Future of Blockchain Sports Sponsorships

The 2022 global sports marketing report claims that blockchain companies investing in sports sponsorship is expected to reach US$5bn by 2026. Crypto sports sponsorships present an effortless entry towards the ultimatum of integration. Crypto payments for sports merchandise, tickets or salaries being paid in crypto are closer than they have ever been.

OpenSponsorship’s association with the Dallas Mavericks is an excellent example. The NBA team, a step ahead, already accepts crypto payments for merchandise and tickets. Sports partnerships like these are a testament to overall growth and importance to various sports industries. But, how can one leverage crypto to assist in the success of their sports sponsorship business? There is arguably no better method to promote your business than to partner with a worldwide athletic property that can deliver your message to your target demographic directly. Already, we're seeing blockchain and crypto firms form partnerships with sports teams, such as Arsenal and Cashbet in English soccer or Dragon Coin and Techeetah in Formula E.

What are fan tokens and how do they work?

The sports sponsorship industry is continuously monitoring new synergies within the trending space of cryptocurrency. Fan tokens are cryptocurrencies linked to a certain team or league that can be used to exchange team-related value such as tickets, voting on club matters, granting retail discounts, and increasing fan participation. Fan tokens have already been implemented by Atlético Madrid, FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain FC, AC Milan, Juventus, and AS Roma.

Why is cryptocurrency essential to the sports sponsorship ecosystem?

There should be more opportunities for companies within the ecosystem willing to participate. Legitimacy and fan engagement are marked as the two key components for the success of sports sponsorship companies. Sport sponsorship organizations can leverage blockchain technologies by implementing a more secure and transparent ticket exchange system. This technology opens up the door for both sponsors and rights holders to forge new relationships by effectively democratising the sports sponsorship playing field so any brand can play on sport’s grandest stages.

What should Sports Sponsorship industries keep in mind moving forward?

Despite the surge in interest in digital money, sports teams should be aware of the dangers that this new technology poses. The value of crypto-assets remains unpredictable, and the legal and regulatory landscape remains unsettled, despite the extraordinary rise. Due to the lack of consistency in this field, sports organizations will be forced to make agreements that hedge a contingency in order to save money if valuations shift. The emergence of crypto-assets, on the other hand, provides potential and excitement for the sporting world.

4 reasons why Athletes are a good strategy when launching a new website

1. Putting an athlete image on the website above the fold / in the hero image can reduce bounce rates

Starting a new website/ brand can often be hard to do. Currently, there are so many fake or uncredited websites. When creating a new website, adding reasons and things to the page can help it feel like a real page. Athletes are great ways to add credibility to your website. Placing an image of the athletes above the fold/ in the hero image can help reduce bounce rates, especially working with an athlete to do a quick video endorsing the launch of your new site. Athletes are often most credible as they can be easily looked up or are often already heard of. The sports world is massive and there are so many great athletes out there that cannot wait to be a part of a brand or company that represents who they are as athletes and also personally. 

2. Athletes can help to promote the new website through social and push traffic to you

Social media is a main component of our generation today. It is almost essential for companies and brands to have social media accounts in order to be successful. Using a professional athlete to promote your website can be game changing. They can reach many different target audiences and also in large amounts. Professional athletes can post on their social media promoting the product, service, or website. Again, it gives a massive weight of credibility!

3. Athletes bring credibility - having an athlete testimonial page can help to drive conversion

Testimonials are very important on any website. This is a moment for future customers to be able to witness and see how a product or service has been successful and how it can be beneficial in their lives. For customers, to see a professional athlete give their account for how a product or service benefited them can ultimately lead to new sales and customers. Once someone hears that a credible person used the product or service, they are often more prone to purchase it. Fun fact: Sports fans are 164% more likely to buy a product after an athlete they love mentions it.

4. Athletes are relevant to a wide audience - male, female, young, and old.

Through OpenSponsorship, you can easily choose from our roster of athletes to appeal to your brand's target audience. As mentioned above, an athlete's following can be large and can reach many different target audiences. Depending on your brand you can find a specific athlete that can help promote and endorse your brand based on their audience. Athletes are also more reliable because their following is often verified and all considered to be “real” follows. For example, if you are interested in a demographic of young adults between the ages of 18-26, then you are able to see that through our statistics of their following on our page.

OpenSponsorship is the largest digital marketplace making it easy for brands to partner with athletes. As you go onto our platform, you will be able to filter through 12,000+ athletes across 160 sports (including over 50% of the NFL and NBA) to help you select a specific athlete to help your brand or company excel. We support clients like Walmart, Sperry, FanDuel, and ESPN. We recently closed a $4.5M growth round, and are backed by NBA team owners, athletes, notable VCs, and world class accelerators.

A Dynasty Taken Down 

 

 

It is that time of the year this past week, when the best of the best face off in the long awaited College Football National Championship. On Monday, January 10, 2022 the University of Alabama and the University of Georgia faced off to compete for the title. Here is a recap from the game: 

Final Score of 33- 18, UGA 

 

This event is a powerhouse of opportunities for brands to advertise their name and gain likeness from fans attending the game and watching at home. Almost as popular as the Super Bowl, the National Championship is offered millions of ads, but only chooses a select few. Here are some of the top ad campaigns that debuted: AT&T and Mercedes EQ were the headliners and halftime entitlement sponsors, then there were also Ram Trucks, Capital One, All State, Bob’s Burger The Movie, Dr. Pepper, Taco Bell, Siri, and Gatorade. 

 

It is nice to see all these major well known brands being sponsors for this massive event, but let's consider it from a brand athlete perspective. Brands want to work with athletes that are well known, have a big following, and truly endorse a brand or product. Thus, other brands often reach out to players rather than massive events. Opensponsorship.com does this as well. College athlete sponsorship is a huge market, as well as the influencer market. These two markets are evident within this event. Each team can hold up to 110 players. Which leaves room for companies like OpenSponsorship that can connect companies that want to sponsor college athletes together. 

 

As the world’s largest and smartest marketplace for connecting athletes in search of sponsorships to brands looking for athlete influencers to sponsor their product, lets take a look into athletes from UGA and Alabama that OpenSponsorship works with:

William Poole III

William Poole III is the defensive back for the University of Georgia. He averaged 11 solo and 4 pd for the season. He was present during the championship win over the University of Alabama.

 

Bryce Young 

Bryce Young is the starting quarterback for the University of Alabama. For the season he had 4,872 yd, 47 td and 7int with an average of 87.6 QBR. He is was well recognized during his season with Alabama.

 

Jamaree Salyer

Jamaree is a part of the offensive line for the University of Georgia. He was a Senior for the championship winning team.

 

Chris Braswell

Chris is a linebacker for the University of Alabama. He averaged 7 solos for the entire season.

 

While football is megahouse for advertising, players and athletes are starting to take sponsorships and advertising into their own hands. It will be exciting to watch the transition that brands make as athlete branding starts to become more dominate than event branding.

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."

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.Here are just a few of the 90 athletes who mention LGBTQ+ on their social media feeds, and could be great partners for your brand.

Gus Kenworthy

Gus Kenworthy is a British-American freestyle skier, actor, and influencer. Representing Great Britain in the 2014 Sochi Olympics he won the silver medal in men's Slopestyle, and a gold for halfpipe in the Calgary World Cup. He has also won a bronze medal in the X games Slopestyle event in France, and has a long track record of strong performances in various competitions. Kenworthy has also spoken about being an openly gay professional athlete where he has been quoted saying, "I want to be the guy who comes out, wins s--- and is like, I'm taking names."

Abby Dunkin

Abby (Abigail) Dunkin is a 3.5 wheelchair basketball player who has won the gold for Team USA in the 2015 Parapan American Games, the 2016 Paralympics, and the 2019 Women's U25 Wheelchair World Championship. Dunkin is another athlete who has spoken about how sport helped her to find her identity where sh said, "Being in that atmosphere with coaches who were so supportive and teammates who were so supportive made me feel like I could do it. So wheelchair basketball, for me at least, helped me to come out publicly and be okay with myself. And I was lucky to have loving family and friends who supported me."

Jorden Hall

Jorden Hall is a nationally ranked track and field Canadian athlete who competes regularly and has won the gold in the BCSS Women's Heptathalon. Hall is still an young athlete but has proven to have a lot of potential, including a possible future with Team Canada for an Olympics. She has been open about her relationship with an American hair stylist, and is very active on social media, highlighting her training and showing her playful side on TikTok.

Josh Dixon

Josh Dixon has had the opportunity to be involved in sport as both an athlete and an owner. As an athlete Dixon has trained at the Olympic Training Center, having won multiple medals at the Winter Cup for his floor exercise and vault. He is now a minority owner of a women's professional soccer team where he works to promote female athletes and sports. In addition to all this he has voiced his strong feelings about his role in the community and sport by saying, “I realized I have an obligation, a responsibility to say, “It’s okay to be gay in our sport.” Ultimately, it’s about your gymnastics, whether you’re worthy to be on the team or in the sport.”

Janelly Farias

Janelly Farias is an openly gay American-born Mexican soccer player, who has played for the Mexican National Team, LA Galaxy OC, and Guadalajara.  Additionally, Farias was a Commentator/Analyst for the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup for Telemundo and has plans to be a part of the next World Cup as well. In addition to her career on the pitch Farias has been outspoken about the state of women's sport in Mexico and has become more involved behind the scenes as well. “Megan Rapinoe is an idol. I really admire her, I admire what she’s doing,” said Farias. “I think the whole world can learn from the social activism that the US women’s national team is doing, and in an ideal world, we would do the same here in Mexico.”

Sue Bird

Sue Bird is a Three-Time WNBA Champion who currently plays for the Seattle Storm, has won four Olympic gold medals, participated in four FIBA World Cups, has been selected to eleven WNBA All-Star teams and eight All-WNBA teams. Bird has also been voted the WNBA's top 15 Players of All Time and into the WNBA Top 20@20. In 2017 Bird publicly came out and announced her relationship with Megan Rapinoe from the USWNT. Since going public Bird has become more vocal and a former teammate, Swin Cash, says, "Sue and 'controversy' never mixed. She wasn't going to say certain things in the media. ... Now, when you talk about diversity or inclusion or racial inequality or sexism or other hot-button topics, she's going to give it to you how she sees it. I love and respect that about her."

Tasha Curro

Tasha Curro is an obstacle racer who has ranked 59th at the World Championship Spartan race. She not only competes regularly, winning a variety of medals, but she now also cheers on her stepson who has recently joined her by competing in a Spartan Kids race.

Liam Broady

Liam Broady is the No. 5 ranked tennis player in Britain, who has won the Boy's Doubles at Wimbledon and Australian Open and currently plays in the ATP Tour (professional circuit). Broady continues to improve and has recently made lifestyle changes that seem to be expediting his rise in the rankings. In addition to this he stands up in defense of the LGBTQ+ athlete's. 

• Start with a predefined campaign template, or with blank template.
• Work with a local, national or global star, and filter what you're looking for based on sport, location, and follower count.
• Pick a goal to help you maximize your returns. The most popular goals are increasing following or driving engagement on social media, increasing website traffic, and increasing sales of products or services.
• Detail the goals for your campaign by setting deliverables. Be as clear and concise as possible so that applicants know what you're looking for. For example, "Post an Instagram story holding our water bottle with the logo facing to the camera, and also tagging our page."
• Choose one or a combination of reimbursement types to best suit your marketing goals. Pick from Cash, Product, Royalty or Equity.

• Target athletes whose followers are similar to your customer profile.
• Find athletes who are married, have kids, have pets, or drink alcohol.
• Filter athletes based on their personal interests.
• Type in any keyword related to your brand and it will show you athletes who have mentioned these keywords on their social media.

• Utilize trend statistics such as social media performance, reach, activity, and engagement.
• Find athletes whose follower demographics (based on age, gender, and location) match your customer base.

• Discuss terms with athletes through our message center
• Click the 'Request a call' button to have a member of our team set one up with the athlete 
• Negotiate price and deliverables until both brand and athlete are happy.
• Once you have come to agreement, prepare a proposal for the athlete using the 'Create Deal' button. This will be the basis of a contractual agreement. 

• Athletes will include a short pitch to convince you why they’re the right fit for your campaign.
• Athletes can answer any specific questions you might include in your campaign details.
• Easily compare applicants based on price, social media following, and average engagement.

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. 

Social media platforms have given the fans an opportunity to stay connected with our favorite MLB athletes all the while following the current social-distancing guidelines. Social media has given us the chance to take a peek into the lives of these professional athletes. Being able to see their family life, the causes & charities that they care about, and of course the at-home workout routines have all been a source of both encouragement and entertainment. Opensponsorship has helped athletes and brands capitalize on this new found time and space by identifying and activating sponsorship opportunities. The Opensponsorship platform has given athletes an opportunity to build their brand while also helping brands partner with their picture perfect ambassadors. Here are some of our favorite MLB athletes on the Opensponsorship platform.

 

Matt Carpenter

Matt Carpenter is the third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals and an avid fan of the outdoors. Matt is a family man with two young children, who he posts pictures and videos of frequently on his social media accounts.

Matt understands the value of giving back to the community, this is why you can see him working alongside charities such as the Homers for Health, Cardinal Gennon Children’s Foundation. Click here to work with Matt Carpenter.

 

Alex Bregman

Alex Bregman is another third baseman for the Houston Astros. As a former World Series champion and an MVP,  Alex is no stranger to the spotlight. Alex knows the value of hard work and understands the importance of community. This is why you can see Alex giving back to organizations such as FeedHou (post shown below). Fun fact: Alex has his own podcast and also is the founder of the non-profit organizationBergmanCares. Click here to partner up with Alex Bregman.

 

Jon Duplantier

Jon Duplantier is a pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Although he may only be in his fifth year in the MLB, Jon is already considered an All-Star on the Opensponsorship platform. Jon has worked with multiple brands, and has accumulated countless 5-star ratings on his sponsorship deals for professionalism, attention to detail, and timeliness. Click here to work with Jon Duplantier.

 

Kole Enright

Kole Enright is a second baseman for the Texas Rangers, and at only 22 years old he already understands the importance of branding. Kole has completed a number of sponsorship deals with multiple brands all the while receiving 5-star ratings. Kole is described as professional and has proven his ability to conduct seamless deals. Kole cares deeply about charities such as Love Made Visible and Habitat for Humanity, and this is evident throughout his social media presence. Here’s achance to work with Kole Enright.

 

Alex Katz

Alex Katz is pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, who has already created an illustrious career for himself at the MLB. Alex has brought his enthusiasm, energy, and professionalism to the Opensponsorship platform. As proof, Alex has been awarded with the 5-star rating on the platform. Alex is a caring soul who knows his impact on his community. Alex is regularly working on the charity Pitch in for Baseball, which can be seen on his Instagram and other social media accounts. Find an opportunity to partner with Alex Katz.

 

Justin Turner

Justin Turner is a third baseman for the LA Dodgers and a newcomer to the platform. Justin brings on his massive following of 750k+ through his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Justin provides quality content which is a huge plus to any brands that will be sponsoring him through the Opensponsorship platform. Work with Justin Turner here.

 

Kyle Schwarber

Kyle Schwarber is an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and a former World Series Champion. Outside of his profession, Kyle is also the proud founder and operator of his own charity the Neighborhood Heroes. Kyle is the perfect candidate for brand sponsorships, as he is known for his family oriented character and his selflessness throughout his community. Send Kyle Schwarber a message here on our platform.

 

Eddie Rosario

Eddie Rosario is a left fielder for the Minnesota Twins and a two-time silver medalist of the World Baseball Classic. Known as a national baseball hero from Puerto Rico, Eddie looks to cement his legacy into his newfound role in the MLB. Eddie is a family man who posts frequently about his family and loved ones on his social media accounts. Partner with Eddie on the platform here.

 

CJ Edwards

CJ Edwards is a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs and a former World Series champion. CJ loves to post about his family on his social media accounts. One can easily find adorable pictures of his children everywhere on his profiles. CJ is great at exhibiting his love for his family and the game. Work with CJ here.

 

Blake Swihart

Blake Swihart is a catcher for the Texas Rangers, and another former World Series champion. Blake is soon to be a dad, and he is more than excited to show it! Blake is a great candidate for sponsorship campaigns as he enters a new phase in his life, giving new visibility to the novel aspects of his life. Partner with Blake Swihart here.

These are just a few of our amazing athletes who are on our platform today. Check out the rest of our MLB athletes here or view all 6,000+ athletes here on the platform to find the perfect partner for your next sponsorship campaign.

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.

If you’re not familiar by now, TikTok is a social media platform where users can post short videos of just about anything they want- dancing, comedy, music, tricks, or one of the countless “challenges” that go viral on the platform. TikTok began to take off in 2019 has over 500 million active users, making it a great place for influencers, like athletes, to build their brand and engage with their audience.

The sports world began to take notice long ago, with teams, leagues, broadcast networks, and even team mascots creating accounts and regularly posting content, ranging from highlights, messages from players, and just normal funny clips. The NBA even invited TikTok stars Addison Rae, Charli D’Amelio, Dixie D’Amelio, Chase Hudson, and Jalaiah to 2020 All-Star Weekend. The former three made videos with several NBA stars, including OpenSponsorship athletes Nikola Jokic and Pascal Siakam, and even helped out Aaron Gordon with this Dunk Contest dunk! And now, with athletes home and quarantining, they have had the time to join in on the fun themselves, and we love seeing athletes on TikTok.

Philadelphia 76ers rookie Matisse Thybulle was one of the first- “the only logical thing for me to do at this point is to start making TikToks!” He has been regularly posting content, even taking the time one day to interact with a fan who was hoping an NBA player would notice his post. Star Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant joined in too, making a fake player introduction to help cope with him missing basketball. Young Thunder stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Darius Bazley teamed up in a different way than usual to perform one of the hundreds of viral dances that become popular on TikTok.

But it’s not just the young guys having fun on TikTok, even the world champ athletes are on TikTok! LeBron James and his family enjoy the platform, where LeBron’s son Bronny posted a video of the family dancing that LeBron later re-posted on his Instagram story. Retired athletes on TikTok include NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal who is a regular on the platform and collaborated with Forto Coffee to create a fun and energized post promoting their coffee shots that received over 310 thousand impressions and nearly 19 thousand engagements.

TikTok is the hottest social media platform in the world right now and athletes on TikTok prove that the sports world is taking notice. These posts garner massive amounts of impressions and engagement from fans and partnering with athletes on TikTok is the perfect way for brands to connect with these audiences. Talk to an OpenSponsorship rep today to take advantage of this opportunity, or send us an email info@opensponsorship.com

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. 

We all know that athletes such as LeBron James and Serena Williams do not have a problem in finding sponsorship opportunities, but what about the non top 1%? Let's go down the checklist of things you may have tried:

1. A website with contact details
2. Social media channels to engage with a fanbase
3. A powerpoint presentation on why you are worth sponsoring
4. An agent who has found you a few deals
5. Cold calling or emailing the top brands such as Nike

OpenSponsorship

Well, we have a better solution. Think about if you wanted to find a job, you wouldn't do the above points, you would go straight to Monster.com or if looking for a house you would go to zillow.com.

Seeing these industries become so efficient we decided it was time to do the same for ours, hence why we started OpenSponsorship, the largest two sided marketplace for sports sponsorship connecting brands directly to athletes, teams and events.

At OpenSponsorship we have you fill out your basic information such as your name, age, and gender. In addition we have you fill out:

1. What sport(s) you play
2. Location
3. Your interests (pets, family, technology, etc)
4. Social media followers on various platforms
5. What kind of deals you would be willing to do (social media posts, appearances, photo shoots, etc)

By taking in all of this information, we pair you up with brands that fit your interests. If you are a pet lover, we will put you in contact with a pet brand looking to promote their product. If you're into the latest technology, workout equipment, or clothing, we will put you in touch with the right contact.

Additionally, our brands offer various types of sponsorship deals. Brands can ask you to post about them on social media, grant you free product to use and give a testimonial for, have you come in for a photoshoot, or even have you as their brand ambassador. The range of sponsorship opportunities are endless on OpenSponsorship.

Signing Up as an Athlete

As an athlete, the process is simple. Here is a quick step-by-step guide of how to sign up:

• Go to OpenSponsorship
• Click the sign up button and select “I am an Athlete, Team or Event”
• Create your account and fill in your profile
• Once you have finished creating your profile, click on the “campaigns” tab to see a list of all of the sponsorship opportunities available

In conclusion, we have found a way to make sponsorship available to all athletes. There’s no need to search up how to find sponsorship opportunities anymore. 

Make sure to like our Facebook page. In addition, make sure to like our OpenSponsorship athlete community group for tips and pointers on how to best market yourself.