Tyler Simpson’s Post

Athlete Endorsement Strategy: The Power of Being a Big Fish in a Smaller Pond 🌟👟 "Skechers signing Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid would be a huge win for the brand" With the NBA season firing up, one cannot overlook the monumental move of Joel Embiid, reigning MVP, potentially stepping into the court with Skechers. Many might raise eyebrows at such a huge star aligning with a mid-tier brand, but this could be a stroke of genius. Remember when Snoop Dogg went against the grain with a brand not typically associated with hip-hop? Or when Harry Kane signed a surprising deal? Their strategy was clear - stand out and dominate brand space, rather than blend in. For athletes, the traditional route has been to align with the biggest brands, but is it always the most effective strategy? Being one of many stars on a brand's roster can often mean battling for spotlight and endorsement opportunities. But becoming the face of a "smaller" brand can catapult an athlete to a level of brand recognition and media exposure that's unparalleled. Consider this: Would you rather be one of many faces in a crowded room, or the main attraction? Joel's potential move to Skechers might not only boost his personal brand but also rejuvenate Skechers' image in the NBA scene, creating a win-win situation. It's a powerful reminder for all professionals – sometimes, the road less travelled offers the greatest rewards. Opportunities are not just where the crowds are; sometimes they're in the unexpected corners. 🏀 #JoelEmbiid #Skechers #NBA #EndorsementStrategy #Branding --- https://ow.ly/c6NX50PYnvM

The “big brands” have done an amazing job of turning athletes in to fans, and then when it comes to partnering up you find athletes undervaluing themselves and taking a raw deal just to be associated with their favourite brands. Fair play. But there’s a lot to be said for these athletes, going with a “mid tier“ brand where they will get more money, more exposure, and more opportunities to build their own brand. it can be tough to swallow but athletes need to understand unless you are a silo lead for a boot in your territory, you need to be realistic that you are not going to be in the window of a Nike, Puma or Adidas store ahead of Messi, Ronaldo, or Neymar…! #Sport #SportsMarketing #Sponsorship #Brand #BrandMarketing #Partnership #InfluencerMarketing #Football #Basketball

MLB's change in uniforms continues to be a complex issue for players and fans. Nike, who began work with MLB in 2020, and Fanatics, who acquired the previous uniform manufacturer, Majestic Athletics, in 2017, have faced backlash online for the new redesigned uniforms. While Nike seems to be facing most of the blame, they defend that the uniforms have been changed to improve "performance" and make for even better baseball. Despite this, issues like sweat-sensitive material, mismatched uniform dyes, changes in font size and design to accommodate for MLB and Nike logos, and erasure of fine details are arguably taking away from the gameplay and experience of fans and players. Uniforms and jerseys in sports are a major part of team branding and fan experience. Such an extreme change has many players concerned that the craftsmanship and legacy of their uniforms may have been overlooked by Nike this year.  #mlb #nike #branding #marketing #communication

Get ready to dive into the world of MLB sportswear with our recent blog post. Discover the significance of authenticity and quality in the heart of every fan, the influence of colors, and the role they play in forming unforgettable baseball memories. We explore the recent controversies around uniform changes and how they impact fans' emotions and loyalty. Most importantly, we emphasize the standards of excellence we strive for at Breaking Free in every thread, bringing you closer to experiencing the true spirit of your team. Join us in the journey exploring the essence of baseball fandom, and get a fresh perspective on the impact of authenticity and quality in sportswear. #MLB #Sportswear #Authenticity #Quality #BreakingFree #Baseball #FanLoyalty #SportsMerchandise #TeamSpirit Link to the full blog post in comments.

👟 Joel Embiid had now officially signed a deal with Skechers. The latest NBA season MVP now works with a brand that has historically not been known at all for basketball shoes. It's a bold move by Skechers to move into new territory, which Nike has dominated for decades. Another NBA MVP, Nikola Jokic, recently left Nike to work with Chinese sneaker brand 361°. It seems like more top tier basketball players are willing to work with brands that are not Nike (or even Adidas) - like Reebok, Puma, Anta, and Li-Ning. Skechers has also signed English footballer Harry Kane as they launch a new football cleat line. Meanwhile, they're also selling performance basketball shoes and it's likely Embiid with be the face of this new line. The competition for basketball shoes is getting more intense, but at the end of the day basketball shoes are not the most consequential part of the footwear market compared to broader lifestyle shoes. These challenger brands signing basketball talent might be more about developing brand awareness and consideration rather than driving their top line revenue with new basketball shoe sales. https://lnkd.in/e4ZBMeuu #skechers #nba #basketball #basketballshoes #shoes #sneakers #embiid #76ers

National Football League (NFL) star Fields signs long-term Reebok deal. Chicago Bears quarterback #JustinFields has signed a long-term endorsement deal with sportswear brand #Reebok. Reebok said the deal marks the official start of the brand’s “re-emergence” and ties into a new long-term strategy focusing on team #sport. The strategy will seek to expand Reebok’s athlete roster and introduce new #footwear and #apparel offerings. In his first two seasons in the #NFL, Fields set a new record for single game rushing for a quarterback. Over the course of this season, Fields will be integrated in a range of digital and social creative content with Reebok. Reebok chief executive Todd Krinsky said: “As a brand with such a unique and rich heritage in sports, we’re thrilled to be returning to our roots, and embark upon a long-term strategy that will have us reclaim our rightful place in the sports world once again.” #sportsbusiness #sportsmarketing #sponsorship #nfl

Interesting read about the new MLB uniforms ~ pants shortage, fit and some of the pants look see-through. "In past years, players were fitted early in spring training and could request all sorts of customization, and they’d receive the final, tailored product a few weeks before Opening Day. Instead, players are sorted by four body types, based on body-scanning of 300-plus players Nike and Fanatics conducted last spring, and given three options — a slimmer, regular and baggier fit — with five different pant openings. Nike will adjust sleeve and pant length but not tailor specific areas." #mlb #baseball #uniforms #menswear

Nike unveils City Edition uniforms for National Basketball Association (NBA) ’s inaugural in-season tournament The uniforms complement new designs for each team’s home court For the seventh time since becoming the league’s apparel sponsor in 2016, Nike collaborated with the NBA on its annual City Edition uniforms for all 30 teams. On Thursday, Nike unveiled the uniforms, which will be worn during the league’s inaugural in-season tournament, which tips off this Friday and will run until the championship game on Dec. 9. “We are continuing the tradition of building between court, community and culture with all 30 teams on our City Edition platform,” said Nadia Roohparvar, the NBA’s team brand and product lead. “The City Edition uniforms will be worn on court during all NBA in-season tournament nights — a really great platform to showcase and highlight some of our really amazing City Edition work.” Earlier this week, the NBA unveiled mockups of the court designs that each team’s arena will feature for the in-season tournament games, all inspired by the storytelling that went into crafting the uniforms. “It’s truly amazing to see the growth of the City Edition program over the past seven seasons and how the majority of our teams have taken these stories and brought them to life in arenas through their court designs,” said Hallie Keselman, the equipment and team product lead for NBA events. Ahead of the tournament, Roohparvar detailed the genesis of the City Edition uniform designs for eight teams — the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. #nba #cityeditionuniforms #inseasontournament #sportsmarketing #sportsindustry #Nike https://lnkd.in/gGBKz7h7

My former colleague, Diana Villarreal brought an important conversation to my awareness today: Stef Reid MBE PLY Paralympian and World Champion, was happy to see representation of blade runners in athletic stores like Nike. However, Nike failed to connect their retail brand marketing efforts to their product and merchandising strategy — because even as the stores celebrate and represent athletes that run with ONE shoe, they are unable to sell a solo shoe to those very same athletes. Thus, athletes with one foot still need to buy a pair of shoes, wasting their money and the unnecessary shoe. My understanding is other brands also represent blade runners in their stores. Does anyone know of a brand that will sell a single shoe to a customer who only needs one shoe? That is when equity really comes in to play. Until then, we’ll keep bringing awareness and keep pushing brands to do better. Follow Stef Reid MBE PLY on Instagram at runjumpstefreid to follow this story. #equity #productinclusion #DEI #leadership #paralympians #representation

NIKE and Tiger Woods end their 27-year partnership. Loading up my sports feeds this morning, I didn't expect to read this. NIKE and Tiger have been among the most iconic sports partnerships ever; there is no debate. It's up there with a category-defining partnership like Michael Jordan was for NIKE in basketball. Those memorable moments are written into sports history, such as when Tiger chipped into the 16th hole of The Masters, with the NIKE branded ball beautifully perched on the hole before dropping in. To NIKE standing in full support of Tiger when his career went into turmoil with personal issues. The two have been ever present together since that first contract signed in 1996, worth $40m. Tiger signed deals worth over $200m at the peak of his powers. Over the next decade and more, Tiger dominated the sport, and NIKE was on that journey with him, redefining golf together, which took NIKE from a relatively small-time player in the golf world to a market leader. In recent years, the NIKE golf brand has struggled, where they've stopped selling certain product lines, and it's argued that Tiger Woods's appeal has fallen; he no longer has that selling power he used to. What's next for Tiger? Will he bring out his own clothing line? Sign with another competitor? Or turn up and do his thing, regardless of what he's wearing? #TigerWoods #NIKE #NikeGolf #GolfNews #golfbusiness