to prove that it can bring in viewers as it could fetch as much as $20 million a year as a stand-alone event on the open market. Now that things are getting back to normal women's sport will need to keep up the momentum.

Every athlete has a diet that works for them, but being healthy and fueling their body is key to their success. There has been a growing number of athletes who have moved to a more vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Many of the athletes who have made the diet and lifestyle change now swear by it. This is not an easy change as professional athletes need to work with nutritionists to ensure they have the proper balance in their diet that would enable them to maintain their physique and to maintain a high level of performance for their sport. In fact a study published in 2015 in the American Journal of Health Promotion found that a plant-based diet can boost physical health and emotional well-being. As the lifestyle change has brought positives to many of the athlete's lives they often share recipes etc. with their fans and teammates.

“My clients see so many benefits to eating a plant-based diet that postseason, they don’t go back to eating as an omnivore or a carnivore,” Barbara Lewin, RDN, CSSD, LDN, a sports nutritionist who works with professional athletes noted.

Here are some of the top vegan athletes on OpenSponsorship.

Julia Hubbard

Julia Hubbard has had a varied but successful athletic career, having competed as a Great Britain Bobsleigh athlete and Sprinter, bodybuilder, and Natural Pro with several federations. Hubbard has won three Natural World titles, three Natural universe titles, three Natural Olympia titles, and multiple British and Regional titles. Hubbard was a vegetarian for much of her life but went full vegan after a sever back injury from a bobsleigh crash, after which she has been quoted as saying,  “I had thought about going vegan many times but always thought it would be too difficult as an athlete and with traveling a lot. The turning point was my health. Now I wish I’d made the switch sooner!” In addition to her athletic achievements she has qualified as a Vegan Nutritionist, having a Degree in Physiology and Sports Science, Nutrition diploma and Personal Training qualifications.

Hunter Reese

Hunter Reese is an American tennis player and current ATP tour competitor who won the NCAA doubles championship and was ranked #1 in the NCAA doubles. He also competed in the 2014 US Open alongside partner Peter Kobelt after receiving a wildcard into the men's doubles draw. Reese has had some hurdles in his college career so it was not until 2019 that Reese became vegan, but has already begun to see some benefits, "I noticed a difference in my energy level and am more conscious of things I am putting into my body since becoming vegan. I was never a morning person and now I can wake up much easier. So I would say there has been an indirect benefit to my performance."

TJ Barnes

TJ Barnes has been a successful defensive tackle who has played in the NFL for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, and the XFL New York Guardians. In 2018 he missed an opportunity to join the WWE because of his weight and poor eating habits, which is why he decided to go vegan saying, "I told myself I needed to change the way I eat because at the route I was going it was going to put me in an early grave. So I went Vegan!" He has since been able to loose weight, getting healthy, and he continues to look to the future.

Agnes Muljadi

Agnes Muljadi is a ballerina, actress, filmmaker and vegan influencer. Muljadi classically trained at Julia Bourlina Classical Ballet in Studio City, California, and has co-produced two independent films. She first began the vegan lifestyle in 2014 for health reasons, and has found that it has had additional benefits, "I tell everyone that the vegan life-style has greatly benefited me as an athlete. I’ve always said that I felt like I was given a new body after I became vegan. My stamina, endurance and energy levels have really improved. I also happily lost some weight after I transitioned to veganism." Her social influencer status has been bolstered by her dance photos and sustainable/vegan lifestyle content, which continue to bring in new and exciting dance opportunities.

Leger Douzable

Leger Douzable has had the opportunity to play for several teams within the NFL, including the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers. Douzable is such a fan of the plant based diet that he shares his favorite recipes with his fans, such as his Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast.

Martina Leal

Martina Leal, originally from Brazil, is a martial artist and fitness coach, who has also been a positive promoter of the vegan lifestyle through her social media accounts. In addition to working with her clients she enjoys training in Jiu Jitsu and running. She loves to cook her vegan recipes and understands the importance of keeping the body moving. Martina has bachelors of physical education with specialization in ginastica natural.

Josh Powell

Josh Powell is now part of the Big3, but he has a had a long and successful career within the NBA, having played for the Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, and LA Lakers. Powell is also a two time NBA Champion, FIBA Intercontinental Cup Champion, EuroLeague Champion, and WBA Champion. Powell has gained a real appreciation for healthy living, which is why he has been following a plant based vegan diet for about three years now.

Evan Engram

Evan Engram played for Ole Miss through college, and drafted into the NFL in 2017 where he has played for the New York Giants. Engram has also been been part of the PFWA All-Rookie Team and participated in the 2020 Pro Bowl. Since shifting to a plant based diet Engram has been able to continue to eat the large portions needed to fuel his body and continues to perform at a top level, which is why he sees it as, “a little investment but I think it’s pretty worth it."