Helping brands to partner with athletes in their influencer marketing and sponsorship marketing campaigns

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. 

              Often times, professional athletes are known more for what they do in their given sport than for what they do in their personal lives. They spend so much of their time in the spotlight and they make more headlines for the accomplishments on the field. However, off the field, these athletes are the same as their fans. They have their own interests and hobbies that they enjoy doing in their free time, they crack the same jokes with their teammates and friends, and they binge-watch the same Netflix shows as the rest of us.

              One easy way to share this side of them with their fans is through YouTube, an already popular platform for influencer marketing. Athletes on YouTube are able to share videos on any given topic and these videos can be much longer than those on other platforms like TikTok, where shorter clips are more common. Countless athletes already use the platform for a variety of different types of content, with one popular topic being video games. Several different star athletes are friends with professional video game streamers and collaborate with these streamers to create content. Trevor May, a Minnesota Twins pitcher, gained popularity as a content creator playing Fortnite and becoming friendly with some of the game’s biggest influencers, including Tyler “Ninja” Blevins. He has a YouTube channel with about 25 thousand subscribers and regularly posts content. Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster owns a YouTube channel as well and is known as an avid gamer, so much so that he is a member of the gaming organization FaZe Clan. While he does not strictly post gaming videos on his YouTube channel, he has posted videos of him playing with several different celebrities and athletes on YouTube.

              The beauty of athletes on YouTube, though, is that they are free to post anything they would like. Serge Ibaka of the Toronto Raptors has a show on his channel titled “How Hungry Are You?” where he brings on teammates and friends, interviews them, and serves them some of the most bizarre foods you can think of—lamb brains, cow hearts, pig heads, you name it! Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has a channel where he posts vlogs of his daily life, which included a behind-the-scenes look at his long comeback from injury that he titled “UNBREAKABLE”. Even Warriors superstar Stephen Curry has a channel where he has posted content ranging from interviews of other celebrities, fun challenges with other content creators, and his recent Q&A with Dr. Anthony Fauci about COVID-19.

              The style of content on YouTube and the diversity of the content that athletes on YouTube post creates a great opportunity for brands to get involved through influencer marketing. YouTube videos are very interactive and feature the athlete influencers talking directly to their fans, allowing products to be much more integrated into the content. Does your company sell food or cooking products? Sponsor a video where a portion shows the athlete cooking and using your product! Makeup or clothing? Sponsor a vlog where the athlete shows themselves getting ready to go out, featuring your product as part of their look! The opportunities with influencer marketing on YouTube are endless.

              On OpenSponsorship, we are proud to have plenty of our athletes on YouTube. Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has a channel where he posts baseball content, MMA fighter Karyn Bryant has a channel where she posts her podcast MMA Heat with UFC fighter Alan Jouban, and paintballer Marc Sutherland has the largest paintball channel on YouTube- and these are just three of many OpenSponsorship athletes on YouTube! Many of these videos garner tens to hundreds of thousands of views, and these impressions are more valuable than just a quick look on Instagram where followers may just skim the caption and keep scrolling. YouTube is already a popular platform for brands to sponsor other influencers and content creators, and the same opportunity is there with athletes! Athlete influencers are trusted by their fans and will listen to their opinions on a product. Talk to an OpenSponsorship rep today to take advantage of this opportunity with athletes on YouTube, or send us an email at info@opensponsorship.com. And for some tips about influencer marketing, check out our blog about how to launch a successful influencer marketing 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

Sponsorship of sports events has been a strategy in place for decades, however with the rise of digital marketing some marketers think event sponsorship is outdated - not the case! Sponsorship of sports events is more relevant, alive and effective as ever, thanks to a big need for brands to directly connect with their customers; get their products into the hands of customers and win trust and loyalty. 

The modern consumer is constantly bombarded with information from companies vying for their business. As a result of this, consumers are hesitant to engage with a business they have never heard of (even if it is the better choice) and instead go with the brand that they know and trust.

This has caused a dilemma for new brands trying to break into industries. How do you develop a relationship with new customers that directly leads to new business? An excellent way to build this trust with consumers is through sponsorship of sports events where you can directly connect with your target audience. 

OpenSponsorship, your one-stop shop for sports marketing, can help you tap into sponsorship of sports events OR if you are already doing it, then we can help you to maximise your ROI through best practices. Book a demo today to learn more. Here are four reasons why sponsorship of a sports event makes sense for your marketing strategy. 

1. Increase Brand Awareness

Having a known reputable sports event promote your brand logo, name and messaging is one of the best ways to drive brand awareness in an effective way. The more authentic the fit between brand and event, the better. The more aligned the audience of the event to your existing or desired target audience, the better. Example: Party City is a significant sponsor of sports team and events; sports is often a family affair and a celebratory one (hopefully!!), so it’s a perfect fit. 

Brand Awareness from the sponsorship of a sports event is not just signage at the event, it also includes your logo on their website, emails, marketing materials, PR and any other content they are putting out. 

2. Lead Generation

Sponsorship of sports events is a great way to drive lead generation - whether email, phone numbers, app downloads and actual paying customers. 

Pre-event: The event organizers will often give the sponsor access to the attendees directly, or will promote the sponsorship to their attendees with a call-to-action from the brand. Thus, before the event even begins, the ability to sell and/ or collect leads gets started. 

During the event: Typical sponsorship of sports events includes a booth where your company representatives can engage directly with potential customers. Thus the ability to collect contact details, emails, customer feedback continues. Even take a credit card machine so you can sell your products right there, if applicable. 

Post-event: When you follow up with attendees you met or the list of attendees provided by the event organizers, the response rate will go up significantly because they recall your brand name and the brand loyalty you have brought by sponsoring the event they just attended. 

3. Product Sampling

Sponsorship of sports events is a phenomenal way to get real-time, honest feedback from your - current or prospective - customers. Product sampling is an awesome benefit of sponsorship of sports event. Some companies will even take product sampling one step further and sell their products to the event attendees.  

Another great benefit of product sampling at sports events is that there is a higher chance the attendees will save your product given your product is a memento from that special sports event they attended - the same can't be said from most other tradeshows or street side product sampling! 

Depending on your sponsorship contract with the event, you may be able to use the logo of the event to customize your product to make it even more special. 

4. Developing Goodwill, Loyalty and Community Relationships

Sponsorship of sports events is not only a marketing strategy, but it is often a CSR or Community activity. Everyone knows that sponsorship is often the only reason an event can be put on, and therefore many attendees are very thankful of the sponsors and rewards those companies with their loyalty. 

Investing in communities is a must and sponsorship of sports events is a great way to invest in your community, as well as getting the marketing benefits associated with the event. There are also many events that are purely charitable, e.g. one of our partners Tiger Woods Foundation who we partnered up with Tito's Vodka. 

Want to bolster your brands image through sporting event sponsorship? You're in luck, we have three exciting properties across three sports that are sure to help your company build brand awareness and exceed ROI goals.

Looking to place your brand in some of the most iconic venues on the planet? The American Rodeo at AT&T Stadium and Rodeo New York at Madison Square Garden are excellent opportunities to reach a massive audience in an organic way.

Targeting a college student or young adult demographic? Check out our offerings with the PGA of America property Nextgengolf. These events will give your company the chance to reach hundreds of thousands of consumers who are gaining spending power by way of email lists and on-site activation.

Looking to tap into the new wave of streamed sports? The American 7s Football League is one of the fastest growing sports leagues in America. With front page promotion and live streaming on Twitch and Facebook Watch along with a TV distribution deal secured on Eleven Sports, the A7FL is poised to have another breakout year.

Come check out these offerings and all the other exciting opportunities we have at OpenSponsorship! 

Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jason Severiano Lampkin - that's me in the picture above - and I'm one of the new interns here at OpenSponsorship. Though many - if not all of you - will never have even heard of me, there once was a time when people thought the world would never forget my name. Instead, I became the man that many never even get the chance to know.

I excelled in sport from a young age and was touted - as is often the case for prodigious talent, particularly in soccer - as “the next Michael Owen.” Admittedly, we shared many similarities; we went to the same junior school and high schools, we played for the same local and county sides, we both played for Manchester United, and - as you'll see from the video below - we both possessed an electrifying turn of pace. But a cruel twist of fate and a wicked twist of my knee was all it took for my promising soccer career to take a quite drastic U-turn.

The only silver-lining with the ACL injury was that it meant that I was still following in Michaels footsteps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H1TimXcg1c

But enough of the sob story. Let’s fast-forward five years and focus on the positive.

After a fun-filled, success-sprinkled collegiate career on a sports scholarship at Long Island University, I’m finally heading into the final few weeks of my MBA. I’d never imagined that I’d be picking up a post-graduate diploma - I’d always fantasized about lifting trophies instead  - but I did envisage a future where I’d still be involved in sport in some way, so thanks Opensponsorship for making one prophecy a reality!

Working here has opened my eyes to the countless possibilities the modern-day athlete can be exposed to. I’d had a glimpse of it in my days as a first-team squad member at Aston Villa, and after a week of working on delightful deals for all the amazing athletes on our site, I decided to give it a go myself. I wanted a piece of the pie, so I applied to every campaign I could find and crossed my fingers for a bite. Within a week, I’d already partnered with two brands and was in discussion with a couple more. 

You can find my OpenSponsorship athlete profile HERE.

I was hungry for deals and OpenSponsorship served up some real delights. For instance, one of the brands I decided to work with - Yümmy Bazaar - offered partnered athletes tasty treats from their World Sampler Box in return for a simple social media post, meaning that I got to sample snacks from Spain, Georgia, Russia and Italy just for twiddling my thumbs. My fingers worked faster dipping in to the pack of Ibizan sea-salt chips than they did on the caption! Hardly hungry work.

The success I’ve experienced on OpenSponsorship - just as an intern and former professional athlete - has whetted my appetite for more and I can only imagine the feasts that awaits all of you big-hitters out there. And though I’m sure you’re all thinking that I’m operating on some insider information, please believe me when I say that the deals I’ve done have been completely my own doing.

Brands are looking for interested athletes that will interact with their product or service and engage their followers, and us athletes are looking for good brands to work with to make some extra income. It’s simple math and it always equals a favourable outcome for both parties.

So let's look at another OpenSponsorship example...

Take our skilled skateboarder Greg Lutzka for instance. He submitted a proposal that was accepted by one of our brilliant companies - EightSleep - and produced an awesome social media post telling his thousands of followers about the tremendous technology involved with the company's ingenious mattresses.

"Got great sleep last night !! Comfort meets technology with the @eightsleep smart mattress. I was super hyped to control everything from my I-phone including the smart alarm, bed warming, sleep trends data and much more !! Big Thanks to eight sleep !! #eightsleep #technology #smartmattress "

So not only does Greg now get a better nights sleep, he can also rest assured that we at OpenSponsorship will keep working around the clock to keep finding him - and all of our other athletes - fantastic partners offering outstanding opportunities.

Greg's social following easily trumps mine - just look at how our Instagram followings compare (seve_says vs greglutzka) - but OpenSponsorship's platform helps to level the playing field and make applying to campaigns a fair game for all of their athletes. There are deals to be done for athletes of all shapes, sizes and social stats; from the established pro's of the sportsphere - like Russell Westbrook and Rob Gronkowski - to the niche stars like myself.

There's plenty of promising campaigns - like the ones in the picture below - currently up on our site that have been recently posted by brands seeking athletes to promote their fantastic product or service.

Keen for a slice of the action?...

If you're an athlete and interested in partnering with some awesome brands and earning extra income, royalties and free product, CLICK HERE to create your free OpenSponsorship account. For all of our fantastic athletes already signed-up, please follow THIS LINK to view all of the wonderful opportunities just waiting for you to apply.

Apply intently to campaigns you’re interested in; foster a good relationship with the brands on our platform; accept deals that delight you; fulfil your requirements and reap the rewards. It's like anything in sport; the more you put in, the more you get out.

Stay hungry, my friends!

Last week, we helped one of our brands (Trago) work with one of our athletes (Amanda Ruller) for an amazing social media post.

Amanda is a professional football player, Olympic weight-lifting competitor, CrossFit fanatic, personal trainer & the winner of a Hyundai Sonata on The Price is Right TV show! For these reasons, she has a very loyal following of over 90k social media followers (well maybe except the last part) and is always looking on OpenSponsorship for the next best brand to promote.

Two weeks ago, she applied and was accepted to Trago's campaign on OpenSponsorship. They were looking to give a free bottle ($79 value) in exchange for exposure via social media. Even with her large following, Amanda agreed to post in exchange for free product because of how much she loved the brand!

Amanda Ruller posing with Trago product

Trago used OpenSponsorship to drive sales, increase brand recognition, and add a "coolness" factor by partnering with a professional athlete. And this is just one post! They've had more than 20 applications just in the last 2 weeks from more athletes like Amanda.

Want to get in on the fun? I'll give you the steps:

1. Create a free account on www.OpenSponsorship.com

2. Create a campaign (job posting for our athletes) to promote your brand on OpenSponsorship and attract interested athletes.

3. Start a 7 day (risk free!) trial with us to publish your campaign.

4. Receive incoming applications from professional athletes to promote your brand.

5. View all of your applications in one place along with different information and social media demographics from each athlete. Pick the ones you feel are the best fits for you!

To learn more or ask questions, reach out to an OpenSponsorship rep or send us an email at info@opensponsorship.com today!

Manchester City's 2007/08 season started with new owner Thaksin Shinawatra splurging £30 million by adding eight relatively high-profile players to the first team squad. The main source of the funds? The Thai billionaire businessman's bulging wallet. Sure, the teams sponsorship agreements helped, but secondary shirt sleeve sponsorship, which would have added another stream of income, hadn't even been considered. In fact, the idea hadn't even been considered in the entire soccersphere.

City had spent three of the four previous Premier League seasons finishing in low mid-table positions (i.e., two to four places above the relegation zone). The team was badly in need of an influx of new blood if it was to avoid a similar fate, or worse, in the upcoming season. This meant that Thaksin would have to dig deep in to his pocket to get the ball rolling on the required turnaround. A decade down the line, it's fair to say that the initial investment has paid dividends. Three domestic cups, two domestic league titles, and one new owner later, the 2016/17 Citizens look a whole lot different.

Soccer aficionados will argue long into the night about the means that facilitated the Citizens meteoric rise from mid-table meddlers to top-tier competitors. They will no doubt call in to question the source of the funds and cite the rules of financial fair play, and ponder whether the transition would have been possible without Shinawatra and subsequent owner Sheikh Mansour bankrolling the process. One thing that cannot be questioned, however, is that their plan - both on-and-off the field of play - has been beautifully executed. The Blue Moon has well and truly risen, and City's groundbreaking shirt sleeve sponsorship agreement with South Korean manufacturer Nexen Tire could well shine a new light on the world of sports sponsorship and propel the team even further forward.

Next season, a new rule will come in to play allowing Premier League teams like City to have a secondary sponsor on the sleeves of their shirts. And it won't be long before we see other EPL sides strike shirt sleeve sponsorship deals as they try to keep-up with their cash-strapped and commercially savvy Mancunian counterpart. We can certainly envisage our super Spur, Erik Lamela, sporting a Tottenham strip with a secondary sponsor displayed just below his shoulder.

And as we gaze in to our crystal ball, we foresee a future where shirt sleeve sponsorship deals become commonplace right across the soccersphere. Foreign teams, keen to compete with the likes of City and Spurs in European competition, will soon start searching for such commercial opportunities of their own. So too will teams from other nations intent on tilting the axis of world soccer from Europe to a different continent.

So then that begs an important question. How long 'til we see other Opensponsorship soccer stars like Atletico Madrid's Koke and Juventus' Paulo Dybala sporting strips with sleeve sponsors on them? A bigger budget - derived from shirt sleeve sponsorship deals - would give their teams more purchasing power and enable them to attract the best talent. This would ultimately increase their chance of success. City have, after all, proved that cunning commercial craft goes hand-in-hand with lifting trophies and raising a global profile. And as the team becomes more and more successful, their sponsors are exposed to a greater number of potential clients. It's a cyclical, symbiotic and lucrative relationship.

Sports sponsorship is a big, big business, particularly in the Premier League - the most watched league in the world. City and their shirt sleeve sponsors Nexen both stand to make a pretty penny from the deal. Nexen - like City's Thai owner Thaksin Shinawatra ten years ago - rightfully expect to see a return on their investment. A shirt sleeve sponsorship agreement with such a successful club will no doubt cover the South Korean company's outlay many times over. Their brand awareness will be significantly boosted both in Britain and abroad, leading to an increase in sales.

The benefits that shirt sleeve sponsorship agreements will bring both the sports teams and the brands they partner with are innumerable. Simply put, shirt sleeve sponsorships make sense: they are a win-win in a game that is designed to be win-lose. Perhaps Nexen read our "7 Reasons to Use Sports Sponsorship" as a brief before partnering with the boys in blue, in which case, Cheonmanaeyo! (You're welcome!)

And with the Philadelphia 76ers becoming the first NBA team to strike a shirt sponsorship agreement in May last year, it won't be long before other sports follow suit. The NBA will allow the 76ers to wear StubHub's logo on their jerseys starting in the 2017/18 season. Savvy business when considering that the move is expected to generate at least $100 million annually for the league.

"I've always been jealous of the English Premier League teams. NASCAR figured it out a long time ago," 76ers CEO Scott O'Neil said when he was interviewed after completing the deal. "For some reason, the big four sports in North America have not. I think it's an unbelievable opportunity." Opening up shirt sponsorship space is a big leap for the NBA. Opening up secondary shirt sleeve sponsorship spots would be a slam dunk. MLS, NFL, MLB and NHL take note, and sports fans...watch that space! Secondary sponsorship is coming to a sleeve near you soon!

The birds are chirping, the sun is shining (almost), and baseball season is upon us (almost again). All right, maybe its just spring fever, but the OpenSponsorship team could not be more pumped about the upcoming MLB season. Just a month removed from pitchers and catchers reporting, most teams already have about 10 preseason games under their belt.

This time of the year has huge implications for young MLB talent. Each MLB team has three minor league levels under their umbrella, A, AA, and AAA. For the guys who were chosen to play during spring training, this time could mean the difference between a multi-million dollar contract, and waiting another year to get one more shot at it.

A hit, an error, a big play, a tendency a coach liked or disliked could mean the difference between a life long dream come true, or another year making below minimum wage at the minor league levels. There are a million ways to impress a coach, and a million ways to show a coach that you may not have what it takes to play at the next level. Spring training is the optimal time to make your self stand out from the crowd, you just have to hope your training paid off, and the cards are in your favor on those days.

When connecting your business with professional athletes, it is incredibly important to be able to recognize talent and where a player’s career may be heading. Luckily for you, we’ve done that part for you and compiled a list of the hottest young talent in the MLB looking for business opportunities on OpenSponsorship.

So with no further ado, PLAY BALL!

Gary Sanchez, 24

Catcher, New York Yankees

Need I say more? I will anyway. This guy is holding the hottest bat in baseball and has a lot to prove this season. With any shot of making the playoffs last season a miracle and a half away, The New York Yankees decided to restructure in the last third of the season. They terminated A-Rods contract, made some position changes, and promoted some minor league players to join the squad. In that youth movement came Gary the Great. In 53 games played, the young stud belted 23 home runs, had 42 RBI’s, and was one of the best defensive catchers in the league. He is the whole package as well as a stand up guy with strong family values that any organization or business would be lucky to have in their corner.

Carlos Correa, 22

Short Stop, Houston Astros

Carlos has a resume that is near impossible to compare to. Number 1 overall draft pick in 2012. Rookie of the year in 2015 when he was transferred to the big leagues. He has the fire and hunger of a rookie trying to make a name for himself, and the poise of a veteran who’s been around the block once or twice. "I just don't want to be one of the best players -- one of the best shortstops -- to ever play the game,” Correa said “I want to be like Roberto Clemente, one of the best humanitarians to ever be around the game." This guy has an unbelievable work ethic with a selfless attitude that is admired by all who knows him.

Roberto Osuna, 22

Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

Coming out of Mexico, Osuna holds the record for youngest pitcher to do just about everything. He was drafted at the unimaginable age of 16 and has worked his way to the pros, making his MLB depute in 2015 at 19 years old. Osuna was invited to spring training in 2015 as a non-roster invitee. While initially not expecting to have any chance at making the major league team out of camp, Osuna impressed Blue Jays management through the first half of the spring. He has electric stuff and the peak of his career is in front of him.

Gleyber Torres, 20

Second Base, New York Yankees

Torres is our youngest on the list at 20 years old. The Venezuelan was drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He was a centerpiece in a blockbuster trade that sent Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees to the Cubs while Torres was sent to New York. Never having started at second base, he is one of the prime candidates for the Yanks at the position this year. He's been preforming tremendously in spring training and we see him as a potential starter if things go the right way for Gleyber.