The Power Of Athletes To Become Media Companies And Transform The Game

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by Anna Munhin Jun 1, 2023 News
The Power Of Athletes To Become Media Companies And Transform The Game

Michael Jordan & A Car

There is a basketball under one arm as he poses with a car. The photo was taken by Paul Natkin.

Getty Images

Athletes are able to use their fame to create institutional value that is never before done. The history and evolution of athlete marketing shows how the building blocks of the new paradigm came to be.

Michael Jordan was paid handsomely to be a spokesman for some of the world's most respected brands. Michael was at the peak of his fame before social media, but he never owned his own intellectual property.

It is clear that the game has changed as someone who has spent three decades building athlete brands and seeing the evolution of the industry knows. For example, let's take O'Neal. We went one step beyond what Jordan had done when we worked with Shaquille to create his brand. Our strategy was to own the intellectual property and license it to brands so they could use it in their marketing campaigns. Lee Clow, the creative behind Steve Jobs and Apple, agreed to design the logo for the basketball player. This helped build Shaq's personal brand as well as creating institutional value in his intellectual property. As a result of the strategy, Shaq formed a lucrative partnership with ABG to exploit his intellectual property on a global scale. Mass media and traditional marketing are combined with social media in order to increase brand growth and value.

A paradigm shift has taken place in the landscape of athlete branding. With the rise of social media, it is important for athletes to realize their potential as media companies. By using effective tactics and exploiting their status, athletes can open up a world of opportunities.

As media companies forge partnerships, athletes can do the same. Athletes can amplify their brand message by collaborating with brands. Joint ventures, co- branded campaigns, and even sponsored content are just some of the ways in which strategic partnerships can be formed. These partnerships open up lucrative revenue streams for athletes, including endorsement deals, content licensing, and revenue sharing.

They are able to create and distribute content directly to their fans through social media. The shift allows athletes to control their narrative, shape their brands, and monetize their influence. In the traditional influencer space, we've seen this explode with the launch of lucrative brands on the back of their huge social followings.

Athletes need to invest time and effort into building a strong social media presence in order to truly embrace the role of a media company. Direct access to millions of fans is provided by platforms such as TikTok andInstagram. Athletes should create high quality, authentic content. By sharing behind-the-scenes footage, personal stories, training routines, and engaging directly with fans, athletes can cultivate a loyal following.

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They will be able to create valuable intellectual property. By producing unique content such as podcasts, documentaries, web series, or even writing books, athletes can improve their brand equity. Athletes can license their content to various platforms, broadcasters, or streaming services if they own intellectual property.

NBA Star Shaquille O'Neal Promotes Chinese Sports Brand In Beijing

In Beijing, China, on August 14th, Shaq's Intellectual Property became a global brand. The photo was taken by China.

Getty Images

The Future of the Athlete Brand

Athletes will benefit from becoming a media company. Student athletes can start building value earlier now that they can profit from their name, image and likeness.

ESPN.comHow athletes with large social media followings could be the real winners in NIL changes

Athletes can open doors to new opportunities if they adopt from the beginning the mindset of a media company. Athletes can control their narrative and expand their reach by embracing this frontier. The power of athletes in our culture is enjoying radical growth and we are seeing the emergence of the athlete brand.