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I believe the NIL market for many student-athletes will be similar to today’s triathletes, marathoners, cyclists, rock climbers, etc.
To better understand how these athletes get sponsorship deals, I picked up ‘ #sponsored’ by Jasmine Chou this weekend.
Takeaways
To better understand how these athletes get sponsorship deals, I picked up ‘ #sponsored’ by Jasmine Chou this weekend.
Takeaways
In non-traditional sports, the top earners are elite athletes.
They’ll have up to a dozen endemic (equipment, apparel, nutrition, etc.) brand partnerships — receiving combo of free merch and some cash.
They’ll have up to a dozen endemic (equipment, apparel, nutrition, etc.) brand partnerships — receiving combo of free merch and some cash.
The elites were once amateurs who picked up the sport as a hobby or a way to continue competition when they completed their college career.
Right below the elite athletes are the expert ambassadors.
These may not be the top performers, but they understand how to create content that captures an audience (and attracts brand partners).
These may not be the top performers, but they understand how to create content that captures an audience (and attracts brand partners).
The expert ambassadors establish their presence on YouTube, building up subscribers and viewership enough to make $1,000s per month from pre-roll advertising.
The more advanced athletes set up a Patreon page, charging $1, $3, $10 or more per month for access to exclusive content.
When athletes get serious about their sport, the goal is to earn a spot on a sponsored team.
This is often the first exposure to receiving free merchandise — and their first relationship with a brand partner.
This is often the first exposure to receiving free merchandise — and their first relationship with a brand partner.
While setting personal records and winning competitions matters a great deal, the athletes who earn more from sponsors understand the needs of the brand as much as their own.
Once they’ve caught the attention of brands beyond the sponsors on their team, some athletes will start to build a support team of their own.
There are marketing reps and agents for the most marketable athletes, and niche content creators are popping up in most sports.
There are marketing reps and agents for the most marketable athletes, and niche content creators are popping up in most sports.
These creators follow athletes during training and competition, capturing high quality content and — most importantly — ensuring the athletes have access to share it as soon as the event ends.
Once amateurs become elite and attract their own sponsors, they can get more selective with companies they partner with.
The shift in power dynamic — from asking for sponsorship to turning sponsors away — is the signal that one has ‘made it’.
The shift in power dynamic — from asking for sponsorship to turning sponsors away — is the signal that one has ‘made it’.
But no matter the stage of the sponsorship journey, the athletes who retain deals (through ups and downs of competition) are those who invest in building their partner’s brand as well as their own.
When athletes partner with brands they truly love and support, their fans will know it.
That magic spark creates an experience that shifts audience attention from the athlete to the product to the brand.
That magic spark creates an experience that shifts audience attention from the athlete to the product to the brand.
Favorite takeaways for athletes in non-traditional sports:
Compete your ass off.
Join a sponsored team.
Branch out on your own.
1. Win enough, get free merch.
2. Win more, get cash incentives.
3. Keep winning and earn a salary from sponsors.
Compete your ass off.
Join a sponsored team.
Branch out on your own.
1. Win enough, get free merch.
2. Win more, get cash incentives.
3. Keep winning and earn a salary from sponsors.
Takeaways for athletes in all sports:
Success leads to sponsorship.
Have a business mindset.
Build a support team.
Capture content for yourself.
Create content for your sponsors.
Turn your followers into fans of brand partners and you’ll earn sponsorship $$ on the daily.
Success leads to sponsorship.
Have a business mindset.
Build a support team.
Capture content for yourself.
Create content for your sponsors.
Turn your followers into fans of brand partners and you’ll earn sponsorship $$ on the daily.
The author, Jasmine Chou, is young in her career but excelling in competition.
I’m certain she’ll take the advice she shares in the book and succeed in building sponsor support.
Shoutout to @tweeterjain for recommending the book which you can buy here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641375086/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IuPYEbP9C1THS
I’m certain she’ll take the advice she shares in the book and succeed in building sponsor support.
Shoutout to @tweeterjain for recommending the book which you can buy here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1641375086/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IuPYEbP9C1THS
