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Tag: Sports Marketing

The Business Behind the Athlete: What Does a Sports Manager Do?

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Kamyjah Blackwell

Athelo Group

When people think about athletes, they usually think about games, highlights, championships and stats. However, there is an entire side of business behind every successful athlete. 

Athletes today aren’t just players. They have become brands, public figures, business partners, community leaders and role models to the public. This is why sports managers are so important. They help athletes manage the opportunities and responsibilities that come with being in the sports industry. 

So what does a sports manager do?

Sports managers help athletes succeed beyond the game by handling business opportunities, daily responsibilities, personal branding and long-term career growth. Depending on the type of sports manager, they may work with athletes, teams, leagues, brands, schools or sports organizations.

Quick Highlights

  • In 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated there were 12,870 agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes in the U.S., with a median salary of $84,900.
  • FIFA reported 10,525 licensed football (soccer) agents worldwide in 2025, showing that soccer has the largest athlete-representation markets in the world.
  • In men’s professional soccer, clubs paid a record $1.37 billion in agent fees in 2025, which was over a 90% increase from the previous year. 
  • The NFLPA lists 1,070 certified contract advisors, and the NBA lists 827 certified agents.
Sports Manager

Connecting Athletes with Business Opportunities

One of the most significant jobs a sport manager does is help athletes find ways to earn money outside of playing their sport. 

Athletes can work with brands through sponsorships, endorsements, partnerships, paid appearances, social media campaigns, and promotional events. This has become even more prominent with the acceptance and normalization of NIL. 

The NCAA now allows their student-athletes to receive compensation for their name, image, and likeness through utilizing their various social media platforms and participating in promotional media. 

A sports manager helps make sure that these opportunities are aligned with what the athlete currently represents, aims to represent and their existing brand. It is the sports managers job to ensure that the brands they are promoting ultimately matches the athlete’s personal brand image. This helps the athlete build partnerships that feel authentic, rather than random money grabs. 

This is exactly the kind of work we do at Athelo Group, helping athletes identify brand opportunities that feel authentic to their story. After IndyCar driver Conor Daly went viral for joking about an unexpected moment during the Indianapolis 500, we helped secure a partnership with Depend that turned the viral moment into a creative sponsorship opportunity that benefited both the athlete and the brand.

Keeping Everything On Track

It’s also a sports manager’s job to help keep athletes organized. Oftentimes an athlete has to balance all of their training, practices, team meetings and more, leaving them with very limited bandwidth for much else. 

Sports managers assist with scheduling, travel, appearances, meetings, communication and other logistics so the athlete can stay focused on their performance. A lot of the time the team behind the athlete ensures they are at every signing event, community appearance and media interview. 

Behind-the-scenes work may not go noticed by fans, but it is extremely important for the athlete. 

If an athlete is late, misses an appearance or has too many things scheduled, they could potentially get overwhelmed. This could lead to reputation and mental health concerns. A sports manager helps prevent that by keeping everything organized and professional on the athletes behalf. 

The Reality of Life After Sports

Unfortunately, athletes can’t play forever (sorry to all the Lebron James fans). Eventually, their career will come to an end. 

Because of that, athletes need to think about what comes next and what they want their future to look like. This is where sports managers can be extremely helpful; they can help athletes start their own businesses, personal brands, expand their networks and find career opportunities beyond their athletic career. 

This could include helping an athlete start a foundation, launch a clothing brand, begin broadcasting, become a podcaster, invest in a company or create a community program. Sports managers can help with these things while an athlete is still playing, so that once they are ready for retirement, they already have other avenues of income. 

At Athelo Group, we represent Mark Henry, a former WWE athlete. Although he is now retired from professional wrestling, post-career opportunities including comedy shows, community events and DJ gigs help ensure his brand continues to grow beyond the ring.

This is especially important as the sports industry is becoming more connected to media, entertainment, business and technology. Deloitte’s 2026 sports industry outlook notes that sports are increasingly converging with media and entertainment. Venues are also becoming year-round platforms, showing that athletes are continuously seeing more opportunities outside of their sport. 

Why Sports Managers Matter

Sports managers matter because they help athletes succeed in life, not just as competitors. They help athletes manage their time, grow their brand, make business decisions and prepare for their future. 

Fans typically just appreciate the final product, the game, interview, social media post, or brand partnership. What they don’t see is the planning behind it that the player relies on.

Sports managers are often the people making those moments happen smoothly. Without sport managers, athletes would have a much harder time balancing sports, business, media, travel and long-term career goals. 

At Athelo Group, this same mindset shapes how we work with athletes every day, helping them identify opportunities that make sense both now and in the future.

Sports Manager

FAQ:

  1. What is the main job of a sports manager? The main job of a sports manager is to help handle the business and organizational side of sports. For athletes, this can include sponsorships, scheduling, travel, appearances, communications, and career planning.
  2. Do sport managers only work with professional athletes? No. Sports managers can work with professional athletes, college athletes, teams, leagues, schools, brands, agencies, and sports organizations.
  3. How do sport managers help athletes make money? They help connect athletes with sponsorships, endorsements, NIL deals, appearances, partnerships, and other business opportunities. All in which can contribute to an athlete’s income.
  4. Why is personal branding important for athletes? Personal branding helps athletes show who they are beyond the sport. A strong brand can lead to more sponsorships, media opportunities, community impact, and career options after sports.
  5. Why is this career important in today’s sports industry? Sports are no longer only about the game. Athletes are connected to business, media, entertainment, social media, and community impact. Sport managers help athletes navigate all of those areas specifically.

Has The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Lost Its Draw?

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Kate Hubbard

Athelo Group

For the past 30 years, the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) has been the dominating force not only in women’s international soccer, but female sports across the globe. 

More recently, the USWNT has faced a decline in both on-field dominance and audience engagement. This signals a shift in its once unwavering supremacy. 

This is not simply due to declining interest. It’s the result of a perfect storm of reduced competitive dominance, fragmented media consumption and a shift in global women’s soccer that has redistributed attention away from a once singular powerhouse. 

The USWNT now finds themselves in a crossroad of regrowth and rebuilding, attempting to maintain their culture and competitive nature. 

Quick Highlights

  • The USWNT have won 4 World Cup titles and 7 Olympic medals, 5 of which being gold.
  • The USNWT had never finished worse than 3rd place until 2023, when they exited in the Round of 16, their earliest ever finish.
  • After years of lawsuits, in 2022 the USWMNT had a historic $24 million dollar settlement. 
  • Globally, soccer already dominates: about 3.5 billion people watch the sport, making it the most viewed sport in the world.

Past Dominance

Coach Anson Dorrance was brought to the USWNT in 1986. He was able to transform the team into a powerhouse that led them to be one of the most iconic teams of 1999. When the 1999 World Cup was to be hosted on United States soil, the team made it their mission to win and increase viewership and awareness of the team.

The 1999 World Cup exploded, selling out stadiums like the Rose Bowl, which was previously unheard of for a women’s event. This was due to the combination of unrelenting dominating wins and major stardom from players like Mia Hamm and Michelle Akers. The team was able to leverage their talent and secured major brand deals with household names like Nike and Jordan. 

Not only did the U.S. Women win the 1999 World Cup in a dramatized penalty shootout with China, they went viral for the way Brandi Chastain ripped her jersey off and fell to her knees on the field.

A Dynasty Takes Hold

After the 1999 World Cup, the success and relevance of the USWNT skyrocketed. 

Since their founding in 1985, they have won 4 World Cup titles (and placed in multiple others), and 7 Olympic medals, 5 of which being gold. The media attraction and performance success of the team in the early 2000s stayed strong, then proceeded to exceed expectations from 2010-2019. 

The team won back to back World Cups and an Olympic gold in that time, solidifying themselves as a top competitor. The energy surrounding the team during and following their 2015 and 2019 World Cup wins was worldwide. 

The team consisted of long standing household names like Megan Rapinoe, Abby Wambach, and Alex Morgan. These players appeared in large-scale international ad campaigns and dominated stat sheets on the field. 

The team was not only the biggest talk in women’s international soccer, but women’s sports in general. Their influence and dominance was also heightened due to the lessened success of the United States Men’s National Team.

U.S. Women's Soccer Team

Change in “Invinceability” Factor

During 2020 and the start of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the USWNT faced obvious changes. The 2020 Olympics getting pushed back to 2021 was the first time doubts circled about the team. 

Following an extremely early tournament elimination, a majority of the world speculated on if the team was on a decline. A team that had once been so dominant being knocked out so early, even during a rebuilding phase, unsettled fans.

Following their tough break in 2021, many of the team’s prominent stars announced retirement, leaving long-term fans wondering where the team was going from there. The team came back and won the 2024 Olympics, however they lost many games and players along the way.

Rise of Global Competition

Not long ago, teams like Spain and Portugal weren’t seen as consistent contenders on the international stage.

Now, they’re legitimate contenders. Spain’s 2023 World Cup win was a signal that the gap had officially closed. The rest of the world had not just caught up to the USWNT, they reshaped the competitive landscape entirely.

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It was the result of years of increased investment in women’s soccer across Europe and South America. Clubs began funding youth development programs, and national teams started to prioritize long-term growth rather than short-term participation. 

The result is a deeper, more competitive global field. Countries that once lacked experience are now producing technically sharp, tactically disciplined players who can compete at the highest level. International games and tournaments feel less predictable, more competitive and ultimately more compelling.

For the USWNT, this means the old formula no longer works. Dominance is no longer assumed. It has to be earned.

U.S. Women's Soccer Team

Media and Viewership Habits

Media habits have drastically changed since the peak years of USWNT dominance, which has shifted how the fans are able to consume them. 

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, major events like the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup were broadcast on widely accessible television networks. This allowed millions of viewers to tune in collectively. It also created shared cultural moments that amplified the team’s visibility and made players widely recognizable. 

Today, sports viewership is far more fragmented. Games are often split across multiple streaming platforms, cable networks and subscription services, making it harder for casual fans to consistently follow the team. As a result, even when the USWNT performs well, their games may not reach the same unified, massive audiences that once fueled their widespread popularity.

At the same time, the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X has also changed how fans interact with athletes and teams. While these platforms give players more control over their personal brands and allow for direct fan engagement, they also shift attention away from full games to short highlights. This creates a space where fans feel as though they do not have to pay for a subscription and tune into the full match live. 

Political and Social Controversies

As stated, The USWNT has consistently outperformed the men’s national team (USMNT). Even given this strong outperformance, they were continuously paid a considerable amount less than the men. Their fight for equal pay was a longstanding battle that influenced many other female athletes and teams.

The USMNT was awarded 3x more than the women for an early exit in the 2014 World Cup, compared to the women’s 2015 World Cup victory. After years of lawsuits, the women had a historic $24 million settlement in 2022. It guaranteed equal pay moving forward for men’s and women’s soccer. 

While this was a positive and historic moment, some sports fans and people across the world did not see it that way. The women had a more guaranteed salary whereas the men had a play for pay structure, which led to extensive backlash following this trial. 

U.S. Women's Soccer Team

Dominance to Transition: The Evolving Legacy

The story of the USWNT is no longer just one of dominance, but of evolution in a rapidly changing global and cultural landscape. 

While their recent results and shifting audience engagement may suggest a decline, the reality is far more complex. Increased global competition, changing media consumption habits and ongoing social conversations have reshaped the environment in which the team operates. 

As the USWNT enters this period of rebuilding and adaptation, the team’s success will be measured not only by wins. It will be measured by their ability to grow, connect with new audiences and redefine what sustained excellence looks like in a more competitive and modern era.

FAQ:

  1. Is the USWNT actually declining or is the rest of the world just catching up? More accurately, the game is catching up. Funding is improving in countries that once could never compete with the United States. Visibility due to the USWNT’s successes has led others to see the possibility. 
  2. What made the 1999 Women’s World Cup such a turning point? The 1999 World Cup brought unprecedented attention to women’s soccer in the U.S., with sold out stadiums and iconic moments that helped launch the USWNT into mainstream popularity.
  3. How has social media changed the way fans ingest the game? Platforms like TikTok and Instagram allow fans to engage through highlights and player content instead of watching full matches, which can reduce traditional viewership.
  4. How long was the fight for equal pay? While the ideology circled for much longer, the lawsuits lasted around 6 years, with the most visible pushback coming in 2016. 
  5. What does the USWNT’s future look like? The team is in a rebuilding phase with younger talent. The team is restrengthening with the likes of Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith returning from maternity leave, and Trinity Rodman from injury. While dominance may look different moving forward, they remain one of the strongest and most influential teams in the world.

How International Players Are Driving Global Growth in Sports Leagues

Posted on by Athelo Group

By David Osuji

Athelo Group

There was a time when growing an American sports league meant filling more seats in more American cities. Build a better product, sell more tickets, negotiate a bigger TV deal and repeat. 

That model still works, but it’s no longer where the biggest growth is coming from.

Today, leagues aren’t just expanding their footprint, they’re expanding their audience. And the most effective way they’ve found to do it isn’t through media deals or marketing campaigns. It’s through players. 

International talent has quietly become one of the most powerful business development tools in sports. They have opened markets, attracted sponsors and pulled in fans far beyond the U.S. The MLB, NBA, and NFL are all figuring this out in real time.

Quick Highlights

  • Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the Dodgers is one of the largest in MLB history.
  • The 2025 MLB Tokyo Series became the largest standalone international event in league history, drawing over 250,000 in combined attendance across games and exhibition matchups.
  • The NFL’s Global Markets Program now covers 22 international markets, with all 32 teams holding international rights somewhere in the world.
  • A record 135 international players appeared on NBA opening night rosters for the 2025-26 season, representing 43 countries across 6 continents.
  • The 2025 NFL International Games averaged 6.2 million viewers per game, a 32% increase from the prior year.
international players

The MLB: The Player as a Business Development Asset

When a specific league signs a rising international player, it doesn’t just add to its roster.

It buys itself access to a commercial ecosystem.

This includes sponsorships from regional brands, merchandise demand from overseas fans and broadcast partnerships in countries that had no reason to carry the games before. The player is what creates the market.

The clearest example of this is when Shohei Ohtani landed in Los Angeles. Within a single season, the Dodgers attracted a wave of Japanese corporate sponsorships from brands that had never put money into American sports before. 

Daiso, the Japanese retailer, became one of those new partners, a brand with massive consumer reach in Asia that had no prior presence in MLB before Ohtani arrived. No marketing campaign does that. A player from a specific country or region playing at the highest level does.

The ripple effect spreads beyond one team.

International players have climbed to the top of MLB’s jersey sales rankings, and a lot of that demand is coming from fans overseas who are buying in because of a specific international player.

That’s a meaningful distinction for anyone thinking about how leagues grow. It means tapping into an existing fanbase rather than building one from nothing.

The MLB has also started bringing the game directly to those audiences instead of waiting for them to find it. In recent years, The Seoul Series and the Tokyo Series have set records for viewership, merchandise and sponsorship activation in their respective markets. 

The 2025 Tokyo Series became the largest standalone international event in MLB history. These trips aren’t goodwill gestures or novelty events. They’re the league showing up to do business in markets where it already has a foothold, and leaving with more than it came with.

The NBA: What Happens When the Whole Roster Is Global

The NBA was early to this. 

When a player from a given country makes it to the league and succeeds, fans from that country follow. It doesn’t matter if those fans have never watched a game before. 

International players aren’t just showing up on rosters. They’re winning championships, taking home awards and becoming the faces of franchises. 

Nikola Jokic winning three MVPs pulled Serbian viewers in. Dirk Nowitzki turned Germany into a basketball market for over a decade. Yao Ming opened China to the NBA in a way no business deal could have engineered. When Luka Doncic became the first international player to lead the league in jersey sales in 2025, it signaled something real about where the NBA’s consumer base is shifting.

The NBA now broadcasts to over 200 countries, and the talent responsible for that reach didn’t come from one place or one pipeline. It came from everywhere, and that variety is part of what makes the NBA’s global product hard to replicate.

The league has taken that momentum and leaned into it through its Global Games campaign, putting regular season games in Paris, London, Mexico City, Berlin, Abu Dhabi, and more cities in the years ahead.

The goal is to build the kind of local attachment that holds up after the game ends. Sponsorship deals, merchandise revenue and broadcast rights are all easier to negotiate when a fanbase is already in waiting.

The NFL: A Cultural Export

American football brings a unique perspective compared to the NBA and the MLB. It’s culturally American in a way that doesn’t translate automatically. 

In the U.S., football is more than a sport. It’s Friday night games under the lights and Thanksgiving evening on the couch. It’s the Super Bowl as a national event that stops the country.

That cultural weight is real, but it doesn’t exactly travel overseas.

An international fan sitting down to watch their first NFL game doesn’t necessarily have a frame of reference. A sport cannot simply be introduced to a new market with the expectation that it will immediately resonate, particularly in regions where it lacks cultural familiarity or an established audience.

The NFL knows this, and its approach has been to build international audiences and international talent at the same time.

international sports

Building the Game and the Audience

Within the NFL, the International Player Pathway Program does both. It recruits elite athletes from overseas sports backgrounds, including rugby players, soccer players and track athletes, and develops them for NFL rosters.

The development matters. The story matters just as much. 

When a player from a foreign country makes it through the program and becomes a real contributor, their story becomes the league’s best advertisement in that country. 

Jordan Mailata, an Australian who had never played football before joining the program and went on to win Super Bowl LIX in 2025, is the clearest example of what this looks like when it works. The NFL announced its first ever regular season game in Australia shortly after, scheduled for Melbourne in 2026. That timing wasn’t a coincidence.

The international games have followed a similar trajectory. 

What started as a few games in London has expanded into a multi-continent operation that now takes the league to Europe, Australia and South America, with more markets being added regularly.

Each new city comes with local sponsorship opportunities, new broadcast deals and marketing rights for the franchises involved.

The NFL has distributed those rights across all 32 teams. This means international expansion isn’t just a league office initiative. Every franchise has skin in the game.

Beyond The Box Score

Not long ago, an athlete from Serbia, Japan or Australia becoming the face of an American sports league would have been a pipe dream. 

The leagues paying attention have started treating foreign born talent as a growth strategy, not just a roster decision. They open markets, move merchandise and drive viewership in countries that had no prior attachment to the sport.

This gives leagues a real reason to show up in places they couldn’t have justified entering before.

The sports leagues investing in that now, through overseas talent development, international competition and global broadcast infrastructure, are the ones building something that lasts.

The talent has already crossed the borders. Now, the business is catching up.

FAQ:

  1. What is the International Player Pathway? It’s a system leagues use to identify and develop athletic talent from outside the United States and bring it into American professional sports. The NFL has a formal program for it. The NBA and MLB have built pipelines through scouting, academies, and international partnerships.
  2. Why do leagues care so much about international players right now? Because domestic market growth has a ceiling. Once you’ve saturated your home country, the only way to keep expanding revenue is to find new audiences. International players are the most natural way to do that.
  3. Do international players actually move the needle commercially? More than most front offices probably expected. When the right player lands in the right market, sponsorship deals follow, jersey sales climb, and viewership in their home country can grow overnight.
  4. Why do overseas games matter if most fans are still watching from home? Showing up in a market shows commitment. It tells local fans, sponsors, and broadcasters that the league is serious about being there long term. That makes deals easier to close and fanbases easier to build.
  5. Isn’t American football too complicated to grow internationally? That’s what people assumed for a long time. The NFL’s answer was to put the product in front of people and let players from those countries tell the story. It’s harder to dismiss a sport when someone from your country is winning at it.
  6. Does any of this actually translate to real revenue? The sponsorships, merchandise sales, and broadcast deal growth across all three leagues suggest yes. International expansion is no longer a side project. It’s a core part of how these leagues plan for the future.
  7. Is this a recent shift or has it been building for a while? It’s been building. The NBA started taking it seriously decades ago. MLB and the NFL have accelerated in the last several years.

How has fantasy sports changed the way fans watch games?

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Ella Roether

Athelo Group

There was a time when sports fandom was a monogamous relationship. You picked your favorite team, watched their game, and hoped they would win. A fan’s emotional investment lived, and ultimately died, with one outcome. Today, that experience has completely evolved.

Fantasy sports have transformed fans from passive viewers into active participants. The games we watch are no longer just about the final score. It’s a high-stakes management exercise.

We aren’t just fans anymore. We’re unofficial general managers, and it’s changed the very DNA of how we consume sports.

Quick Highlights

  • Over 60 million people in North America participate in fantasy sports, turning fans into active decision-makers.
  • Fans now follow individual player performance just as closely as team outcomes.
  • In 2025, approximately 29–30 million people played fantasy football in the United States, making it the most popular fantasy sport.
  • The second-screen experience (fantasy apps, social media and live stats) is now an essential part of sports consumption.
fantasy sports

From Team Loyalty to Player Obsession

In the early 1960s Bill Winkenbach, a part-owner of the Oakland Raiders, created the first fantasy football league with a small group of friends. The concept of fantasy sports expanded in the 1980s and 1990s with the rise of rotisserie baseball and later exploded in popularity with the growth of the internet.

For decades, sports fandom was defined by loyalty. Usually, fans from a young age supported their team, watched their games, and largely ignored everything else. 

Fantasy sports disrupted that model completely.

Now, fans track individual athletes across the league. Single games are no longer the focus. Fans follow multiple games at once, invested in players on their roster regardless of team affiliation.

A touchdown from a rival team no longer feels like a loss if it benefits your fantasy lineup. This creates a shift in emotional investment, as fans are no longer tied to one outcome. Fantasy sports have expanded the scope of fandom, turning every game into something relevant.

Goodbye Irrelevant Games

Fantasy sports have eliminated the idea of “irrelevant games.” In a traditional model, fans only watch games that directly impact their favorite team or playoff picture. Fantasy changed this, meaning, a late-season matchup between two non-contending teams could still determine a fantasy playoff outcome.

This has increased overall viewership and engagement across leagues. 

A study done by Penn State showed that over 80% of fantasy sports players report watching more games because of their fantasy teams. Fans are more likely to watch random games, track stats in real time, and stay engaged throughout the entire season – especially if their fantasy team is successful.

The result is simple: fantasy sports have turned casual viewers into consistent consumers.

The Rise of the Second-Screen Fan

In past generations, sports were consumed via radio or TV. Watching sports is no longer a one-screen experience though, as fantasy sports have normalized multi-tasking during games.

Fans are simultaneously:

  • Watching live broadcasts
  • Checking fantasy apps for real-time scoring
  • Monitoring player stats and injury updates
  • Engaging in group chats or social media
  • Managing bets placed on sports gambling sites

This second-screen behavior has become essential to the modern sports experience. 

While the game is still the main focus, it is only one part of the interaction. The data, the competition and the social engagement all happen alongside it. 

On platforms like X and Reddit, fantasy players share their lineup decisions, “start/sit” questions and react live to player performances, especially during NFL Sundays. There are also entire shows, podcasts and TikTok accounts built around fantasy advice, where fans engage through comments, polls and weekly rankings debates.

While some people argue this model is distracting fans from sports, others argue it is only enhancing the experience. 

Studies show that 87% of users research stats and players more, showing deeper engagement with the sport. The other side of this coin shows how fantasy sports shift focus toward individual player stats over team outcomes, changing how fans experience games, and ultimately distracting viewers from the game itself.

Turning Fans Into Decision-Makers

One of the most significant shifts fantasy sports created is control. 

Fans are no longer just watching sports for the outcome, but they are making decisions that impact their own results. Drafting players, setting lineups, making trades, and analyzing matchups all create a sense of ownership.

This shift in control has transformed the fan mindset. They research trends, evaluate performance, and think strategically. Fantasy sports has blurred the line between fan and analyst. This gives fans a window into a world they did have access to previously. 

fantasy sports

Fans Are Adapting To Data-Driven Sports Consumption

While fantasy sports have shifted a lot of aspects of sports consumption, the biggest change is the integration of advanced analytics. 

Stats that were once used only for analysts are now part of everyday conversation. Fans regularly discuss metrics like target share, efficiency ratings and usage rates.

This shift has elevated the overall sports IQ of the average fan. Watching the game is now about what happens and why it happens. Fantasy sports have created a generation of fans who understand the game on a deeper level.

The Social Layer of Sports

The biggest upside in the growing world of fantasy sports is the social aspect. Leagues are built around friends, coworkers, and online communities. Weekly matchups, standings and rivalries create an entirely new layer of competition beyond the actual sport.

Fantasy sports add a strong social layer through traditions like “draft day” events, where leagues gather in person or virtually to select teams, often turning it into a full-day party or competition. Many leagues also incorporate creative punishments for last-place finishers, including tasks like public dares or embarrassing challenges. 

These are meant to build camaraderie and keep participants engaged beyond just watching games. These elements transform fantasy sports from a solo activity into an ongoing, shared social experience.

Even when a fan’s favorite team struggles, fantasy sports are keeping them engaged. The season won’t always end when your team is out of contention. Trash talk, group chats and shared experiences are making sports more interactive and more personal.

fantasy sports fans

The Final Verdict: Has Fantasy Sports Changed the Way We Watch?

Fantasy sports haven’t just influenced how fans watch games, they’ve redefined the entire experience. 

Fans are no longer a passive audience because they are engaged, informed, and personally invested in outcomes across the leagues and games. In a world where every play matters, every stat counts and every game has meaning, the way we consume sports has shifted.

The way we watch sports today is more interactive, more analytical, and more connected than ever before. Fantasy sports have not replaced traditional fandom, they expanded it. And as technology continues to evolve, the gap between watching the game and being part of it will only continue to shrink.

FAQ:

  1. How have fantasy sports changed fan behavior? Fantasy sports have shifted fans from team-focused viewing to player-focused engagement, increasing overall interest in multiple games at once.
  2. Do fantasy sports increase viewership? Yes. Fans who participate in fantasy leagues tend to watch more games and spend more time following sports overall.
  3. Are fantasy sports considered part of sports betting? Traditional fantasy sports are typically skill-based, but daily fantasy and betting-related formats have created overlap in recent years.
  4. Do fantasy sports make fans more knowledgeable? Yes. Fantasy players regularly analyze stats, trends, and performance data, leading to a deeper understanding of the game.
  5. Why are fantasy sports so popular? They combine competition, strategy, and social interaction, making sports more engaging and personalized.
  6. Do fantasy sports change team loyalty? They don’t eliminate loyalty, but they expand it. Fans still support their teams while also following individual players across the league.
  7. How do fantasy sports impact sports businesses? They increase engagement, boost viewership, and create new opportunities for digital platforms, sponsors, and media companies.
  8. Will fantasy sports continue to grow? Yes. With advancements in technology, data analytics, and interactive platforms, fantasy sports will continue to shape the future of fan engagement.

Sports Tourism: The “F1 Effect” on Secondary Cities 

Posted on by Athelo Group

Pamela Von Seelen

Athelo Group

Formula 1 has officially rewritten the playbook on urban transformation. 

While the “F1 effect” has already turned global hubs like Las Vegas and Miami into neon-lit sports spectacles, the real story is beginning to unfold elsewhere. Formula 1 proved that a single, high-octane sporting event can do more than just fill hotel rooms. It can fundamentally shift a city’s economic trajectory and global brand identity. 

But as the dust settles on the Vegas Strip, the focus is shifting. 

We are entering an era where mid-sized cities are no longer content being “flyover” territory. Instead, they are betting on sports to facilitate a total rebrand. The question is: which secondary cities are poised to become the next Las Vegas?

Quick Highlights

  • Las Vegas reportedly saw a total economic impact of nearly $1.5 billion from its inaugural Grand Prix, a figure that has secondary markets racing to replicate the model.
  • Major sport events act as a “billboard” for a city, increasing brand sentiment and attracting future corporate investment far beyond the event weekend. 
  • Cities like Nashville and Austin have utilized sports tourism to fund massive urban development and transit improvements.
  • Experience-based travelers are prioritizing “bucket list” sport events, with sports now accounting for 10% of global tourism spending. In 2023 alone, global sport tourism amassed over $560 billion with projections of that value being close to $1.3 trillion by 2032.
  • A single event can move a city from a “regional market” to a “global destination” in the eyes of international media and sponsors.

The Urban Planning of Fandom

In the past, stadium construction was often isolated, a concrete island surrounded by parking lots. Today, the “F1 Effect” has taught secondary cities that the city is the venue. Urban planning is now being viewed through the lens of fandom. 

Mid-sized cities are increasingly investing in “Sports Districts,”. These are mixed-used developments that blend arenas with retail, residential and tech hubs. This strategy isn’t just about the three-hour game window. It’s about creating a 365-day ecosystem. 

Major cities and sport franchises like the Dallas Cowboys and Atlanta Braves have already capitalized on this concept, with the Star District in Frisco, TX and The Battery in Atlanta, Georgia. When a city like Nashville invests in its stadium district, it isn’t just for the fans. It’s a long-term play to lure permanent residents and corporate headquarters. 

The Mid-Market Blueprint: Who is the Next Vegas?

Beyond traditional, primary markets like Dallas and Atlanta, several smaller cities are leading the charge in their new era of sports-driven rebranding. 

Oklahoma City is perhaps the most aggressive example of a mid-sized market doubling down on its “Global City” aspirations. In March 2026, the city broke ground on the Continental Coliseum, a $990 million, 750,000 square foot arena designed to anchor a new modern downtown. This project most notably includes “Thunder Alley,” a massive fan activation zone designed to foster a street-level energy that mirrors the spectacle of major European or F1 circuits. 

Jacksonville is currently executing a $1.4 billion transformation of its riverfront, anchored by what they’ve branded as the Stadium of the Future. The project includes a 30-year commitment to community growth, featuring nature parks, immersive in-bowl technology and scenic lookout decks.

Adjacent developments like the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences signal that Jacksonville is specifically targeting the high networth “experience traveler” that F1 made famous in Miami. 

Indianapolis is leveraging the domestic growth of soccer to rebrand its southwest downtown quadrant. The Eleven Park development, a $1 billion mixed-use district centers on a 20,000 seat soccer-specific stadium. The project includes a four-acre plaza for community gatherings, an indoor concert venue and significant residential and office space. This aims to create a self-contained ecosystem that mimics the live-work-play districts of much larger global markets.

The Live-Work-Play Multiplier: Beyond the Visitor Economy

The long-term success of these secondary cities depends on their ability to convert a one-time sports tourist into a permanent resident or corporate stakeholder. We are seeing a shift where sports infrastructure is no longer treated as a weekend luxury but as a core utility for talent recruitment. 

Mid-sized cities are using their sports identities to signal a high quality of life. They are recruiting the creative class and pitching to tech workers and entrepreneurs who want to live in a “global destination” without the cost of living hurdles that an alpha city might have. 

Districts like the Continental Coliseum or Eleven Park are becoming laboratories for smart-city technology, piloting connectivity, biometric access and autonomous shuttles that eventually benefit the everyday consumer. 

Successfully managing the logistical complexity of a major event proves a city has the infrastructure and governance to support a corporate headquarters in relocation. We saw this with the halo effect in Frisco, TX, where the Star District became a magnet for firms looking to align with the prestige of athletics. 

By integrating sports into the fabric of urban life, these cities ensure that the ROI of their multi-billion dollar bets is measured in decades of population growth, not just days of event revenue.

sports tourism

The Experience-Based Traveler

Building a world-class sports district is only half the battle. The real ROI of these multi-billion dollar developments lies in their ability to solve the 365 day problem, ensuring a city remains a destination even when the stadium lights are off. 

As cities like Oklahoma City and Jacksonville invest in the urban planning of fandom, they are specifically designing for a new archetype: the experience-based traveler. This demographic doesn’t just attend a game; they consume the entire city as a curated, immersive ecosystem. To understand why mid-sized cities are winning, we have to look at the shifting psychology of the modern fan. 

Today, the modern traveler no longer settles for a standard hotel stay; the value of sports tourism rests in being redefined by experience. 

Secondary cities have a unique advantage here: local flavor. While Las Vegas offers a curated spectacle, cities like Austin or Charlotte offer an authentic cultural immersion that the experience-based traveler craves. These cities are leveraging sports to showcase their culinary scenes, music and luxury hospitality, tapping into a demographic that views sports as the catalyst for a broader cultural exploration. 

Media, Branding and Identity

Recognition in the modern sports landscape is shaped by visibility. For a secondary city, hosting a major event is a fast track to institutional legitimacy. 

Formula 1 provides a masterclass in this: the global broadcast reach of a single race can put a mid-sized city in front of hundreds of millions of viewers. This media exposure allows a city to shed an outdated industrial image and emerge as a vibrant, tech-forward hub. In the same way that NIL monetization has changed the game for collegiate athletes, sports tourism allows a city to monetize its own Name, Image and Likeness on a global scale.

Free-to-air and streaming coverage significantly increase brand sentiment, which directly correlates to future tourism by highlighting a locality’s unique attractions to international audiences. By the time a broadcast ends, the city has transitioned from a dot on a map to a high-value asset in the eyes of international sponsors and corporate relocations. 

The Opportunities Ahead

The blueprint is clear. The cities that will win the next decade are those that view sports as an anchor for broader, year-round economic development rather than a weekend-only revenue spike. 

We are moving into the age of expansions, where the physical spaces of sports stadiums and arenas are evolving into community-centric hubs that drive value beyond gameday. 

We are seeing a massive opportunities in three specific areas:

Beyond the big four, secondary cities are becoming hubs for burgeoning pro league movements. Major league Pickleball (MLP) for example, is utilizing cities like Columbus, Grand Rapids and Austin as key team hubs and tournament sites. They are tapping into a younger, creator-driven demographic that traditional sports often miss. 

There is also a growing gap for brand partnerships to bridge local infrastructure and global audiences through Agentic AI and personalized fan engagement. Secondary cities that embed high-tech workflows into their new stadium districts, such as Jacksonville’s Stadium of the Future, create a competitive edge that lures tech-focused corporate headquarters. 

Lastly, recent data shows that 82% of sports travelers explore destinations beyond the host city. This creates an opportunity for regional fan zones, like Washington state’s plan for nine district zones for the 2026 World Cup, distributing economic impact across an entire state rather than just a single downtown core. 

Whether it’s a Tier-1 soccer friendly, a specialized racing circuit, or a growing niche sport hub, the barriers to entry for “Global City” status are lower than ever for those willing to invest in the scoreboard.

Redefining the Map

We are witnessing a literal remapping of the tourism industry. The “F1 Effect” has proven that geography is no longer destiny; instead, a city’s relevance is now determined by its ability to curate world-class, high-stakes environments that blur the line between a “mid-sized market” and a “global destination.”

This shift represents a structural change in how urban centers compete for human capital, as investments like the Stadium of the Future or Continental Coliseum serve as a “seat at the table” of international relevance. By building these ecosystems, cities signal to the world that they possess the vision and local flavor to host the next generation of global nomads. 

For the sports industry, the implications are massive. We are moving away from a world where alpha cities hold a monopoly on major events. The democratization of sport tourism means that any city with a strategic urban plan and a commitment to the 365 day ecosystem can become a powerhouse. The finish line for these cities is no longer just the end of a successful event, it’s the start of a completely new identity. 

The map of the world’s most influential cities is being redrawn in real-time, and sports are the ink. As we look toward the next decade of development, one thing is certain: the cities that viewed themselves as “secondary” are the ones currently making the primary moves.

FAQ:

  1. What exactly is the “F1 Effect” on secondary cities? The “F1 Effect” refers to the transformative economic and cultural shift that occurs when a high-profile sporting event is used as a catalyst for urban rebranding. It goes beyond temporary tourism, fundamentally changing a city’s global brand identity and its ability to attract long-term corporate investment. 
  2. Why are mid-sized cities prioritizing sports districts over traditional stadiums? Unlike traditional stadiums that often sit isolated in parking lots, modern sports districts are mixed-used developments designed to be 365-day ecosystems. By blending arenas with residential, retail and tech hubs, cities ensure a continuous return on investment that lures permanent residents rather than just weekend visitors.
  3. How does hosting a major event help a city recruit the “creative class?” Mid-sized cities use their sports identities to signal a high quality of life and global relevance. By proving they can host world-class events, these cities pitch themselves to entrepreneurs and tech workers as global destinations that offer elite amenities without the high-cost burdens found in major cities.
  4. Can sports tourism actually fund long-term infrastructure improvements? Yes. cities like Nashville and Austin have successfully leveraged the revenue and visibility from sports tourism to fund massive urban developments and transit improvements. These projects often pilot smart-city technologies that eventually become central utilities for the general public. 
  5. What is the 365-day problem in sports tourism? The 365-day problem is the challenge of keeping a sports-centric area vibrant and profitable when no games or events are scheduled. Secondary cities solve this by designing immersive ecosystems, featuring culinary scenes and luxury hospitality that appeal to the experience-based traveler year-round. 

Do Women Get Paid the Same in Golf Tournaments?

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Abby Jandro

Athelo Group

If you’ve ever searched women’s golf pay, LPGA prize money, or the gender pay gap in sports, you’ve probably noticed the same pattern. Women still aren’t paid the same as men in golf tournaments.

At the same time, the gap isn’t as simple as it used to be.

Pay equity in golf has improved over time, but there are still clear differences in earnings between men’s and women’s tournaments. These gaps reflect bigger trends across the sports landscape. Media coverage, sponsorships and long-term investment all shape how much athletes are paid.

Quick Highlights

  • Women’s golf prize money has grown steadily, but men’s major tournaments still award significantly more. In 2023, the U.S. Open paid $20 million to the men’s champion and $11 million to the women’s champion.
  • Sponsorships and media exposure favor male golfers, with top LPGA earners like Jeeno Thitikul ($7 million in 2025) ranking only around 15th on the PGA money list.
  • Rising athletes like Sydney Grimes are building visibility through social media with a growing following of 50,000+ fans, helping open opportunities for partnerships and brand collaborations.
  • LPGA initiatives and increased tournament prize money have raised total earnings opportunities for women’s majors and the broader tour, with total LPGA prize funds growing from around $69 million in 2021 to over $130 million in 2025.
  • Digital engagement for women’s golf has been expanding, with the LPGA investing in dynamic video content and enhanced digital platforms to connect fans with players and events online.

The Prize Money Gap Is Still There

One of the clearest ways to see the difference is through tournament prize money.

Men’s majors on the PGA Tour consistently offer higher winnings than women’s majors on the LPGA Tour. Events like The Masters and U.S. Open reach prize money totals in the tens of millions, while women’s tournaments have historically been much lower, even as they continue to grow.

Recent data shows that while prize money in women’s golf has increased, the overall gap is still significant.

There has been progress, though. The U.S. Women’s Open, for example, reached a record $12 million purse in 2025, with $2.4 million awarded to the winner, signaling a clear increase in investment in the women’s game.

That kind of movement matters. It shows that organizations are starting to take equity more seriously, even if the gap hasn’t closed yet.

Visibility Drives Earnings

Prize money is only part of the story. A large portion of earnings in professional golf comes from sponsorships and endorsements.

This is where the gap becomes even more noticeable.

Male golfers have historically received more consistent media coverage, leading to greater visibility and more brand opportunities. The more exposure an athlete gets, the more valuable they become to sponsors.

Men’s majors like The Masters are broadcast across multiple days in prime network windows with wall-to-wall coverage, driving massive viewership and sponsor exposure.

Women’s golf hasn’t always had that same level of attention. Even premier events like the U.S. Women’s Open have historically received fewer broadcast hours and less consistent primetime placement. Limited coverage and reduced visibility have made it more difficult for female golfers to build the same level of commercial presence.

Media coverage plays a direct role in how athletes are valued and marketed, which ultimately impacts earnings.

Social media and digital platforms are giving female athletes more control over their visibility, allowing them to build their own audiences and attract partnerships without relying only on traditional coverage. 

This is exactly what we do at Athelo every day. We strive to help surfers like Brisa Hennessy, an Olympian and world champion, and Bella Kenworthy, a rising star in competitive surfing, grow their personal brands, connect with fans and unlock partnerships across lifestyle, fitness and sportswear categories.

womens golf tournament

The Earnings Gap at the Top

The difference in earnings becomes even clearer when comparing top players.

For example, Scottie Scheffler earned over $20 million in prize money during the 2024 PGA Tour season alone. In contrast, Nelly Korda, who had one of the most dominant seasons in women’s golf, earned roughly $4 to $5 million in prize money.

Both athletes competed at the highest level of their sport, yet the gap in tournament earnings remains significant.

This difference highlights how prize structures, not just performance, drive overall income differences between men’s and women’s golf.

Athletes Are Changing the Narrative

This shift is especially clear with the rise of athlete-driven brands.

At Athelo Group, athletes like Sydney Grimes are a strong example of what the modern golfer looks like. She’s not only a competitive athlete with a strong collegiate career, but also a growing presence in fitness and lifestyle content.

Grimes represents a new lane in golf, where performance, personality, and content all come together. Through social media, she’s building visibility in a way that wasn’t as accessible to past generations of female golfers. That visibility opens the door for partnerships across sportswear, wellness, and lifestyle brands.

This matters when talking about pay equity. As more female golfers build personal brands and grow their audiences, they create additional revenue streams outside of tournament winnings. That doesn’t replace equal pay, but it does help close the overall earnings gap.

Progress Is Happening, Just Slowly

Even with these gaps, there has been real progress.

Organizations, sponsors, and players have all pushed for change, leading to gradual increases in prize money and attention. For example, the United States Golf Association has significantly increased the purse for the U.S. Women’s Open, reaching $12 million in 2025, one of the largest in women’s golf.

The LPGA Tour has also seen measurable growth in sponsorship and global reach, with total prize money increasing from around $69 million in 2021 to over $130 million in 2025, helping elevate the women’s game overall.

We’re also seeing a broader shift across all women’s sports. Leagues like the Women’s National Basketball Association and organizations such as CrossFit Games have continued to expand media coverage and sponsorship opportunities, signaling increased investment across the board. As visibility and funding grow, golf is following a similar path.

The growth isn’t instant, but it’s consistent.

Why This Still Matters

The pay gap in golf isn’t just about numbers. It reflects how value is assigned in sports.

When women’s tournaments receive less coverage and lower investment, it directly impacts how much athletes can earn. At the same time, as visibility increases and brands invest earlier, the opportunity for change becomes more realistic.

The gap is smaller than it used to be, but it hasn’t disappeared.

Until prize money, sponsorship opportunities, and media coverage are more equal, women in golf will continue to earn less than men, even as the sport continues to evolve. 

FAQ:

  1. What is the prize money gap in golf? The prize money gap refers to the difference in total earnings awarded to male and female golfers in tournaments. Men’s major tournaments typically offer significantly more than women’s, though the gap has been narrowing over time.
  2. Why do men still earn more than women in golf? The gap exists largely due to differences in sponsorships, media coverage, and historical investment in men’s versus women’s tournaments. While women’s prize money has grown, media attention and brand deals still favor male athletes.
  3. Have women’s tournament earnings increased recently? Yes. LPGA events, including majors, have seen total prize money grow significantly in recent years, with the overall LPGA Tour prize fund nearly doubling from around $69 million in 2021 to over $130 million in 2025. Initiatives by the LPGA and increased investment in tournaments have helped create more earning opportunities for female golfers.
  4. How do female golfers supplement their income? Many top female golfers build personal brands through social media, fitness, and lifestyle content. This visibility allows them to secure endorsements and partnerships, creating additional revenue streams beyond tournament earnings.
  5. Does performance explain the pay difference? Not fully. Top female and male golfers perform at comparable levels in scoring, accuracy, and overall skill. The main differences in earnings come from historical investment, exposure, and sponsorship opportunities, not on-course performance.

The Power of an Underdog Story 

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Isabel SImon

Athelo Group

Teams play 17 games in the NFL, 162 in MLB, and 82 games in both the NBA and NHL each season. 

Over time, that adds up to hundreds, sometimes thousands, of games a fan cheers for in their lifetime. Yet most fans don’t remember every score, stat line, or regular season outcome. 

What they do remember are the moments that stand out. The ones that feel bigger than the game itself. More often than not, those moments are underdog stories. 

These are the games, plays, and performances that stick with fans.The ones where something unexpected happens. Underdog moments aren’t just a step forward in a season, but the ones that reach our hearts. They are continuously replayed and relived because they capture something deeper than competition. They capture a sense of emotion and belief, and the idea that anything is possible.

Quick Highlights

  • The year 1980 was the year of the Miracle on Ice, still considered one of the greatest underdog victories decades later.
  • Studies show that 88% of people naturally root for the underdog, even when the odds, statistics, and expert predictions are stacked against them.
  • Research shows that roughly 75% of elite athletes actually prefer being the underdog over entering competition as the favorite.
  • Misty Copeland’s campaign with Under Armour turned her underdog story into a powerful marketing moment, creating a viral moment showcasing the impact of authentic storytelling.

Lasting Memories and Historical Moments 

Not only do some of the most unforgettable moments for sports fans come from underdog victories, but they also have a lasting impact on entire generations. 

A perfect example is the Miracle on Ice during the 1980 Winter Olympics, when a young U.S. hockey team defeated the highly favored Soviet Union. Decades later, that moment is still celebrated as one of the greatest upsets of all time.

The Minneapolis Miracle is also a well known moment, when the Minnesota Vikings stunned the New Orleans Saints with a last-second touchdown. The 29-24 final score was more than just a victory, it was disbelief, chaos, and emotion all at once. Fans remember exactly where they were when it happened and the exact shock they felt. 

These games become more than just a memory. They become monumental moments in sports history that are passed on for decades. They define historical victories that aren’t just listed in a history book.

The Psychology Behind The Emotion and Drama

There’s a deeper psychological reason why underdog stories resonate so strongly. 

Humans are naturally drawn to problems and resolution. When the odds are stacked against someone, it creates anticipation. The greater the challenge, the greater the emotional payoff. Studies show that 88% of people naturally root for the underdog, even when the odds, statistics, and expert predictions are stacked against them.

The more people see themselves in a story and feel its significance, the more they naturally root for it. Research also shows that brands positioned as underdogs can boost purchase motivation and strengthen brand loyalty. 

Even more compelling, this effect is strongest among consumers who view themselves as underdogs. Research shows that roughly 75% of elite athletes actually prefer being the underdog over entering competition as the favorite. A routine win by a favorite might impress, but an underdog victory brings excitement and inspiration all at once.

underdog story

Why We See Ourselves in Underdogs

The power of relatability is often overlooked by the natural instinct to always desire something more.

Underdog moments allow people to feel emotionally connected to something they aren’t directly related to. It is easier to connect to hard work and adversity, which makes these moments easier to relate to. 

Underdog stories aren’t defined by a term, they are defined by stories of athletes, teams, or coaches that overcome challenges just like everyone else. These setbacks mirror obstacles in everyday life. 

The Marketing Advantage

While star athletes in major leagues often dominate the marketing world, athletes in smaller or niche sports are often considered underdogs in the influencer and creator space.

They may not have the same level of exposure or media coverage, but that’s exactly what makes them compelling. This is at the very heart of Athelo Group’s mission. We recognize this untapped potential and invest in elevating these athletes, bringing forward stories that might otherwise go unheard.

A powerful example of this is Misty Copeland and her partnership with Under Armour. Copeland’s journey of overcoming poverty and dedication to become a leading figure in a predominantly white ballet world connected far beyond dance. Her story carried significance far beyond becoming the first Black principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Her success helped open doors for diverse representation in ballet and inspired a new generation of dancers who had previously been told they don’t belong on stage. 

Under Armour leaned into that narrative, featuring Copeland in a campaign that highlighted her journey rather than just a product. The result was a viral moment that connected with audiences on an emotional and personal level, showing the power storytelling has on consumers.

Why These Moments Will Always Have Our Heart

In an era of statistics, dynasty teams, and billion-dollar sports industries, underdog stories remain one of the few elements that can’t be predicted or controlled.

They remind us that athletes are still human. That effort, belief and resilience can still overcome the odds. No matter how much the game evolves, there will always be room for the unexpected. As time continues there is always the team that doesn’t stop and the athlete who proves everyone wrong. Every season there is a moment that no one saw coming. 

That’s why underdog stories continue to connect with fans and last as something more than a result. They give us something to believe in. It’s these kinds of stories that continue to shape how athletes’ are shared with the world, and how Athelo Group will continue to unlock niche markets.

FAQ:

  1. What is an Underdog? A person, team, or entity expected to lose a competition, contest, or struggle, often characterized by a disadvantage, lack of power, or consistent failure.
  2. What is the Minneapolis Miracle? The Minneapolis Miracle refers to one of the most dramatic finishes in NFL history. In the 2018 NFC Divisional Playoff game, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints on a last-second 61-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Stefon Diggs as time expired. This was the first time in NFL playoff history that a game ended with a touchdown on the final play.
  3. When is the best time to bet on an underdog? Many bettors target underdogs when the public is heavily backing the favorite, which can boost the odds and create stronger value on the underdog side. Other situations to consider include matchups where the underdog has a strong defense or when they’re facing a high-scoring favorite, where game dynamics can be less predictable.
  4. Why does underdog marketing work? Underdog marketing resonates because consumers naturally connect with stories of struggle and perseverance. It positions a brand as relatable rather than over using over saturated targets. Authentic narratives of overcoming the odds tend to be far more engaging and memorable than traditional brand messaging.
  5. Will underdog stories always matter in sports? Essentially, Yes. No matter how much sports evolve with technology, media, and advancements, underdog stories remain timeless. They represent unpredictability and human effort.

Sports Team Relocation and Building Brand Identity

Posted on by Athelo Group

By Kamyjah Blackwell

Athelo Group

What is sports team relocation, and how do teams manage it?

When a professional sports team relocates, it is more than just moving to a new city. Professional sports teams have relocated since 1921 and have continued to do so ever since.

Although relocation has become easier throughout the years, many teams still struggle. These struggles include maintaining and building brand identity in their new city. Team relocation changes how fans view the team, the team’s brand identity, and fan identification. 

These professional teams must manage two large factors. Rebuilding their identity and allowing new fans to connect with the new team in their city, and also honoring their history to try to ensure that old fans feel appreciated and seen. 

The most successful relocated teams find ways to honor their past, connect with their new city, and build strong relationships with fans. 

Quick Highlights

  • Following the Rams relocation back to Los Angeles, their estimated franchise value jumped from $2.9 billion (Las Vegas) in 2016 to $10.5 billion by 2025.
  • The Raiders move to Las Vegas from Oakland led to $128 million in tax revenue, 1.52 million tourists, and a $2.29 billion economic impact.
  • 56% of MLB fans say that proximity to a team is important to their fandom, and 37% of MLB fans say that if their team relocated it was unlikely they would continue to support that team.
  • The Athletic’s move to Las Vegas required $380 million in public funding, with $180 million being sourced from transferable tax credits.
@mlbonfox The Athletics have officially broken ground in Las Vegas 📸: Mick Akers #LasVegas #Vegas #Athletics #mlb #baseball ♬ original sound – MLBonFOX

Professional Sports Team Relocation

Teams relocate for a plethora of reasons. This can include stronger partnership chances, market growth and space, media opportunities, and new facilities.

The Oakland A’s are one current example of how difficult relocation can be for a team. They have officially left Oakland, however, they are in a transitional period while their new stadium in Las Vegas gets finished. 

They are temporarily playing in West Sacramento as the Athletics until they can officially move to Las Vegas in 2028. This middle stage between relocation shows just how hard it can be to maintain a strong brand identity during a move. 

The A’s situation shows that relocation is not just about changing locations. It’s about preserving history, building new community connections, and earning fan affinity in a different market.

What Stays From the Old Brand

Many times when teams decide to relocate to a new city, they are completely striping away a major part of their identity. 

This is why teams often keep their colors, logo, and any team traditions they are associated with. Familiarity keeps the franchise recognizable to fans.

Strong examples of this concept include: Oakland Raiders to the Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Rams to St. Louis Rams and then back, and San Diego Chargers to Los Angeles Chargers. All of these teams maintained either brand logo, colors, and traditions, which allowed them to keep part of the old identity. 

The A’s are maintaining the Athletics/A’s identity instead of entirely rebranding their team name. They dropped the city name, but the franchise is doing their best to maintain brand identity by keeping the core name and using familiar visual identity. Keeping the A’s name anchors the team in stability during transition. 

A complete full rebrand is a risk because it can threaten brand equity, current fan affinity, possible alienation, and also financial burdens. A YouGov survey gauging fan sentiment surrounding relocation found that 37% of MLB fans feel that if their team relocated, it would be unlikely they would continue supporting them.

sports team relocation

The Challenge of the In-Between

During this “in-between” phase, teams may feel unfinished. This leaves their brand identity hazy until they can fully claim their new city.

The A’s are in this position currently. They are no longer in Oakland, however they can’t move to Las Vegas until their stadium is built in 2028. Right now, they are just known as the Athletic’s while they continue to attempt to trademark their team name in Las Vegas. 

This prohibits Oakland fans from aligning themselves with the team. It also may prohibit them from starting to identify with the Las Vegas market. 

Building a brand identity isn’t just emotional or cultural. It’s also a legal and strategic play. In moments like relocation, that balance becomes everything. The teams that get it right aren’t just moving cities. They’re laying the groundwork for long-term loyalty before they ever take the field.

The New Connection With the New City

Relocation succeeds when a team establishes comfort and a sense of belonging in its new city before it even arrives. Teams need to introduce themselves early, so by the time they arrive, the fan base already feels a connection.

These new local fans have likely already had to contribute to the team’s move to their city, whether that is via tax dollars or business relocations. The Athletic’s move to Las Vegas required $380 million in public funding. $180 million of that funding was sourced from transferable tax credits from the community.

Community engagement is also critical to fostering connection between teams and new cities. This allows for teams to build their brand image and fan loyalty while also showing their commitment to the community. 

In 2026, the A’s will have 6 homestand games in Las Vegas. This gives the franchise the opportunity to gauge fan interests, increase awareness, and build community.

A survey gauging fan sentiment surrounding relocation found that 56% of MLB fans support teams based on proximity. This again opens doors for community engagement opportunties.

@espn Farewell Oakland 🥲💔 #oaklandathletics #mlb #baseball #oaklandcoliseum ♬ original sound – ESPN

Relocation Is Not a Clean Reset

The A’s show that relocation takes time, effort, and well-executed strategy in order to be able to successfully overcome the struggles of relocation. 

Teams must manage what parts of their brand identity are pillars that they must maintain, what aspects they need to change, and how to build themselves as community members of their new city. 

The A’s relocation, along with every other sports team that has relocated, proves that brand identity is not tied only to a location. It also is dependent upon whether fans believe the team’s story still means something in its new home.

FAQ:

  1. What is a sports team relocation? Sports team relocation is when a professional or amateur team moves from one city to another. This means that the team will have a new location to play their home games and will begin building a presence in said new city.
  2. Why do sports teams relocate? There are many reasons that a sports team may relocate. Most commonly, teams relocate due to wanting a new stadium/arena/pitch, increasing revenue, reaching a larger market, better sponsorship opportunities, or receiving more support from local government and/or investors.
  3. What makes a team relocation successful? A relocation is deemed most successful when the team is able to maintain recognizable parts of their brand identity, connects the brand to the culture of their new city, and invests in building real relationships with the community. 
  4. Does a team have to rebrand their team name after relocating? It depends on the team. Some teams keep the same name, colors, and overall branding in order to stay recognizable to their previous and current fans. While others will adapt parts of their brand identity to better align with their new city.
  5. Why is fan loyalty such a big issue during relocation? Fans often feel emotionally attached to a team because of memories, community, and tradition. When a team moves, longtime fans can feel a sense of betrayal, while new fans may be hesitant to accept the team into their community. 
  6. Is relocation only about the money? Money is typically a major factor, but not the only factor. Relocation also involves wanting better stadium quality, long-term growth strategies, media exposure/opportunities, and the chance to build a stronger future in a different market.
  7. Why do some relocations get criticized more than others? When fans view a relocation was driven by profit or feel completely neglected during the relocation process they have a very emotional response. Typically, when teams are deeply rooted into a community/city and then decide to relocate, they receive stronger and more controversial reactions amongst fans. 
  8. What does sports team relocation teach us about branding? It shows that branding is not just logos and uniforms. That a valuable sports brand is built through history, community connection, fan trust, and the meaning people attach to the team.

 Fear vs. Fatigue: Free Solo Climbing

Posted on by Athelo Group

Kate Hubbard

Athelo Group

What is free solo climbing? 

This increasingly popular sport is a style of rock climbing in which the climber uses only their body strength and chalk to ascend. This is done all without the safety net of ropes, harnesses, or protective gear. Climbers instead rely entirely on their strength, mental focus, and technique.

The sport has recently gained worldwide attention and popularity. This is largely thanks to free soloist Alex Honnold. Climbers like Honnold highlight not only the extreme risks, but also the incredible skill that free solo climbing requires.

While it may appear to be a purely physical challenge, free solo climbing is actually a true battle between fear and fatigue. The mind and body push their limits in order to maintain control and keep themselves alive. 

Quick Highlights

  • Free solo climbing is considered the most dangerous form of climbing over bouldering, free climbing, and sport climbing, due to its high mortality risk. 
  • Climbers solo rocks and buildings nearing 3,000 feet without the safety net of padding or harnesses.
  • ‘Skyscraper Live’, the Netflix documentary featuring Alex Honnold’s free solo of Taipei 101 has amassed over 6.2 million views. 
  • Only one person has successfully free soloed El Capitan, the premier big-wall rock climbing destination in Yosemite.
free solo climbing

Free Solo Climbing v.s. Free Climbing

Many people often confuse free solo climbing with free climbing. While similar, the lack of ropes and other protective gear gives meaning to the word ‘solo’. 

In traditional free climbing, climbers have the help of harnesses with ropes, as well as padding on the ground that saves them from a fall. Additionally, the harnesses can be used to manually ascend the climber if they find themselves stuck. 

While ropes may not seem like a large difference, the consequence of a solo fall is almost always fatal. Climbers solo rocks and buildings nearing 3,000 feet, all without the safety net of padding or harnesses. Falling is not an option.  

Taipei 101

Alex Honnold recently took on the famous skyscraper Taipei 101, which was the tallest building in the world from 2004-2010.

At 1,667 feet, this building towers over the city of Taiwan. 

Honnold performed the feat of climbing it solo, with nothing but a bag of chalk and reliance on his training. His performance was documented by Netflix, creating a thrilling live drama leaving the viewers on the edge of their seats. The documentary has amassed over 6.2 million views. 

Just 50 years ago, free solo climbing was even more unheard of than it is now. 

95% of Americans believed that “mountain climbers” ascended difficult rock cruxes by throwing a grappling hook attached to a hemp rope 30 feet in the air, then scaling the rope hand-over-hand.

With the extreme sport gaining visibility on platforms like Netflix, people who have never climbed before could begin to engage in the risk without proper training or preparation. 

@netflix

Alex Honnold holding on with nothing but his feet at over 1,400 feet above Taipei?!? #skyscraperlive

♬ original sound – Netflix

The Mental Battle

If asked, many climbers would immediately reject the idea of a solo climb. 

Fear is a survival instinct, and not something most people are able to overcome for a supposed quick thrill. Fear is something that free solo climbers must learn to control. 

Half the battle of free solo climbing is separate from gym training. This includes mental visualization, meditation, memorizing routes, and rehearsing moves. They must be able to remain calm even in extreme situations of exposure, or when something doesn’t go to plan.

The psychological pressure faced is extreme. Even with moves calculated to the centimeter, rock breakage or weather could put the climber in fatal danger. The knowledge of this can lead to stiff or hesitant movements that increase the risk of failure. As long climbs progress, mental fatigue runs the risk of setting in. 

Training and Physical Limits

The physical training that goes into a successful free solo climb is critical. To preserve energy, climbers train efficient body positions and holds to conserve their strength during long and tedious climbs. 

Climbers often simulate ‘Cross-fit’ style circuits. They also participate in finger grip exercises, endurance, and push-pull drills to get as prepared as possible for the climb. Long hangboard sessions often simulate the deep fatigue that will plague climbers’ arms during a free solo. Deep physical fatigue can affect a climber’s grip strength, reaction time, and coordination. 

In climbing, injury prevention and rest are vital. Climbers strengthen muscles, core, and shoulders to withstand the tenuous climbs. Proper rest and recovery allow muscles to rebuild and adapt to intense training sessions. Stretching and mobility work also help maintain flexibility and reduce fatigue. 

free solo climbing

Gym Confidence to Outdoor Reality

Naturally, smaller indoor climbing gyms provide climbers with the safety and security to practice climbing in a controlled environment. They are able to attempt the lifts and grabs they will have to perform thousands of feet in the air from the safety of 15 feet. 

The challenge of training in indoor facilities is that climbers can get too comfortable with movements and the ability to fall. 

There is an immense mental battle for climbers to transfer to the real surfaces.

Where Control Replaces Fear 

Free solo climbing remains one of the most extreme and dangerous sports in the world. Climbers must balance intense training, careful route planning, and the ability to remain calm in situations where a single mistake could be fatal. 

While documentaries and media coverage have brought greater attention to the sport, they also highlight the reality that free solo climbing is far from a casual thrill. The sport is a discipline built on years of preparation and calculated risk. 

Ultimately, free solo climbers push the boundaries of human capability. They show how far the mind and body can go when working together under the most extreme conditions.

FAQ:

  1. What is the tallest free solo climb in history? The tallest free solo climb was completed by Alex Honnold on January 25, 2026. Honnold ascended Taipei 101 in Taiwan, which stands at 1,667 feet. This climb took 91 minutes. 
  2. Is free solo climbing legal everywhere? Yes. Free solo climbing is generally legal in outdoor climbing areas, however the regulations differ by location. Environmental, safety, or conservation concerns can place restrictions. 
  3. How do free solo climbers memorize routes? Climbers have a wide variety of ways in which they attempt to memorize routes and simulate the climb before the real attempt. They climb the route many times using ropes and other protection, while building repetition. This creates the ability to practice sequences of moves in section breaks and memorize hands and footholds. Off the surface, they can mentally rehearse the climb.  
  4. What are ethical concerns surrounding the promotion of free solo climbing? The promotion and filming of free solo climbs can encourage risky behavior. When hit shows or Youtube videos receive millions of views and the climbers large sums of money, beginners can be encouraged to attempt free solo climbing without the skill or training. This also puts pressure on even experienced climbers to attempt more dangerous feats. 
  5. Is free solo climbing the same as ‘free climbing’? No. In free climbing, the ability to use ropes, harnesses, and padding is available to climbers. In free solo climbing, the ascent must be made with just your body and chalk. 
  6. How do climbers deal with fear during a free solo climb? Experienced climbers have all formulated their own routine on how they handle fear before and during a climb, however it is inevitable. They often climb routes that they know well, and prepare extensively for routes they don’t. Most practice mental focus techniques off the surfaces daily, and know to avoid climbing if they feel uncertain or distracted. 

Athlete-Owned Media Is Changing Sports Coverage

Posted on by Athelo Group

By David Osuji

Athelo Group

There was a time when hearing directly from an athlete meant catching a postgame interview or waiting for a segment to air on ESPN. Reporters controlled the questions. Producers decided what made it to broadcast. The athlete was the subject of the story and rarely the one telling it.

Now, that dynamic has quietly flipped.

Over the past several years, athletes have moved into podcasting, YouTube, and full scale media ventures with a confidence that’s caught a lot of people off guard. This isn’t just moonlighting between seasons. Some of these platforms are drawing audiences that rival traditional sports networks like ESPN, CBS, and NBC.

The athletes utilizing owned-media seem to understand something those sports outlets are still catching up to.

Quick Highlights

  • Athlete-owned podcasts have generated more than 7 billion YouTube views, 725 million TikTok likes, and 37 million Instagram followers combined.
  • A 2025 USC Annenberg study found 33 athlete-owned production companies producing over 370 media properties worldwide.
  • The global podcast industry was a heavy hitter in the entertainment industry, and was valued at nearly $40 billion by the end of 2025.
  • Brands and sponsors are increasingly choosing athlete podcasts shows as advertising platforms due to the strong engagement from fans.
athlete-owned media

Traditional Sports Coverage

Within sports media, athlete frustration has been building for years over misquotes and selective editing stripped of context. A two hour conversation gets reduced to a single pulled quote. A nuanced opinion becomes a headline designed to generate outrage. 

We live in a world where a clipped video or a screenshot taken out of context can reach millions of people before anyone bothers to fact check. Social media moves fast, and corrections almost never travel as far as the original story. For athletes who are already among the most visible and most misrepresented public figures in the country, this has created a major issue. 

Traditional media was never set up to give athletes control over their own narratives. They have had to live with whatever version of themselves ended up in print or on television.

Marshawn Lynch is an infamous form of what that frustration can look like. He was fined over a million dollars across his career for refusing to comply with NFL media obligations. The coverage painted him as difficult and uncooperative, and that’s largely where the story stopped. 

What rarely made it into the narrative was why he felt the way he did. He grew up in an environment that made being forced to perform for the press feel immoral. That context existed, it just had nowhere to go. Years after retiring, he laid it all out on various podcasts, in his own words, without anyone shaping it into something else. 

Without that personal perspective, the public version of Marshawn Lynch was just a guy who wouldn’t speak to reporters. This didn’t come close to capturing it.

Athletes Taking Control

Podcasts have changed that dynamic across the board. 

When an athlete is talking directly into a microphone for an hour, there is no editor cutting for time, no reporter filtering the message, no network sweating over advertising. The audience hears what was said, in full, in the actual context it was meant in.

That kind of direct access simply did not exist at scale before this format came along.

LeBron James recognized this early. Uninterrupted, the platform he helped build, was designed around a straightforward idea: let athletes talk without someone else shaping the message. No click bait reactions and no manufactured drama – just perspective.

The Kelce brothers landed on something similar, though it came together differently. New Heights isn’t built in the way a network show is. It wanders and it gets personal.

That looseness is the whole point. It gives fans something a standard broadcast would never make room for. It shows who they truly are.

@newheightshow

Everyone loves Uncle Travvy and Randy Moss NEW EPISODE OUT NOW!!! Link in bio

♬ original sound – New Heights

Building While Still Playing and After Retirement

What’s changed most noticeably is the timing. Athletes used to wait until after retirement to transition into media. That’s no longer how it works.

Draymond Green launched his show while still active in the NBA, which created something genuinely unique. The audience was shown analysis from someone who had just been in the locker room the night before. The gap between player and commentator shrank in a way that felt hard to fake.

Pat McAfee is maybe the clearest example of what the high stage looks like. He built a digital show from scratch after his playing career ended and grew it into something ESPN eventually paid serious money to partner with. He also did so by refusing to sound like traditional sports radio. The fact that he was a retired NFL player helped – but it wasn’t the whole story. Plenty of former players have tried this. Most have not built what he has built.

For athletes watching all of this, the business logic is hard to ignore. Media presence drives sponsorship value. It builds an identity that outlasts any contract. In a profession where a single injury can end everything, that kind of security is surely worth chasing.

Why Personality Is Beating Production Value

The audience perspective of this is also worth paying attention to. Sport fans haven’t just accepted athlete led media. In a lot of cases, they actually prefer it.

Paul George’s podcast doesn’t try to be a debate show. JJ Redick built The Old Man and the Three around long conversations that assumed the listener actually cared about basketball, not just highlights. That show, more than anything else, explains why the Lakers looked at him differently when a coaching job opened up. He’d spent years demonstrating how he thought about the game.

There’s a version of sports media that’s still chasing outrage because outrage drives clicks. That model hasn’t disappeared, but it’s competing now with something that feels more like a real conversation. A growing share of the audience seems to prefer the latter.

@bustedopenonsiriusxm

☝️🏿The World’s Strongest Man Acknowledges @officialjellyroll! MarkHenry reacts to Smackdown, SNME & Cena-Cody SummerSlam Contract Signing on the bustedopen247 podcast 📅Catch BOAD Weeknights After Wrestling on ProWrestlingNation247 Ch. 156

♬ original sound – BustedOpenonSiriusXM – BustedOpenonSiriusXM

Where It Goes From Here

The athletes coming up now have never known a sports landscape without this. For them, social media, content creation, and personal branding are not second careers to think about someday. They are already baked into how these athletes move through the world and how they build a following long before they reach the professional level.

The broader implications of this go well beyond podcasts. When athletes own their platforms, they also own their revenue streams. Sponsorship conversations shift. Brands no longer need to go through a network or a league to reach an audience; they can go directly to the athlete, whose audience is often more loyal and more targeted than traditional networks. That changes the financial scope of being a professional athlete in ways that are still playing out.

It also changes culture. Athletes have always shaped what people wear, listen to, and care about. That influence used to be filtered through endorsements and highlight reels. Now, it comes through in real conversation and the actual texture of who these people are. That kind of access builds something different than a commercial does. It builds genuine connection, and genuine connection turns casual fans into communities.

Athelo’s own Mark Henry is a good example of what this looks like. The Busted Open podcast, which Henry co-hosts, has become one of the most respected in professional wrestling media. He spent decades inside the industry as a competitor, and that background gives the show insider perspective delivered without a filter. Fans are not getting a produced segment. They are getting a real conversation with someone who actually lived it. 

For Athelo Group, Henry represents exactly the kind of athlete-owned media that is reshaping how sports figures connect with their audiences long after their playing days are behind them.

The microphone used to sit in front of the athlete. Now they are the ones holding it, and they are not planning to hand it back.

FAQ:

  1. What is athlete owned media? It’s exactly what it sounds like. It consists of athletes running their own podcasts, social media, and/or production companies instead of waiting for a network to give them a segment. They own it, they run it, and they decide what gets said.
  2. Why are so many athletes doing this now? Telling your own story is important. Once athletes realized they could just talk directly to fans without a middleman, a lot of them didn’t look back. The financial gain is also a focus for many players.
  3. Are people actually watching and listening? More than most people realize. Athlete owned podcasts have combined for billions of views and likes across social media platforms. Some of these shows are pulling numbers that even rival traditional sports media.
  4. Are athletes really doing this while still in their prime? Draymond Green was still suiting up for the Warriors when he launched his show and Travis Kelce was still competing for Super Bowl runs. That’s actually what made it interesting. You’re getting takes from someone who has a first person perspective of the game.
  5. Does any of this actually pay off financially? Media presence drives sponsorship deals, attracts brands, and builds income that doesn’t disappear the moment a career ends. For athletes in sports where one bad injury changes everything, that kind of option matters a lot.
  6. Can a podcast really change how people see an athlete? Ask JJ Redick. He spent years having genuine basketball conversations on his show, and by the time the Lakers needed a coach, he had already proven how he thought about the game.
  7. Why do fans seem to prefer this over traditional coverage? Because it feels real. There’s no producer cutting to commercials at the good part. No anchor steering the conversation somewhere safe. It’s just people talking, and fans have noticed the difference.
  8. Is this just a trend or is it here to stay? It looks permanent. The podcast industry has boomed within the entertainment realm and sports topics are among the top genres.

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