Welcome to the blog of Dr. Lisa Burns' Media Studies senior capstone class (3:30 pm section) at Quinnipiac University. If you're looking for the latest on media industry trends and insightful media analysis, you've come to the right place!
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
Celebrity & Sports Blog 7, Question 2 (March 30th)
Why is branding so important in sports? How is
it similar to, and different from, celebrity branding?What are some of the ways that successful athletes
and franchises leverage their brands in the marketplace?Limit: 6 responses
Branding is extremely important in the world of athletes. Just like celebrities, athletes have a broad reach and can often become household names due to media exposure. Because of this, athletes can find great personal success through effective branding.
It is important for athletes to establish specific positive brands, in order to gain a larger following and reach an audience past the world of sports. As someone who does not watch sports too often, I can still recognize a majority of the names on the list of the highest paid athletes of 2020, and this is likely due to their successful branding. Numbers 2-4 on the list were all names of soccer players that I recognized, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (Badenhausen). I have never watched a full professional soccer game, but these names were all recognizable due to the successful branding efforts of these athletes. In the end, having a large platform and a more recognizable name gives athletes a greater chance at high pay rates and brand partnerships, leading them to the list of highest paid athletes. Their overall success is reliant on their branding.
In the same way that celebrities find success through having a large platform and successful branding, athletes can strengthen their careers with a successful brand. Oftentimes, this comes through brand partnerships. Sam Carp notes that soccer player Lionel Messi “has the broadest reach of any athlete, providing a platform for commercial partners like Adidas, Pepsi, Lays and Gatorade to engage with upwards of 157 million followers” (Carp). When athletes have a broad reach such as Messi’s, they can establish partnerships with different brands, which in turn grows their platform, strengthens their brand and brings them more income. In the same way that beauty influencers partner with makeup companies, athletes often partner with athletic wear brands, or anything that is relevant to their sport. Companies will want to partner with them because of their strong brand and large audience. The biggest difference between celebrity branding and athlete branding is that their industries/fanbases are very different, so brand partnerships will be made with different types of companies; however, by concept, they are nearly the same.
One way that successful athletes leverage their brands in the marketplace is by using their brand/platform to make systemic change, specifically throughout industries. For example, recently in the NCAA March Madness tournament, Oregon Ducks women’s basketball player Sedona Prince highlighted the disparities in the amenities between the men’s and women’s teams. She tweeted a video that showed “the men’s tournament in Indiana having a fully-equipped weight room, while the women’s weight room in San Antonio had one dumbbell set that topped out at 30 pounds and a handful of yoga mats” (McCord). Prince had a decent social media following due to her media exposure as a college athlete, and used it to tackle the issue of sexism and disparities in the collegiate tournament. Her video went viral, and the women’s team was then granted better amenities, more equal to what the men were provided. Her brand as a confident woman who advocates for gender equality brought change to an entire industry. Not only did this change the college basketball tournament, but Prince’s influence has shown other industries that there is no place for blatant gender inequality anymore. This is only one example of an athlete using their platform to inspire change, and there will surely be more in the coming future.
Badenhausen, Kurt. "Highest Paid Athletes in the World." Forbes 21 May 2020, https://www.forbes.com/athletes/#2cbca92655ae
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020, https://50mm.sportspromedia.com/analysis/most-marketable-2020-messi-lebron-gauff-andreescu-endorsements/
McCord, AJ, and KOIN 6 News Staff. “Viral Tweet from Oregon Player Lands Upgraded Facility for Women.” KOIN.com, KOIN.com, 20 Mar. 2021, www.koin.com/sports/oregon-ducks-players-tweet-on-ncaa-tournament-differences-goes-viral/.
Branding is essential in sports because, with endorsements and big-name companies backing the games, everyone involved can make a profit. When certain players are with a team, branding is a way for the fans to feel closer to the team and those favorite players. An example is Tom Brady. Although he's not a Patriots player anymore, fans who have seen him from the start in New England and now at Tampa Bay still respect and will never forget him as the GOAT who got the Patriots six rings.
Celebrity branding is similar to branding in sports because there are prominent sports players, just as there are famous actors, singers, etc. You don't need to be a sports fan not to know iconic players such as Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams. They're hardworking players that also have been featured on commercials, backed by brands, and have created their brands. The difference between celebrities and sports branding can vary in the products being sold. It's easier for Serena Williams to be sponsored by Nike over Kylie Jenner, who has probably never played tennis in her life.
Differences within sports branding are that women tend to receive less appreciation and respect within their sports. The large companies or organizations that run sports tournaments tend to favor males even though ratings for women's sports are growing or higher than men—a current event example of the men receiving better treatment versus women during March Madness. Many inside the women's bubble shared Tik Tok videos and tweets about their conditions, particularly their training facility. Their gym had a small rack of dumbbells and yoga mats, whereas the men's NCAA bubble was filled with state-of-the-art equipment. Furthermore, there was a difference in the facilities as a whole, gifts received upon arriving at the NCAA tournament, and even meals (Hensley-Clancy). This is such a critical predicament because it reflects how people perceive women in sports. It sets back the hard work that women have done to have a spot next to men in sports.
ESPN has done an incredible job with leveraging their brands in the marketplace by working out a seven-year deal with the NHL returning on ESPN. According to ESPN, the chairman of ESPN and sports content for Disney, Jimmy Pitaro, believes that the Walt Disney Company's move will drastically change deals. Pitaro is eager and plans to connect to passionate fans resulting in the agreement (ESPN). I think it's a smart move by The Walt Disney Company because they already offer The Disney Bundle, which includes ESPN+, have ABC air the games along with ESPN overall. Interesting enough is The Hollywood Reporter article states how the multichannel TV bundle will be done for. It's seen that the idea of linear bundling will be devalued while individual streaming services are ramping up in hopes of gaining new streamers (Szalai). As we started seeing multiple streaming platforms pop up, I feel that it was only a matter of time for everyone to transitions to purchasing various streaming services to cater to their needs.
ESPN. (2021, March 10). NHL back on ESPN with 7-year multiplatform deal. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31039351/nhl-back-espn-7-year-multiplatform-deal
Hensley-Clancy, M. (2021, March 20). NCAA vows to improve conditions at women's basketball tournament, As OUTCRY CONTINUES. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/03/19/ncaa-women-basketball-weight-room/
Szalai, G. (2021, March 19). Wall Street reacts to NFL Deals: "the end of the bundle as we know it"? Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wall-street-reacts-to-nfl-deals-the-end-of-the-bundle-as-we-know-it
Perratti (Part 1) Similar to the likes of Hollywood, branding is vital to the success of sports, mainly due to financial opportunities that arise as a result of successful marketing. When athletes sign partnership deals or sponsorships with major brands such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armor, their names and teams become recognizable by the public, thereby increasing their exposure, net worth and value as a player. Neilson’s Athlete Influencer Score chart measures successfully branded athletes by 4 factors: “reach, relevance, resonance and return” (Carp 1). These factors, according to Carp’s SportsPro article, are of “growing importance to sports marketers in a world increasingly influenced by social media” (1). This holds true for both celebrities and athletes in the public eye, as successful branding in both industries means that their brand reaches viewers in a relatable way that resonates—so much so that they return the favor by purchasing their products, viewing their content, attending their games (or in the case of celebrities, performances), and wearing their apparel, which is, in turn, free publicity.
Perratti (Part 2) Branding is not only important for the athletes that sign partnership deals, but for the teams that the athletes belong to. When a successfully branded athlete signs a contract with a sports team, the team’s popularity typically skyrockets, ultimately creating a mutually beneficial relationship between both parties. For instance, when Lebron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, the Lakers immediately received national attention and are now heavily associated with James’s brand. According to the Forbes article “Highest Paid Athletes in the World,” Lebron James ranks number five on the list, earning a whopping $88.2 million in 2020. While James’s hefty income is certainly in part due to his immense talents as a basketball player, a significant portion of his funding comes from endorsements, sponsorships and partnership deals. According to an article from SportsKhabri, Lebron James had partnership deals with over 12 brands in 2020, such as Beats Electronics, 2K Sports, Coca Cola, AT&T and Walmart. Then as well, James also has lifetime sponsorship deals with athletic brands like Nike, which began in 2003. These brand deals is virtually what makes athletes like Lebron James so successful and popular, with respect to the dedication and talents that each professional athlete holds. As a result of the successful branding, athletes like James can leverage their brands in the marketplace, specifically in areas like apparel. Just as it is popular to wear a “23” jersey to commemorate Kobe Bryant, fans of Lebron James can purchase his custom Lebron shoes as a result of his Nike sponsorship. However, just like the products that they generate, athletes become products themselves to the sports industry as a result of their successful branding. Ultimately, athletes become a profitable commodity that the sports industry relies on for much of their funding, endorsements and viewership.
“Brand Partners of LeBron James, 2020.” Lebron James' Net Worth, Sports Khabri, 28 Sept. 2020, sportskhabri.com/brand-partners-of-lebron-james-2020/.
Badenhausen, Kurt. "Highest Paid Athletes in the World." Forbes 21 May 2020, https://www.forbes.com/athletes/#79ded88355ae
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020, https://50mm.sportspromedia.com/analysis/most-marketable-2020-messi-lebron-gauff-andreescu-endorsements/
Athletes are experts in their field. They are the best of the best when it comes to their sport, so many look up to them. But this stardom also makes them equal to celebrities. I would argue that Kobe Bryant was equal to Tom Hanks when it came to his brand. He was a loveable man, a father figure, and a person who impacted the world outside of his craft. You want to be able to look up to people who inspire you. For example, my sister is a soccer player. She felt more passionate about her sport as Megan Rapione shot to fame and won the world cup with her team. My sister felt empowered by her words and was able to shake off sexist comments from boys.
Like celebrities, athletes tailor their branding to their outlook in society. Laurie Hernandez, one of the youngest Olympians, was seen as a cute and talented girl. She presents herself the same way on social media. Serena Williams was perceived as an unforgiving and powerful icon. She uses that to her advantage. Their personalities tend to coincide with their work. And excitedly, women in sports are becoming more marketable in an industry where they were typically ignored. According to SportsPro, a record-breaking 17 women made the list of the 50 Most Marketable Athletes. This number is only expected to increase.
It is also fundamental to maintain one’s image as an athlete. If an icon starts playing poorly, their reputation will be tarnished. Like Tom Brady or not, he made an awful team turn around to win a Super Bowl. Many give this credit solely to him. And there is a huge payoff if this brand is maintained and a player continues to play well. According to Yahoo Sports, Lionel Messi makes nearly $140 million in a year.
There’s also good examples of what could happen if an athlete’s brand is tarnished. Lance Armstrong had a powerful image tied to him. He beat cancer and went to win multiple Tour de France titles, most of them him placing first. But slowly, his doping caught up to him. His talent wasn’t natural. Once it became clear he was guilty, Armstrong was “stripped of all his achievements from August 1998 onward” (Cohen). More than a decade of work became obsolete, and any idea of being a legendary and historic biker was gone.
Big players can be so impactful that they can use their name as a weapon. Players can refuse to play if they don’t like something, threatening all income from a game. It could lose teams millions. They can also form partnerships and get brand deals as Simone Biles did with UberEats.
Overall, I feel like athletes are equal to celebrities when it comes to branding and marketing!
Sources: Baer, Jack. "Lionel Messi's FC Barcelona Contract Got Leaked, and It's Bigger than Patrick Mahomes's $500 Million Deal." Yahoo Sports 31 Jan. 2021. Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020.
Cohen, Kelly. “Timeline of Lance Armstrong's Career Successes, Doping Allegations and Final Collapse.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 22 May 2020, www.espn.com/olympics/cycling/story/_/id/29177227/line-lance-armstrong-career-successes-doping-allegations-final-collapse.
Branding is extremely important in sports. Similar to celebrity branding, branding in sports can be the avenue for marketing, advertisers, sponsorships, and the basis for a large part of an athlete’s lasting success and income. It can also help build recognition and a fan base which turns these athletes into household names like celebrities. For example, if you take a look at the Top 50 most marketable athletes, referenced by SportsPro Insight, three people in the top 10 I recognize by name are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar Jr. All soccer players. What makes this remarkable is that I’ve never watched a soccer game or a sports network. I’m also from a country where soccer is not the dominant and most popular sport. They’ve reached global success and recognition and have devoted fanbases and success and have each built personal brands that have assisted in catapulting them to success like other celebrities.
Sam Carp mentions the top listed most marketable athlete Lionel Messi and recent news about what his departure from his current team would’ve meant for them. A huge loss of income because his brand partners like Rakuten and Beko fund the team or pay for their training with well over 100 million euros. In this way, I think celebrity and athlete partnerships differ slightly. An athletic partnership like these also funds a club, team, or league and boosts their opportunities and profiles, this means an individual’s brand is helping other less high profile athletes get opportunities and benefits as well as investors and owners. Some might view celebrity branding and partnerships as personal gain and maybe a smaller supporting team such as agents and managers. An interesting way to compare the similarities and see some overlap is with the business dealings of Alex Rodriguez, a former athlete with an extremely recognizable brand and name, and celebrity Jennifer Lopez. Both of them had different types of marketable careers and ended up with the means to invest in public companies such as Hims and Hers, a healthcare company (Canal).
One way athletes can leverage their brands in the marketplace is by capitalizing on their social media followings to create new partnerships. Cristiano Ronaldo is the second most followed account on Instagram, second only to Instagram’s own account. According to MediaKix, “In 2016, FIFA superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, signed a $1 billion lifetime deal with Nike, which helped him to become the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2017.” Deals like this, bolstered by social media, paved the way for marketers to seek out nano influencers in lesser-known spaces and unconventional sports. A base-jumping influencer could be marketable, as long as they have a personal brand and a loyal following, just like celebrities.
Works Cited Canal, Alexandra. “How a Potential Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez Split Would Be a 'Business Divorce,' Minus the Marriage.” Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo!, 21 Mar. 2021, finance.yahoo.com/news/why-a-potential-jennifer-lopez-alex-rodriguez-split-would-be-a-business-divorce-121151260.html. Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020, https://50mm.sportspromedia.com/analysis/most-marketable-2020-messi-lebron-gauff-andreescu-endorsements/ “Why Athlete Influencers Are So Effective For Brands.” Mediakix, 28 Feb. 2019, mediakix.com/blog/athlete-influencers-social-media-marketing/.
I assume the most important reason for branding in sports is to attract an audience. Branding helps sell tickets, merchandise, video games, etc.… Athletes just like most celebrities have a very broad reach into all communities. With that reach comes the ability for athletes to exist in the media for reasons other than the game the previous night. They have the ability to influence all generations and in doing so they need to present themselves in the best way possible even to people who may not be avid fans of their particular sport(s).
When it comes to an athlete’s personal brand image, there are many ways in which they can strengthen it or destroy it. Today we see some of the biggest names in sports having more followers on social media than some of the worlds most recognizable celebrities. This presence on social media is the first step in fostering a good brand image. Allowing your audience to get a more personal sneak peak into the everyday life of one of their favorite athletes can be more influential than watching that same athlete dominate in a game. With that the athlete becomes more than just an athlete, they become sort of like a celebrity on and off the field. Which in turn allows for them to have an even larger audience than they would have had just being on that specific team. All of this is done with good branding, and in doing so creates new opportunities for them.
Take Lebron James and David Beckham, both are/were stars in their respective sports and both also had some of the highest paying celebrity endorsements of all time, “In 2003, Beckham signed a $160 million lifetime deal with Adidas. Now that he’s retired from sports, his yearly payout has decreased to just $1.5 million. He has also endorsed Samsung, Burger King, and British supermarket Sainsbury’s… In 2015, James signed a lifetime endorsement deal with Nike for more than $1 billion. James is the first person to ink a lifetime deal with Nike, and many speculate he is on the path to becoming the wealthiest athlete of all time.” (Liscomb 1 & 17) Being this marketable didn’t happen overnight, it took multiple seasons and a large amount of interaction across and outside of the world of sports.
The real difference between branding for celebrities and athletes is the job itself. Depending on the celebrity, the audience they have can either be very niche or massive. Where celebrities are always in the lime light and have to be careful of what they say or do, as to not hurt their brands image, athletes must do the same on top of having to keep their performance up. If an athlete is not performing as well as they should be, cheating, or saying/doing things their audience doesn’t approve of their brand image could suffer, and depending on the type of athlete that could be a minor inconvenience or a huge blow to their annual salary, “On a single day in 2012, eight of Lance Armstrong’s 11 sponsors terminated contracts or announced plans not to renew them, CNBC reported. A few days later, Oakley, Armstrong’s last remaining sponsor, cut ties with the iconic cancer survivor, whose name was synonymous with championship cycling. The reason: The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a report containing evidence that the seven-time Tour de France champion had taken and concealed his use of banned substances. Armstrong also had all of his titles stripped, was banned from cycling for life and saw his net worth plummet.” (Andrew 1)
Probably the most common way we see athletes leverage their brands is through paid endorsements and social media. The higher the number of followers they have on social media, the likelier they are to have higher paying endorsements. This also goes for performance during their season. Constantly we see the top performing athletes with the most paid endorsements, “Messi, who tops the list with a total score of 115, has the broadest reach of any athlete, providing a platform for commercial partners like Adidas, Pepsi, Lays and Gatorade to engage with upwards of 157 million followers.” (Carp 7). Along with this is the potential for change, in the last year we saw athletes of all types speaking out against racial injustice and inequality. Provided with their platform and resources, they supported others in a scope that to one person would be nearly impossible.
Andrew, Lisa. “24 Athletes Who Lost Their Huge Endorsement Deals.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 14 Aug. 2019, www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/24-athletes-lost-huge-endorsement-090239873.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAI4hx1-hxelnaUofrMjSlbk3oq-6lgVbbvmN_mgMdc2wnudNxiAJ8YzSC4QWtmvhDy8J_SwGS485tHxe54L09j7MDtFwBz7NJWfGbYRjXc_Dxr5rdxalYtYvCinbvHStLoEQqkPO2jVPs2HbEwnd1Bl8K7maox60X6dJdaK-SYM3.
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020,
Alyssa Murphy
ReplyDeleteBranding is extremely important in the world of athletes. Just like celebrities, athletes have a broad reach and can often become household names due to media exposure. Because of this, athletes can find great personal success through effective branding.
It is important for athletes to establish specific positive brands, in order to gain a larger following and reach an audience past the world of sports. As someone who does not watch sports too often, I can still recognize a majority of the names on the list of the highest paid athletes of 2020, and this is likely due to their successful branding. Numbers 2-4 on the list were all names of soccer players that I recognized, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (Badenhausen). I have never watched a full professional soccer game, but these names were all recognizable due to the successful branding efforts of these athletes. In the end, having a large platform and a more recognizable name gives athletes a greater chance at high pay rates and brand partnerships, leading them to the list of highest paid athletes. Their overall success is reliant on their branding.
In the same way that celebrities find success through having a large platform and successful branding, athletes can strengthen their careers with a successful brand. Oftentimes, this comes through brand partnerships. Sam Carp notes that soccer player Lionel Messi “has the broadest reach of any athlete, providing a platform for commercial partners like Adidas, Pepsi, Lays and Gatorade to engage with upwards of 157 million followers” (Carp). When athletes have a broad reach such as Messi’s, they can establish partnerships with different brands, which in turn grows their platform, strengthens their brand and brings them more income. In the same way that beauty influencers partner with makeup companies, athletes often partner with athletic wear brands, or anything that is relevant to their sport. Companies will want to partner with them because of their strong brand and large audience. The biggest difference between celebrity branding and athlete branding is that their industries/fanbases are very different, so brand partnerships will be made with different types of companies; however, by concept, they are nearly the same.
One way that successful athletes leverage their brands in the marketplace is by using their brand/platform to make systemic change, specifically throughout industries. For example, recently in the NCAA March Madness tournament, Oregon Ducks women’s basketball player Sedona Prince highlighted the disparities in the amenities between the men’s and women’s teams. She tweeted a video that showed “the men’s tournament in Indiana having a fully-equipped weight room, while the women’s weight room in San Antonio had one dumbbell set that topped out at 30 pounds and a handful of yoga mats” (McCord). Prince had a decent social media following due to her media exposure as a college athlete, and used it to tackle the issue of sexism and disparities in the collegiate tournament. Her video went viral, and the women’s team was then granted better amenities, more equal to what the men were provided. Her brand as a confident woman who advocates for gender equality brought change to an entire industry. Not only did this change the college basketball tournament, but Prince’s influence has shown other industries that there is no place for blatant gender inequality anymore. This is only one example of an athlete using their platform to inspire change, and there will surely be more in the coming future.
Works Cited:
ReplyDeleteBadenhausen, Kurt. "Highest Paid Athletes in the World." Forbes 21 May 2020, https://www.forbes.com/athletes/#2cbca92655ae
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020,
https://50mm.sportspromedia.com/analysis/most-marketable-2020-messi-lebron-gauff-andreescu-endorsements/
McCord, AJ, and KOIN 6 News Staff. “Viral Tweet from Oregon Player Lands Upgraded Facility for Women.” KOIN.com, KOIN.com, 20 Mar. 2021, www.koin.com/sports/oregon-ducks-players-tweet-on-ncaa-tournament-differences-goes-viral/.
Works Cited for Alyssa Murphy -- sorry I forgot to include my name!
DeleteBranding is essential in sports because, with endorsements and big-name companies backing the games, everyone involved can make a profit. When certain players are with a team, branding is a way for the fans to feel closer to the team and those favorite players. An example is Tom Brady. Although he's not a Patriots player anymore, fans who have seen him from the start in New England and now at Tampa Bay still respect and will never forget him as the GOAT who got the Patriots six rings.
ReplyDeleteCelebrity branding is similar to branding in sports because there are prominent sports players, just as there are famous actors, singers, etc. You don't need to be a sports fan not to know iconic players such as Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, and Serena Williams. They're hardworking players that also have been featured on commercials, backed by brands, and have created their brands. The difference between celebrities and sports branding can vary in the products being sold. It's easier for Serena Williams to be sponsored by Nike over Kylie Jenner, who has probably never played tennis in her life.
Differences within sports branding are that women tend to receive less appreciation and respect within their sports. The large companies or organizations that run sports tournaments tend to favor males even though ratings for women's sports are growing or higher than men—a current event example of the men receiving better treatment versus women during March Madness. Many inside the women's bubble shared Tik Tok videos and tweets about their conditions, particularly their training facility. Their gym had a small rack of dumbbells and yoga mats, whereas the men's NCAA bubble was filled with state-of-the-art equipment. Furthermore, there was a difference in the facilities as a whole, gifts received upon arriving at the NCAA tournament, and even meals (Hensley-Clancy). This is such a critical predicament because it reflects how people perceive women in sports. It sets back the hard work that women have done to have a spot next to men in sports.
ESPN has done an incredible job with leveraging their brands in the marketplace by working out a seven-year deal with the NHL returning on ESPN. According to ESPN, the chairman of ESPN and sports content for Disney, Jimmy Pitaro, believes that the Walt Disney Company's move will drastically change deals. Pitaro is eager and plans to connect to passionate fans resulting in the agreement (ESPN). I think it's a smart move by The Walt Disney Company because they already offer The Disney Bundle, which includes ESPN+, have ABC air the games along with ESPN overall. Interesting enough is The Hollywood Reporter article states how the multichannel TV bundle will be done for. It's seen that the idea of linear bundling will be devalued while individual streaming services are ramping up in hopes of gaining new streamers (Szalai). As we started seeing multiple streaming platforms pop up, I feel that it was only a matter of time for everyone to transitions to purchasing various streaming services to cater to their needs.
Works Cited
DeleteESPN. (2021, March 10). NHL back on ESPN with 7-year multiplatform deal. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/31039351/nhl-back-espn-7-year-multiplatform-deal
Hensley-Clancy, M. (2021, March 20). NCAA vows to improve conditions at women's basketball tournament, As OUTCRY CONTINUES. Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/03/19/ncaa-women-basketball-weight-room/
Szalai, G. (2021, March 19). Wall Street reacts to NFL Deals: "the end of the bundle as we know it"? Retrieved March 29, 2021, from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wall-street-reacts-to-nfl-deals-the-end-of-the-bundle-as-we-know-it
Perratti (Part 1)
ReplyDeleteSimilar to the likes of Hollywood, branding is vital to the success of sports, mainly due to financial opportunities that arise as a result of successful marketing. When athletes sign partnership deals or sponsorships with major brands such as Nike, Adidas and Under Armor, their names and teams become recognizable by the public, thereby increasing their exposure, net worth and value as a player. Neilson’s Athlete Influencer Score chart measures successfully branded athletes by 4 factors: “reach, relevance, resonance and return” (Carp 1). These factors, according to Carp’s SportsPro article, are of “growing importance to sports marketers in a world increasingly influenced by social media” (1). This holds true for both celebrities and athletes in the public eye, as successful branding in both industries means that their brand reaches viewers in a relatable way that resonates—so much so that they return the favor by purchasing their products, viewing their content, attending their games (or in the case of celebrities, performances), and wearing their apparel, which is, in turn, free publicity.
Perratti (Part 2)
DeleteBranding is not only important for the athletes that sign partnership deals, but for the teams that the athletes belong to. When a successfully branded athlete signs a contract with a sports team, the team’s popularity typically skyrockets, ultimately creating a mutually beneficial relationship between both parties. For instance, when Lebron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, the Lakers immediately received national attention and are now heavily associated with James’s brand. According to the Forbes article “Highest Paid Athletes in the World,” Lebron James ranks number five on the list, earning a whopping $88.2 million in 2020. While James’s hefty income is certainly in part due to his immense talents as a basketball player, a significant portion of his funding comes from endorsements, sponsorships and partnership deals. According to an article from SportsKhabri, Lebron James had partnership deals with over 12 brands in 2020, such as Beats Electronics, 2K Sports, Coca Cola, AT&T and Walmart. Then as well, James also has lifetime sponsorship deals with athletic brands like Nike, which began in 2003. These brand deals is virtually what makes athletes like Lebron James so successful and popular, with respect to the dedication and talents that each professional athlete holds. As a result of the successful branding, athletes like James can leverage their brands in the marketplace, specifically in areas like apparel. Just as it is popular to wear a “23” jersey to commemorate Kobe Bryant, fans of Lebron James can purchase his custom Lebron shoes as a result of his Nike sponsorship. However, just like the products that they generate, athletes become products themselves to the sports industry as a result of their successful branding. Ultimately, athletes become a profitable commodity that the sports industry relies on for much of their funding, endorsements and viewership.
Perratti (Works Cited)
Delete“Brand Partners of LeBron James, 2020.” Lebron James' Net Worth, Sports Khabri, 28 Sept. 2020, sportskhabri.com/brand-partners-of-lebron-james-2020/.
Badenhausen, Kurt. "Highest Paid Athletes in the World." Forbes 21 May 2020, https://www.forbes.com/athletes/#79ded88355ae
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020, https://50mm.sportspromedia.com/analysis/most-marketable-2020-messi-lebron-gauff-andreescu-endorsements/
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ReplyDeleteAthletes are experts in their field. They are the best of the best when it comes to their sport, so many look up to them. But this stardom also makes them equal to celebrities. I would argue that Kobe Bryant was equal to Tom Hanks when it came to his brand. He was a loveable man, a father figure, and a person who impacted the world outside of his craft. You want to be able to look up to people who inspire you. For example, my sister is a soccer player. She felt more passionate about her sport as Megan Rapione shot to fame and won the world cup with her team. My sister felt empowered by her words and was able to shake off sexist comments from boys.
ReplyDeleteLike celebrities, athletes tailor their branding to their outlook in society. Laurie Hernandez, one of the youngest Olympians, was seen as a cute and talented girl. She presents herself the same way on social media. Serena Williams was perceived as an unforgiving and powerful icon. She uses that to her advantage. Their personalities tend to coincide with their work. And excitedly, women in sports are becoming more marketable in an industry where they were typically ignored. According to SportsPro, a record-breaking 17 women made the list of the 50 Most Marketable Athletes. This number is only expected to increase.
It is also fundamental to maintain one’s image as an athlete. If an icon starts playing poorly, their reputation will be tarnished. Like Tom Brady or not, he made an awful team turn around to win a Super Bowl. Many give this credit solely to him. And there is a huge payoff if this brand is maintained and a player continues to play well. According to Yahoo Sports, Lionel Messi makes nearly $140 million in a year.
There’s also good examples of what could happen if an athlete’s brand is tarnished. Lance Armstrong had a powerful image tied to him. He beat cancer and went to win multiple Tour de France titles, most of them him placing first. But slowly, his doping caught up to him. His talent wasn’t natural. Once it became clear he was guilty, Armstrong was “stripped of all his achievements from August 1998 onward” (Cohen). More than a decade of work became obsolete, and any idea of being a legendary and historic biker was gone.
Big players can be so impactful that they can use their name as a weapon. Players can refuse to play if they don’t like something, threatening all income from a game. It could lose teams millions. They can also form partnerships and get brand deals as Simone Biles did with UberEats.
Overall, I feel like athletes are equal to celebrities when it comes to branding and marketing!
Sources:
Baer, Jack. "Lionel Messi's FC Barcelona Contract Got Leaked, and It's Bigger than Patrick Mahomes's $500 Million Deal." Yahoo Sports 31 Jan. 2021.
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020.
Cohen, Kelly. “Timeline of Lance Armstrong's Career Successes, Doping Allegations and Final Collapse.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 22 May 2020, www.espn.com/olympics/cycling/story/_/id/29177227/line-lance-armstrong-career-successes-doping-allegations-final-collapse.
Rachel Sapienza
ReplyDeleteBranding is extremely important in sports. Similar to celebrity branding, branding in sports can be the avenue for marketing, advertisers, sponsorships, and the basis for a large part of an athlete’s lasting success and income. It can also help build recognition and a fan base which turns these athletes into household names like celebrities. For example, if you take a look at the Top 50 most marketable athletes, referenced by SportsPro Insight, three people in the top 10 I recognize by name are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Neymar Jr. All soccer players. What makes this remarkable is that I’ve never watched a soccer game or a sports network. I’m also from a country where soccer is not the dominant and most popular sport. They’ve reached global success and recognition and have devoted fanbases and success and have each built personal brands that have assisted in catapulting them to success like other celebrities.
Sam Carp mentions the top listed most marketable athlete Lionel Messi and recent news about what his departure from his current team would’ve meant for them. A huge loss of income because his brand partners like Rakuten and Beko fund the team or pay for their training with well over 100 million euros. In this way, I think celebrity and athlete partnerships differ slightly. An athletic partnership like these also funds a club, team, or league and boosts their opportunities and profiles, this means an individual’s brand is helping other less high profile athletes get opportunities and benefits as well as investors and owners. Some might view celebrity branding and partnerships as personal gain and maybe a smaller supporting team such as agents and managers. An interesting way to compare the similarities and see some overlap is with the business dealings of Alex Rodriguez, a former athlete with an extremely recognizable brand and name, and celebrity Jennifer Lopez. Both of them had different types of marketable careers and ended up with the means to invest in public companies such as Hims and Hers, a healthcare company (Canal).
One way athletes can leverage their brands in the marketplace is by capitalizing on their social media followings to create new partnerships. Cristiano Ronaldo is the second most followed account on Instagram, second only to Instagram’s own account. According to MediaKix, “In 2016, FIFA superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, signed a $1 billion lifetime deal with Nike, which helped him to become the highest-paid athlete in the world in 2017.” Deals like this, bolstered by social media, paved the way for marketers to seek out nano influencers in lesser-known spaces and unconventional sports. A base-jumping influencer could be marketable, as long as they have a personal brand and a loyal following, just like celebrities.
Works Cited
Canal, Alexandra. “How a Potential Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez Split Would Be a 'Business Divorce,' Minus the Marriage.” Yahoo! Finance, Yahoo!, 21 Mar. 2021, finance.yahoo.com/news/why-a-potential-jennifer-lopez-alex-rodriguez-split-would-be-a-business-divorce-121151260.html.
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020, https://50mm.sportspromedia.com/analysis/most-marketable-2020-messi-lebron-gauff-andreescu-endorsements/
“Why Athlete Influencers Are So Effective For Brands.” Mediakix, 28 Feb. 2019, mediakix.com/blog/athlete-influencers-social-media-marketing/.
Media Trends Blog #7
ReplyDeleteMatthew Taylor
I assume the most important reason for branding in sports is to attract an audience. Branding helps sell tickets, merchandise, video games, etc.… Athletes just like most celebrities have a very broad reach into all communities. With that reach comes the ability for athletes to exist in the media for reasons other than the game the previous night. They have the ability to influence all generations and in doing so they need to present themselves in the best way possible even to people who may not be avid fans of their particular sport(s).
When it comes to an athlete’s personal brand image, there are many ways in which they can strengthen it or destroy it. Today we see some of the biggest names in sports having more followers on social media than some of the worlds most recognizable celebrities. This presence on social media is the first step in fostering a good brand image. Allowing your audience to get a more personal sneak peak into the everyday life of one of their favorite athletes can be more influential than watching that same athlete dominate in a game. With that the athlete becomes more than just an athlete, they become sort of like a celebrity on and off the field. Which in turn allows for them to have an even larger audience than they would have had just being on that specific team. All of this is done with good branding, and in doing so creates new opportunities for them.
Take Lebron James and David Beckham, both are/were stars in their respective sports and both also had some of the highest paying celebrity endorsements of all time, “In 2003, Beckham signed a $160 million lifetime deal with Adidas. Now that he’s retired from sports, his yearly payout has decreased to just $1.5 million. He has also endorsed Samsung, Burger King, and British supermarket Sainsbury’s… In 2015, James signed a lifetime endorsement deal with Nike for more than $1 billion. James is the first person to ink a lifetime deal with Nike, and many speculate he is on the path to becoming the wealthiest athlete of all time.” (Liscomb 1 & 17) Being this marketable didn’t happen overnight, it took multiple seasons and a large amount of interaction across and outside of the world of sports.
The real difference between branding for celebrities and athletes is the job itself. Depending on the celebrity, the audience they have can either be very niche or massive. Where celebrities are always in the lime light and have to be careful of what they say or do, as to not hurt their brands image, athletes must do the same on top of having to keep their performance up. If an athlete is not performing as well as they should be, cheating, or saying/doing things their audience doesn’t approve of their brand image could suffer, and depending on the type of athlete that could be a minor inconvenience or a huge blow to their annual salary, “On a single day in 2012, eight of Lance Armstrong’s 11 sponsors terminated contracts or announced plans not to renew them, CNBC reported. A few days later, Oakley, Armstrong’s last remaining sponsor, cut ties with the iconic cancer survivor, whose name was synonymous with championship cycling. The reason: The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a report containing evidence that the seven-time Tour de France champion had taken and concealed his use of banned substances. Armstrong also had all of his titles stripped, was banned from cycling for life and saw his net worth plummet.” (Andrew 1)
DeleteProbably the most common way we see athletes leverage their brands is through paid endorsements and social media. The higher the number of followers they have on social media, the likelier they are to have higher paying endorsements. This also goes for performance during their season. Constantly we see the top performing athletes with the most paid endorsements, “Messi, who tops the list with a total score of 115, has the broadest reach of any athlete, providing a platform for commercial partners like Adidas, Pepsi, Lays and Gatorade to engage with upwards of 157 million followers.” (Carp 7). Along with this is the potential for change, in the last year we saw athletes of all types speaking out against racial injustice and inequality. Provided with their platform and resources, they supported others in a scope that to one person would be nearly impossible.
Works Cited
Liscomb, Megan. "30 Highest-Paying Celebrity Endorsements." Finance 101 10 Nov. 2020, https://www.finance101.com/celebrity-endorsements/
Andrew, Lisa. “24 Athletes Who Lost Their Huge Endorsement Deals.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 14 Aug. 2019, www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/24-athletes-lost-huge-endorsement-090239873.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAI4hx1-hxelnaUofrMjSlbk3oq-6lgVbbvmN_mgMdc2wnudNxiAJ8YzSC4QWtmvhDy8J_SwGS485tHxe54L09j7MDtFwBz7NJWfGbYRjXc_Dxr5rdxalYtYvCinbvHStLoEQqkPO2jVPs2HbEwnd1Bl8K7maox60X6dJdaK-SYM3.
Carp, Sam. "SportsPro Insight: What Makes These the 50 Most Marketable Athletes?" SportsPro 1 Oct. 2020,