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.

Let's celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in sport by highlighting OpenSponsorship's star athletes!

Representation and awareness in the sports industry has been on the rise, and athletes in every sport imaginable have proven that they have the passion, skill, and strength to be stars in their designated sport. Partnering with LGBTQ+ athletes will not only enable you to directly connect with the community but can also bring positive sentiment to your brand. 37% of consumers feel positive about companies and brands that promote diversity and actively support LGBT communities in their advertising and marketing, according to professional LGBT network OUTstanding. These athletes have not only stepped up to be role models but they have also proven to be trendsetters as well. So, there are many positives to consider when thinking about working with one of our LGBTQ+ inclusive athletes.

It’s official, the start of the 2020-21 MLB season has been pushed back to June 2020. We took this chance and looked at what some of our Opensponsorship MLB  athletes are up to during what was supposed to be the beginning of their seasons. Even with the season on hold, the digital presence of our athletes through their social media accounts have been stronger than ever. 

The Coronavirus pandemic has taken the sports world by storm, and athletes now have an unprecedented amount of time on their hands leading to an increase in the number of athletes on TikTok. Some are taking on new hobbies -see Giannis Antetokounmpo learning the guitar and Cody Zeller learning to cook and play the guitar (well, trying to). Some are doing their best to stay in shape at home- nice setup, Serge Ibaka! But most of all, athletes are more active and engaging on social media than ever before. The most interesting takeaway from this uptick in social media activity has been the increase in athletes on TikTok.

How to Find Sponsorship Opportunities

Knowing how to find sponsorship opportunities is important for every professional athlete. According to Forbes, sponsorship makes up 47% of the total income for the top 15 athletes in the world, and for some lesser known athletes sponsorship can make up to 80% of total income. Figuring out how to find sponsorship opportunities is thus very very important. 

How to Increase Sales Using Social Media

Anyone looking to sell a product or service needs to understand how to increase sales using social media. As the world continues to shift towards an online marketplace, digital marketing has not only become a powerful marketing technique to increase sales, but it has become a necessity. Social media outlets such as Facebook and Instagram have grown exponentially in the last few years. Facebook has about 2 billion active Facebook users a month while Instagram has about 700 million. When looking at how to increase sales using social media, it's important to be aware of this growth. Because of it, social media has become the ultimate platform in which to target potential customers or clients.

Social media serves as a platform for athletes to have honest and authentic communication with their fans. It is the best way for an athlete to leave a lasting impression on his or her fans. Fans love connecting with their heroes, and social media is a great way for your presence, as an athlete, to be felt in the world.

More and more companies are using influencer marketing to advertise their brand instead of traditional advertising. But why is that? And what is influencer marketing?

Our OpenSponsorship athlete of the week goes to Ryan Jay Owens, standout beach volleyball star hailing from Huntington Beach, California! Congrats RJO! Ryan has played for team USA and is a pro indoor and beach volleyballer living between Southern California, USA & Europe (mostly) and playing around the globe since 2002. In 2005, he began a sports agency services mostly pro volleyball athletes globally called Elite Volley Agency, helping professionals find teams worldwide and foreign student-athletes find USA schools.