How To Pick Your MVP: On Scoring Big with Athlete Partnerships

The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon is a spectacle of human endurance. As an 8-time participant, I've not only felt the athletic burn in competition but also witnessed the immense marketing potential that sports events and athletes bring to the table. So today, we're talking about my experience selecting athletic partners for marketing campaigns!

I can't tell you the amount of times a week I'm hit up by up-and-coming college athletes, and at first, I completely wrote it off. After harnessing the power of collegiate partnerships with a school like University of Central Florida, I can tell you there is real power in bringing in real athletes to speak for your brand, and advocate for it.

Take Your Time and CHOOSE the Right Brand Partner

I know I get excited when ANYONE wants to partner with the restaurant group I manage. I see an influencer, bring them in! I see an athlete, let's get them some food and swag! While this is an awesome attitude to have, it can have some big downsides. There is real value in careful selection, focusing on the partnership message and meaning, and really finding the talented sports athletes that match your campaign work and vision. Here are some things to look for when choosing a sports partner.

- Shared Values: Ensure that the athlete's values align with your brand's ethos. A mismatch can lead to dissonance and might not resonate well with both audiences. It's worth your time to do your research, as it can save you from a hefty PR makeup campaign after the fact. (Not that anyone remembers, but Aaron Hernandez had that $40 million contract with the Patriots and an endorsement deal with CytoSport, the company that makes Muscle Milk, and a two-year contract with sportswear company Puma at the time he committed the murders... Obviously, they dropped those sponsorships swiftly after but who needs that kind of headache?).

- Relevance: The athlete's sport or persona should be relevant to your product or service. For instance, a restaurant company in a college town might benefit more from partnering with a local up-and-coming college athlete in a non-traditional sport rather than the best professional sports player in the area. Likewise, a tech company might find it more beneficial to partner with an e-sports athlete or team instead of someone actually playing on the football field.

- Audience Overlap: Research the athlete's fan base, and your own. What's "cool" to your audience, and who are they watching? Go after those people, and find a way to overlap their brand with yours in a partnership story. Use it as fuel to help craft your story and test your messaging!

- Track Record: Look at the athlete's past endorsements or partnerships. I always find it a red flag if an athlete has SCORES of partnerships. Their audience is probably over-sold, weary of endorsements, regardless of the awesome content they make. My biggest question to the athlete is always: Did you, as the athlete, maintain the brand's integrity? I am not always prepared to take a risk on a new athlete who might be too busy between their career / school / sports / work to put in the time to work with my brand and creative team. It's tough to find that magical unicorn-level athlete who has the time, effort, energy and talent to dedicate toward helping create an amazing partnership.

- Engagement Levels: An athlete with a massive following but low engagement might not be as effective as one with a smaller, but more engaged, fan base. But this is a point of consideration if you're a sports fan: Sometimes the smaller up-and-coming athletes are worth growing with. They'll work harder because you're giving them a shot, you're helping bolster their dreams, and you're giving them credibility and a voice outside their arena. I've found that starting with these athletes can HELP you get credibility among the larger athletes on the playing field (no pun intended). If you're just starting out with athletes, start small and manageable, don't bite off more than you can chew monetarily and creatively.

- Budget Considerations: Top-tier athletes come with hefty price tags. They've got managers, agents, creative team consultants, and brand image experts weighing every move and motive. You get what you pay for, and depending on what your vision is, it very well might be worth the price tag. As a marketing professional, you already KNOW to weigh the potential ROI against the investment. Make sure your marketing ideas and messages are up to par with the athlete's level of expectations, so they definitely feel like it was worth their effort. They can work with anyone, so let's treat them like the MVPs they are.

Choose Your MVP and Make Marketing Magic!

Sports and athletes offer a unique and powerful platform for marketing. It's not just about plastering a logo on a jersey or sponsoring their off-day content; it's about aligning values, tapping into passions, and building genuine, lasting connections with audiences. By carefully choosing the right brand partner, companies can maximize their marketing impact and make deep, lasting relationships with their audience. As the world of sports continues to captivate and inspire, the opportunities for brands to soar alongside are limitless.