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Guide

Budgeting Guide: Athlete Influencer Marketing for Marketers

A comprehensive Marketer's guide to getting the most from your Athlete Influencer campaigns in 2024.

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Question 1

What percentage of our digital marketing budget should be allocated to athlete-influencer partnerships?

The Gist: 

10-25%

A report by Altimeter, a research firm, suggests brands should dedicate 25% of their digital marketing budgets to Influencer campaigns

Understand what to spend

In the CPG and D2C industries, marketing budgets can vary widely depending on the size of the company, the competitiveness of the market, and the specific goals of the campaign. However, a common benchmark is that brands should allocate 10-25% of their marketing budget to influencer marketing, which includes athlete influencers. This percentage can be higher for brands that heavily rely on social proof and influencer endorsements to drive their sales.

Athlete Pricing

There are many factors that go into the rate an Athlete charges for brand deals - their audience size, their history as a player, the league they play in, and so much more. At OpenSponsorship, we have made this question easy for brands by implementing User-generated pricing. With this, the athlete or their agent places a rate for each type of deal on their profile which can act as a starting point for negotiation.


Alternatively, you can use the campaigns feature to state that you are willing to pay $X in exchange for a set of pre-determined deliverables. Then, Athletes can submit a proposal against that rate.

Question 2

How do we determine the value of a particular athlete for our brand?

The Gist: 

Utilize User-Generated Pricing

Question 4

Should we spend our budget on one all-star or scale with micro athletes?

Allocating a budget for an All-star can maximize reach and prestige, while investing in many niche athletes may offer targeted engagement and cost-effectiveness. Both strategies can be beneficial: the former for broad impact, the latter for depth within specific audiences.

Start with your goals and work backward from there! 

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Expert Advice

"When deciding on an Athlete to work with, it's best to go with Athletes that are a genuine fit for your brand."

Laura Harding

Account Director

Question 5

What are the KPIs we should track to measure the success of our athlete influencer campaigns?

The gist: Engagement rates, hard conversion tracking metrics, and Brand Sentiment and/or awareness.
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Engagement Rates

Measure likes, comments, shares, and overall interaction that the athlete's content receives. High engagement rates often indicate that the content is resonating well with the audience, which can lead to higher brand affinity and, ultimately, conversions.

Conversion Metrics

Track specific actions taken as a result of the influencer campaign, such as website visits, sign-ups, use of promo codes, and actual sales. This directly ties the influencer's efforts to tangible business outcomes.

Brand Sentiment

Analyze audience sentiment in comments and social mentions to gauge how the influencer is affecting brand perception. Positive sentiment can be a leading indicator of long-term brand loyalty and customer value.

Quick tip about ROI!

A study by Influencer.co found that the average ROI for influencer marketing is $5.78 for every $1 spent. Additionally, a survey by Rakuten Marketing found that 49% of consumers made a purchase because of an influencer recommendation.

Question 6

How long does it take to launch an Athlete Influencer campaign?

The gist: A social media campaign takes 3-5 weeks. Athlete availability due to their sport can effect this. 

*There are always outliers and our team is known for helping brands who are in a last-minute pinch.

3-4 weeks

UGC Development

Requesting UGC is one of the quickest and easiest ways to work with Athletes. This can turn around in as little as 3 weeks.

3-5 weeks

Social Campaigns

Social media campaigns typically take 3-5 weeks to complete from date of sourcing athletes.

3-8 weeks

Appearances

The timeline for Athlete appearances relies on two key factors. First, where is the appearance, and does it require travel. Two, is the Athlete's sport in season.

4-8 weeks

Long term partnerships

Long-term partnerships, typically a brand ambassadorship that lasts over 6 months, can take 4-8 weeks to finalize due to rigorous negotiations and contract work.

Quick tip about Timelines!

Want to work with an All-star player now? The OpenSponsorship Account Management team has your back! We've been able to turn around major deals in as little as 3 days. Click here to contact our team.

Lightening Questions!

Quick questions with even quicker answers!

What is a good starting budget for working with Athletes?

A good starting budget for a 6-month commitment would be $2,500 per month. From here, you can see the early success with Athletes and increase your budget as needed! 

Are there any hidden fees when working with Athletes?

No hidden fees here! When working with Athletes on OpenSponsorship, everything is set up on the campaign. With this, you know what you are getting for exactly what you spend on a deal.

Are Athletes open to product-only deals?

Yes! Athletes are open to product only deals. If an athlete already uses a brand and loves it, they will be more willing to work for the product only. Or, if the item is substantial such as a product over $500. 

Want to Work with Athletes?

Book a call with our team of Athlete Influencer marketing pros today! We'll match your brand with Athletes and help you build out a plan for your brand!

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