Brands have been marketing their products and services with professional athletes for years. Having an athlete endorse a product adds credibility, exposure, and shows alignment with the brand’s corporate beliefs and values.
Typically, brands would find an athlete spokesperson or brand ambassador and have her or him wear its logo, use its products, and talk about the brand in real life during appearances. As sports viewership and popularity grows within our society, the typical athlete endorsement model continues to thrive. However, as the need for digital sports endorsements increases, professional athletes are no longer limited by the constraints of the traditional endorsement environment.