What should athletes understand about the sponsor-athlete relationship?
Answered in: 2022 MX Sponsorship Summit: Why Brands SponsorThe Answer
Athletes need to understand they're 'on the payroll' and must deliver value in exchange for support. It's not just about receiving product or money - sponsors expect a return on investment whether through exposure, product feedback, sales, content creation, or brand representation. Athletes should think about what they can offer sponsors, not just what they want to receive. The relationship works best when athletes feel like part of the brand community and genuinely want to promote it, rather than treating sponsorship as a transaction.
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2022 MX Sponsorship Summit: Why Brands Sponsor
Session 1 of the 2022 Motocross Sponsorship Summit, recorded live at Troy Lee Designs (August 26, 2022): Why Brands Sponsor — why companies sponsor motocross, what they expect from representation, why you should never offer "exposure," and what to offer instead. With Alex Striler (summit host and author of Motorsports Marketing and Sponsorships), Randy Valade (Moto Brand Manager, Troy Lee Designs), Wing Lam (Founder, Wahoo's Fish Taco), Josh Shorter (Brand Manager, THOR), and Pat Lopez (Athlete Manager, OGIO Powersports).
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