Athlete endorsements have historically been leveraged by brands as a way to communicate directly with an endorsee’s engaged and loyal audience. The competitive pressures surrounding the more sought-after athletes has left brands with little negotiating power over fees and the entitlement packages that endorsees offer to their brand partners. With athlete endorsements traditionally delivering a portion of their entitlement commitments in association with live events, new deal structures and means of activating rights in 2021 and beyond should be expected.
What Sports’ Broadcast Shift Means For Sponsors
The restart of play across major league sports will bring with it many new opportunities, leading to changes in the way consumers watch games and marketers build activation plans with not just the NHL, but major pro leagues across North America.